Beginnings of a Rebirth

Jaime sat in the middle of a barren, empty room, awaiting her fate. Enforcer's Rope secured her hands and feet, preventing her from escaping, not that it would do her much good to try. Like the Mortal Coil poison, Enforcer's Rope suppressed a cultivator's cultivation. This included their strength, their senses, and their ability to use spirit energy. It effectively made them mortal. Clans, sects, and schools used this on enemies and criminals that they didn't want to kill right away, or at all, in some cases.

It had been a mistake to confess the truth. She thought that if she had done so, Darian and the others would show her some sliver of mercy. However, when she had looked into Darian's eyes last night, she saw nothing but anger and hate. He had even tried to kill her. If Cultivator Astra hadn't intervened, he would have.

Well, Darian would have tried. She was still in the Core Shaping stage. It wouldn't have been hard for her to outrun him, since she couldn't harm him. She wouldn't have been able to outrun the others, however. They were the ones that would have killed her.

Hiding hadn't worked, as she found out last night. When Cultivator Astra suppressed Darian, Jaime had taken the opportunity to hide and maybe buy herself enough time to find a way to escape the shackles in her mind. It had been a slim hope, and she hadn't thought it would work. Still, she tried.

After the others had recaptured her, they bound her with Enforcer's Rope and locked her away in this room. No one had come in to see her since then, though she imagined they had set up a watch. She would, in their shoes. She was an enemy, someone not to be trusted.

The door to her makeshift prison opened, and Darian walked in. A claw of icy fear gripped Jaime's heart and she moved as far away from him as possible, though the Enforcer's Rope limited her mobility. She was afraid that he would attack her again. If he did, she would try to escape. While she had resigned herself to her fate, that didn't mean she would passively accept it. She was a cultivator, and she would die fighting fate to the bitter end.

Darian didn't attack her. Instead, he sat near the wall on the far side from her and leaned against it. He looked rough. Jaime didn't think he'd had a good night either. Good. At least she wasn't the only one suffering. Petty, she knew, but given her circumstances, she took whatever pleasure she could get.

"It's time you and I had a private conversation, or the semblance of one," Darian said, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. "An honest one, which will be a first for us."

He opened his eyes to glare at her as he said this last sentence.

"Why bother?" Jaime spat at him. "You're just going to kill me. Or worse. Why go through the trouble? It doesn't matter."

"It matters, Jaime, because what you say will have an effect on your fate."

Jaime sneered at him, more so to cover up her fear than because of any actual disdain she felt for him.

"Oh, look at you. The big bad Immortal's disciple, here to judge the evil little Pit Viper." This time, she actually spat at him. Due to her weakened state, it didn't go far. "Who are you to look down on me? You were given everything! This secret realm, all the resources you could ever want, techniques. You had it easy, Darian. Meanwhile, I had to fight for every advantage, every resource I could get my hands on. At least I earned my power, my strength. What have you earned?"

Darian watched her through narrowed eyes.

"You're right," he said, surprising her. "I was given every advantage."

She had expected him to get mad and attack her. That way, she could try to literally fight back against her fate. He would have killed her with ease, since the Enforcer's Rope bound her, but it was better than waiting for the inevitable. If she was going to die, she might as well die fighting, like a true cultivator.

"I'm not ashamed of it," Darian continued. "The advantages Master Nova gave me meant that I would go further with the same amount of effort." His voice hardened. "You are mistaken in one regard, Jaime. I did not have it easy. Make no mistake about that. I earned my power. I put in the effort."

At least the boy was self-aware, Jaime had to give him respect for that, if nothing else.

"What are you doing here?" Jaime asked, suddenly tired. The bravado she had put up earlier deserted her. The last few weeks had taken their toll. "We both know how this is going to end, so why not just get it over with? Stop doing things in this roundabout manner."

"I haven't decided what to do with you yet," Darian admitted. "Auntie has told me some things, and I want to know more about you before I make my decision." He held up a hand. "Before you go on another tirade, keep in mind that your life is in my hands. This is your opportunity to affect what happens to you. Don't waste it. I may want to be merciful, but you are an enemy. Innocent blood is on your hands. Don't act like you're the victim here."

