To think she had taken yet another request to escort a noble within Myras. Why would she had even bothered wasting her time with such a trivial request? Was it because a part of her secretly was hoping she would be meeting that mysterious elderly man again? Part of her felt that might had been the case. She wanted to get confirmation on the man's identity, and more importantly he seemed to possess answers to the questions she had, even if the one holding them was considered the God of Tricksters.

Heaving a sigh as she saw the city of Myras come into sight in the distance, Esperia watched her wyvern smoothly descend toward the entrance to the city. She had to admit having a mount to carry her did make traveling still bearable, perhaps she had been spoiled by the times she could just travel through dimensions with such ease. Nonetheless, as the wyvern reached the surface Esperia hopped off the wyvern's back, patting its neck lightly and watched the wyvern ascend back into the sky.

It was time for her to start heading to the meeting place and discuss the finer details of this request with the noble who posted it.

WC: 205
Total WC: 205/2500

As Esperia arrived at the small plaza that had been designated as the meeting grounds for this request the vampire waited for the arrival of her client. Fortunately she didn't need to wait long, for after about roughly a quarter of an hour the sound of footsteps resounded from nearby. Her gaze shifted toward the direction the sound came from, an elderly man clad in fine clothes was being flanked by several armed guards.

Once he reached her the elderly man dismissed his guards and motioned for Esperia to follow toward the direction of the poorer districts of the city. "Why all the subterfuge and trickery?" The question asked by Esperia earned a soft chuckle from the old man. "If you are as much as a trickster as me you do tend to make plenty of enemies, consider it a precaution at best Esperia."

As they walked alongside the streets of the district the man decided to ask a question of his own. "You been searching for the Akashic Records haven't you? But what purpose is behind that search? Desire to know more than you already do?"

Esperia nodded her head firmly in response to the old man's question, to which she clarified soon afterwards. "The knowledge I seek can no longer be found in ordinary books, and as such I 'need' to find the records."

WC: 229
Total WC: 434/2500

The elderly man nodded his head slightly, seemingly quite intrigued by the thing Esperia had been searching for. After all, even after obtaining the unusual power she possessed, Esperia's curiosity and desire for knowledge never was truly satisfied. In a way it reminded him of a certain individual.

"It will be a difficult search for sure, not only are there others in search for it as well but what you are searching for is commonly considered a 'taboo'." The revelation made Esperia blink in bewilderment. Why would anyone consider searching for knowledge a taboo? Seeing the confusion clearly on her expression the man continued his explanation. "As you are surely aware by now the power you hold grants you knowledge over the past and present, right? But not the future. There is a very important reason behind that. To possess knowledge of the future means to possess awareness of every single action that will unfold, to possess the awareness of the countless different timelines that might be born from those actions."

And that was what was written in the Akashic Records...

"But such knowledge is too much for mortals to possess, too dangerous in the hands of those who would intervene with the flow of time. And it is for that reason Gaia considers the Akashic Records a taboo."

WC: 220
Total WC: 654/2500

A frown lingered on her face as Esperia followed the elderly man down to a small plaza where a peddler was selling their wares. Esperia observed the noble approaching the peddler, looking over their wares while she silently considered to think about the ominous warning she had received. If Gaia considered the records a taboo she doubted she would be able to rely on her unusual powers to find the records. And yet...

Looking at the elderly noble she watched with a hint of curiosity as he purchased what seemed to be a necklace with a particular symbol attached to it. Wait... That symbol, wasn't it...

"I didn't know you were a devout believer of Illumin's faith..." The question earned a chuckle from the man who handed over the pendant to her. "It is for you Esperia. After all, weren't your humble origins one where your kin was embraced by such a faith?"

Esperia's lips curved up into a small smile, the nostalgia lingering for but a moment as she decided to dispel the thoughts and instead listened to the next message the man had to tell. "But you should truly take the time to explore the past a bit more~ Go back to the beginning and you will find the path you seek there~"

The words left Esperia to ponder for a bit longer.

WC: 230
Total WC: 884/2500

"Do you mean the Eisenberg church? But that place was reduced to ruins after the werewolf pack attacked it?"

The man smiled knowingly at her. "Isn't knowledge often found in ruins? Besides, perhaps you will encounter an old friend should you decide to travel down the path of nostalgia~"

She had to admit that despite the subtle secrecy the words spoken by the man did stir her curiosity. If she were to seek the truth, then perhaps she could take some time to explore the ruins of her family's church? But who was this old friend he mentioned? "You are free to leave Esperia~ I can find my way back to my accommodations on my own, and I am curious to see what the future holds for you."

A light nod was made by the white-haired vampire as she took a few steps away toward the center of the street and let out a loud whistle. In the distance she could already hear the cry of her wyvern as it approached her, but before that... Turning toward the stranger she smiled briefly and as her wyvern landed beside her spoke her words of farewell. "I'll be seeing you again~"

To which the man answered in amusement: "I am certain of it." And so Esperia's wyvern ascended into the air, preparing to make its way to the next destination her master had in mind.

WC: 238
Total WC: 1122/2500

As the wyvern flew through the air Esperia's grip on the pendant tightened. Despite not being a devout follower of faith, Esperia had to admit there had been days her faith was exactly the opposite. She cursed Illumin for not saving her family despite the countless years of worshipping and work they carried out in his name. She despised the fact he had allowed her to become a vessel of a Demon Lord, but those days her opinion was different. She thought Illumin simply didn't care, in a way it was reminding her of Gaia and how the entity insisted on keeping a passive approach, as long as Earthland's existence was guaranteed to continue it would never prevent suffering or disasters from happening. That by itself had always been a topic that infuriated Esperia: For one who possessed so much power, gods certainly were cowards when it came to using it.

