Finally, after all her efforts she had returned to Earthland, a journey that didn't necessarily went without much obstacles either. The young Demon Queen had returned to the guild hall in Blue Pegasus, and while it took some explanations from her side, most of the guild seemed to believe she was indeed Esperia. However, fortunately for her they had not been able to see through her disguise as a demon. The one she was meant to meet today? She however was one where such trickery was useless. A light knock was made onto the door leading into the guild master's office as she announced her presence: "Ali? It's me~ Esperia." She knew her voice likely sounded more mature than before, even if there was that hint of playfulness in her tone that was reminiscent of the days she had been the vessel for the Demon Lord of Lust.

Once Alisa answered she would step inside and smile briefly at her. "I'm sorry if this form appears like I'm trying to play a trick with you~ Unfortunately I'm still a bit uncomfortable with showing the others of the guild my true form. If you want, I can show you my real appearance, trust you more than enough for that~ But I bet you have a lot of questions for me."

She went quiet for a moment, waiting for Alisa to respond. There were so many things for them to discuss about the recent chain of events. But where to start?

Esperia smiled sheepishly at Alisa's words, shaking her head lightly as she dispelled the illusion of her disguise. The Mindflayer was surprised by the hug, perhaps the reason why she had led down her guard and soon felt tears starting to roll down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, attempting to speak but no sound came, instead forcing her to project her voice mentally into Alisa's thoughts. "After I heard about the chaos happening at Talaz Lagaar I decided to investigate for myself. I firmly believed the knowledge Gaia bestowed onto me would have helped me discover a decisive clue in my research, not just on my personal search to discover if I could use my Obscura for a good purpose, but also to find a potential cure to the plague that troubled the island."

She lowered her head into Alisa's shoulder, sobbing silently as she continued. "Instead a man called Kishin disrupted my research and led me to getting arrested by the local authorities there. They were deaf to my reasons, and they brutally sacrificed me to the Fractured Sky, for reasons unknown to me..."

Esperia went silent, leaning her head back a little to look at Alisa as she established her mental link again, the psionic gift of the Mindflayer projecting her feelings of anger and sorrow to Alisa as she resumed speaking through her telepathy. "I was trapped in a different realm, a realm of infinite darkness, the darkness that ate away at my very body and soul. Despite my struggles, I would have succumbed if not for the presence of another... There was a being in that realm that tried to communicate with me, and through our interactions, I retained my sanity, and while my mind is still my own... My body is as you can see, corrupted to its core."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "A Mindflayer... a subspecies of what they call Voidlings, the moment I show my true form to someone they instantly grab for the nearest weapon to chase me off. Even the very people I tried to help in the past only see a monster in me."

She raised a hand, attempting to gently rest it against Alisa's cheek. "I can't blame them, for to the outside world I might have become just that... They can't see the fact I was once someone who championed the cause of Earthland. But now... this treatment of being an outcast frightens me. I couldn't even enter the guild hall without using my magic to conceal my true appearance from our friends. To the world I became simply a monster from the void... and it hurts, to know the very same people I fought for, that I wanted to protect now scorn me."

A tentacle wigged lightly around her waist as if it was trying to comfort her by patting her stomach in an affectionate way. "I don't know what to do anymore Ali... I'm tired... I have no more fight left to fight in me..."

Esperia remained quiet for a moment, trying to calm her troubled heart. It was fortunate that Alisa had such a reassuring presence, for else she doubted she would have stopped crying or allowed herself to reveal such painful knowledge about her new existence. When she finally spoke again her lips moved, but no sound came, an old habit of her as her voice projected in Alisa's mind.

After I returned from the void I was able to... 'interrogate' one of the people responsible for my sacrifice. While his information was fractured, I believe they were attempting to appease to what they call the 'Fractured Sky', my presumption is that it functions similarly to a portal of sorts that leads into the Void. Although the person I interrogated had a more personal involvement since he hoped my sacrifice would lead to the release of a loved one who was sacrificed in a similar fashion a long time ago...