Jaime sighed in resignation. It looked like Darian would stretch things out unless she gave him what he wanted. His words ignited a small spark of hope within her. Just enough to keep her going.

She scooted back until she hit the nearest wall. She leaned back, mirroring Darian's pose.

"What do you want to know?" Jaime asked.

"Tell me a bit about your history. How did you end up in the Pit Viper Sect."

Jaime stared at him.

"You're an odd one," she said, shaking her head. "Most people wouldn't bother with something like this. They would go straight to the torture and execution."

"I'm not like most people." He gestured to the door. "Keep in mind that Auntie is right outside, and she will let me know if you're lying."

So he did have someone keeping an eye on him. Good. At least he wasn't a complete idiot. If she was going to die, she wanted to die at the hands of someone competent.

"Fine," Jaime said. "Let's get this over with." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It took her a moment to sort through her memories, and ensure they were actually hers. "My father was the youngest son of a rich merchant family, and my mother was a courtesan. They fell in love and married. My father's family objected to the union, but by the time they found out, it was already too late. They never accepted my mother and I, but at least they tolerated our presence. It was a good life, all things considered."

Jaime missed those days. This surprised her. She thought she had left that part of her life behind.

"My father died in an accident when I was still a child. Trampled by a runaway horse. His family kicked my mother and I out after that, and we ended up on the streets. My mother died a year later. An illness took her."

The memory of her parents' deaths brought old pain to the surface. Like before, Jaime thought she had left that part of her life behind. It happened decades ago, after all. Apparently she had been wrong.

"I lived on the streets for a few years after that, before I ended up joining the Pit Viper Sect. One of their disciples caught me trying to pickpocket her. Instead of punishing me, she decided to bring me to the Pit Viper Sect as a potential recruit."

Jaime grinned at the memory of Senior Sister Silvia. The woman had been like family to her, in the truest sense of the word. She had never betrayed Jaime, and Jaime had never betrayed her. A rarity in the Pit Viper Sect.

Her smile faded. Unfortunately, Senior Sister Silvia died during a mission a long time ago. Jaime hadn't thought about her in decades.

"After I joined, I did everything I could to become more powerful. I lied, I cheated, I stole. Obviously, I killed. It was not an easy life. The Pit Viper Sect is an apt name for many reasons." She shrugged. "Over time I grew more powerful and rose through the ranks. Eventually, I became one of the personal disciples of Sect Leader Augustine. One day he gave me a mission to spy on Clan Wind Dance, and we know how that ended."

Jaime glared at Darian.

"There," she said. "That's my story. Now kill me and get this over with."

Darian didn't say anything for a long time.

"I'm not going to kill you," he said. "No, that's not quite right. I might kill you. Whether or not that happens depends entirely on you. There is another option, however."

"Are you going to take off the Mask of the Mortal Face?" Jaime asked. "If not, you might as well kill me now. I would rather die myself than be turned into someone else."

Even now, she could feel the mask changing her soul. It was becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between herself and Cassandra.

"Don't be in a rush to die," Darian said. "At least hear what I have to say first." He nodded in her direction. "The Mask of the Mortal Face is an artifact from a long lost sect. Apparently, the merging of souls is the intended function, not a side effect. It was never meant to be used as a disguise. The sect used it to go through some kind of rebirth. Its effects are permanent. While taking the mask off now will prevent any more changes from occurring, it won't reverse the ones already made. Cassandra will always be a part of you now."

Jaime slumped when she heard that. It sounded like she had been doomed from the very beginning. She should have never put on the mask.

"The Mask of the Mortal Face is also erasing your cultivation," Darian continued. "You'll still have the body, mind, and soul of a Core Shaping cultivator, but not the actual cultivation."

A sliver of fear found its way into Jaime's heart. Losing her cultivation scared her more than losing her identity. Everything she worked for, everything she had sacrificed, it would all become meaningless.

Jaime got onto her hands and knees, and pressed her forehead to the floor, prostrating herself before Darian. Her pride meant nothing if it meant saving her cultivation.

"Please, take off the mask," she begged. "I don't care if you kill me afterwards, but at least I'll die a cultivator. Let me keep that much. Please."

She heard Darian sigh.