Fortunately her trip wouldn't take too long, a mere hour and the wyvern started to descend toward the mountains, and just as Esperia had expected the ruins of the church that stood there had been left mostly untouched. Aside from the last moment of grace her family was given when the villagers from the nearby settlement had decided to burry her family.

As Esperia stepped off the wyvern and entered the church grounds she smiled weakly. "I'm home..." Yet as she closed her eyes and tried to think back on the past, she knew all too well there was no longer anyone to greet her.

"Welcome home Espy~"

WC: 264
Total WC: 1386/2500

Esperia's eyes opened, a look of shock visible on her face at the sound of the familiar voice. For a moment she expected to see 'her' again, but instead she found a small orb floating in front of her. "A wisp?" Esperia mused curiously. Surely it couldn't be a ghost of her family. Certainly wisps and spirits could refuse to cross into the afterlife if they had powerful lingering regrets but after so many years? Esperia shook her head lightly in the effort to dispel the thought and started to follow the wisp deeper into the ruins. At first they arrived at the large arc that stood in front of the entrance to the church, although most of the structure had collapsed in the distant conflict. She still remembered how her uncle and aunt had tried their utmost to keep the werewolves out of the church, aided by the novice exorcists but even they could do little against such overwhelming numbers.

Slow steps brought her to the altar where she had last seen her parents, prepared to make their last stand while she and her elder sister were supposed to flee into the catacombs deep within the church where a secret passageway had once been.

It somehow made her realize just how much she secretly missed her family, how she longed to tell them they didn't need to worry about her.

WC: 234
Total WC: 1620/2500

Suddenly the wisp made a small turn behind the altar, leading down into the staircase that she and her sister had fled into. Step by step she felt a chill lingering in her body, her memories of that night resurfacing. To think that she was now married to a werewolf, there was some irony in that. A werewolf pack destroyed her family, and a werewolf helped her make a new one.

Finally arriving at the catacombs Esperia watched the wisp float over to a hooded figure at the other side of the room, the wisp dancing around the figure till the entity disappeared, after which the hooded figure turned toward her. "It's been too long my dear. Way too long."

That honeyed voice, that gentle smile and those bewitching eyes. Just a look at her made Esperia's mind go into a state of heightened alertness, her body clearly tense as she inquired. "You... What do you want this time? Found a new vessel to brag about-"

Yet the figure shook her head lightly, bringing a finger to her lips as she whispered softly. "Shh, at least give me a moment to explain myself before throwing accusations at me~ Surely Ali taught you better than that."

Esperia sighed in annoyance, but seemingly decided to at least give the woman the benefit of doubt. "To answer your first inquiry: This is not a vessel, the one you see before you is the real deal. Although you could say I have my reasons for revealing myself to you after all those years."

Esperia's gaze sharpened, the awareness of the danger this woman could possess if her claims were true making her way more alert than previously. "And that reason being?"

The woman smiled softly at her, raising her hands to the hood of her cloth and lowered it. "Because we both seek the same thing, the only difference is that I know where it is, and you hold the key~ So how about we work together, for nostalgia's sake?"

WC: 340
Total WC: 1960/2500

So she was searching for the Akashic Records as well? But what in the world could she have wanted with it? Esperia's wariness made the obsidian-haired maiden sigh softly. "Do not worry so much Esperia, I genuinely mean you and yours no harm, I am merely seeking knowledge on a particular topic, and I promise you: No harm will befall any of Earthland's denizen should I find this knowledge. Besides, you get a straight path to the place you seek~ Isn't that a win-win situation?"

Esperia pondered for a moment about those words, not entirely certain what to think about this offer of collaboration 'she' was offering. Nonetheless, after a moment of consideration she nodded her head lightly. "So where do we go?"

But to those words the woman shook her head. "Not yet my dear Esperia, unfortunately some less than pleasant visitors are on our trail, and I wish to shake them off first~ I will find you as soon as I send them on a goose hunt, meanwhile you should prepare to find a way to convince your 'concubine'-" Esperia's eyes narrowed into a glare. "Wife, she is my wife." To which the woman chuckled softly. "wife--- to stay out of harm's way. Unfortunately this will be a trip that will demand the utmost from both of us."

To which Esperia mumbled something under her breath, watching the hooded figure disappear into the nearby shadows. "That damned woman, she really does whatever she wants, knowing she usually gets it as well..."

Then again, should she truly be surprised at that? Knowing the true identity of that woman? A weak smile lingered on her lips as she left the catacombs, pondering for a moment on how in the world she would justify this trip to her wife.

Yet a sudden ringing headache ran through her entire being, her vision almost growing hazy:

"Seek not what should not be found... That knowledge is not yours to possess Champion of Gaia."

To which Esperia staggered against the nearby wall, attempting to get her footing in order again when suddenly the headache had disappeared as suddenly as it had come. That voice... That warning...

Could it be that Gaia was trying to warn her? Or was it a threat to conceal whatever it had deemed too powerful for someone to possess? So many questions, and this time she wouldn't be able to rely on her ability to figure out the answers.

Perhaps for once it would be time again to seek out the aid of an old friend? At the very least it would be a nostalgic trip. But for now she needed to make her way back to Hargeon. Letting out a sharp whistle Esperia watched the wyvern flying from the distant horizon, descending toward her as it rubbed its head worriedly against her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm fine~ Can you take me back to Hargeon? I need to talk to Val before I make my next move."

The wyvern let out an excited roar, ascending back into the sky as it started to beat its wings, soon making its way back toward the city of Hargeon. She could feel that the thing she had set out to do was almost within reach, and after that she could finally consider to truly settle down and 'go home' alongside Valerie.

WC: 568
Total WC: 2528/2500