She lowered her head and sighed softly as she resumed.

Yet, ever since I returned I kept facing such extreme intolerance. After I left the island behind I stumbled upon a similar 'outcast'. A machine with the soul of a man, but he was being pursued... Fairy Tail's most famous coat-rider was there, working alongside Reign's pitbull to investigate the matter. I'd say they had come to claim whatever rewards Talaz Lagaar offered them. To make matters worse, these so-called heroes acted more like greedy mercenaries rather than the self-proclaimed protectors of the people they claim to be. For all my past sacrifices they only saw me as a monster from the void, looking upon me with disgust and warriness.

She gently raised a hand, attempting to hold Alisa's own as she inquired worriedly.

It makes me worried for Blue Pegasus' safety. If they learn you're harboring a being from the Void you can expect people to cause a backlash. Even now I can barely walk outside without having to use Psionic Magic to trick people with illusions or wear a cloak to prevent panic from escalating.

She smiled weakly as she continued.

Kind of funny isn't it? For all my work in aiding the people of Fiore and Earthland, I get scorned and turned into an outcast. You'd expect the king to at least try to reach out to a fallen hero, rather than giving a dog a fancy kennel to play in. Then again, I never cared about fame or wealth, all I wanted was to make the world a better place, and make it more peaceful to live in for these I held dear...

Esperia shook her head firmly in response. She allowed her telepathic gift to stir again, the words forming in the mental link between herself and Alisa. "Even with my unique gift of being able to tap into the knowledge of the world itself, I found the past of this being to be fractured... It seems he was made in Talaz Lagaar, although one would compare them to the recent increase in Machia, this entity was more the opposite: A machine that gained a consciousness. In a way I felt it was still developing, learning and growing as an entity. It was for that reason I grew interested in this 'artificial intelligence', this being that called itself 'ONE' and tried to protect it from them."

She nodded her head gently at Alisa's words. It was true, Hargeon was quite open-minded in its mentality toward other species, no doubt the result of the influence Blue Pegasus had upon it. Although Alisa did make a fair point in the statement that few even knew about what type of entities dwelled within the void.

She shook her head once more, smiling gently at Alisa as she felt her cheeks flush up lightly at the affectionate gesture. "I haven't tried to not use it yet. I was somewhat worried people might mistake me for a demon due to my unnatural look, not to mention demons are commonly known to be... not exactly the most hospitable of visitors."

She sighed softly, her smile wavering as she looked back at Alisa's eyes. "I been considering staying here for a while before resuming my journey. There has been a rumor about an ancient relic in Caelum I have been looking to investigate, primarily to ensure it stays out of the hands of these who would misuse its powers... but also a bit to satisfy my own curiosity about the legends of that land."

Esperia nodded her head slightly in response to Alisa's playful remark. Esperia was one who lived for adventure, especially when said adventures escalated into the discovery of ancient secrets tied to legends or mythology. Even before she held the power to cross into other dimensions in the past, knowledge was one thing Esperia always adored, and unlike what people might expect it was one of the reasons she disliked the unique gifts she possessed. There was a certain disappointing sensation that came with possessing all the knowledge in the world without the effort of uncovering it. Certainly, it had its benefits but at the same time it was just as much a blessing as it was a curse.

Indeed~ Although Seven is a land known for living alongside its mythologies, and Desierto being a country with a rich history, it simply doesn't feel the same as Caelum does. There is a certain feeling of 'fantasy' in their legends that stirs the naive dreamer inside me~ It's why I been thinking of going there, according to some rumors there been sightings of fairies near a small rural village, and it sounds like a golden opportunity for an adventure~ Away from all the political drama and greedy mercenaries pretending to be heroes... It's almost like a vacation!

There was also the fact that as a country filled with countless legends they were more open-minded to the presence of beings that didn't look human. Curiosity rather than hostility was always a welcome change to her.

I'd invite you along~ but between pleasing your wife and keeping Hargeon safe I bet you have your hands full~