"Get up," he commanded. "Let me finish first. If you still want me to take off the mask afterwards, I will."

Jaime sat back up and looked at Darian. He looked uncomfortable. Good. The past few weeks had been hell for her. A little discomfort was nothing compared to that.

"While the mask does erase one's cultivation, it doesn't prevent you from cultivating again. You won't have to start completely over either. You'll begin in the Core Shaping stage."

"Why are you even bothering to explain this to me?" Jaime asked, interrupting him. "I already told you that I would rather die as myself than change into someone else. Becoming a mortal on top of that just makes it worse."

"You wouldn't become mortal," Darian said. "As I mentioned earlier, you would still have the body, mind, and soul of a cultivator." He frowned. "Auntie mentioned that there are a lot of things you can do with someone like that. Obviously, I rejected all of them. I have no interest in turning you into a human pill furnace, or harvesting you for rare parts."

That sentence right there illustrated the difference between them, because Jaime would not have hesitated to take advantage of the situation. Her fellow disciples in the Pit Viper Sect certainly would have.

Maybe Jaime would have to reevaluate Darian's intelligence.

No, that wasn't being fair. Darian knew that he could take advantage of Jaime, and there would be little she could do about it. He chose not to. A little naive and foolish, but kind hearted. She didn't deserve it, but he was being kind to her anyway. Sweet fool.

"Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that you have an opportunity to remake yourself," Darian said. "Become someone else."

"As sweet as that is," Jaime said. "I don't want to become an amalgam of myself and Cassandra. We're two very different people, and those differences would drive me crazy."

"And this is where I get to the last part," Darian said. "Do you know what a soul binding is?"

Jaime shook her head. It sounded ominous.

"It's a technique used to shape souls, though I'm told that this isn't easy. They resist it. The more powerful a soul, the more powerful a cultivator, the harder it is to shape their soul. However, certain conditions and certain items can make souls more…malleable, for lack of a better term." Darian looked Jaime right in the eyes. "The Mask of the Mortal Face is one of those items."

Jaime felt a chill run down her spine.

"When Stella caught you, she put a soul binding on you. However, she didn't finish it. Instead, she left that part up to me. Using this soul binding, I can completely remake you, since affecting the soul affects the body and mind as well. The soul binding will essentially become the new core of your entire being."

Oh. So that was the plan. Darian was going to take advantage of her after all. He would be a fool not to. She could respect that, even if it disappointed her. In his shoes, she would do the same. Darian could shape her entire being to serve him and his purposes.

After all, this was an opportunity to create the perfect slave, the perfect tool, the perfect weapon. With the resources at his disposal, he would have no problem building her up. He could even have her practice a different cultivation technique, one better suited for whatever purpose he had in mind for her.

Jaime only hoped that he would make sure that she would be happy serving him. That way, her life wouldn't be a miserable existence. And honestly, this outcome wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to her.

At least she would still be alive, and no longer surrounded by people scrutinizing her for potential weaknesses to take advantage of. Well, maybe not. That snake woman, Ellen, still might try to kill her. Regardless, she would get some of the warmth she had witnessed on Clan Wind Dance. Maybe more than some, depending on Darian's tastes.

"So," Darian said. "Who do you want to be?"

Jaime blinked and stared at him. What?

"You're giving me the choice?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That was the option I wanted to give you. Death, or the chance to completely remake yourself. There are limits, of course. You can't stay a member of the Pit Viper Sect. I'm sorry, but I cannot allow that. I also have to ensure that you don't try to get revenge on me, my loved ones, or my clan."

Darian shrugged.

"Otherwise, who you become is entirely up to you. Afterwards, I'll let you go. I'll even make sure you get a new cultivation technique. From there, your life will be in your hands. You could remain a loose cultivator, or you could join a new sect. Given your current cultivation level, I don't think it would be difficult for you. Hell, you might even end up marrying into a clan. This is assuming that you take this option, of course. If you want, I can still take off the Mask of the Mortal Face and kill you."

Jaime stared at him for several long seconds. Her intense scrutiny must have caused Darian some discomfort, because he started to squirm.

Alone.

"You're going to let me go," Jaime stated. "Just like that."

She would be alone again.

"Other than the limitations I mentioned earlier, yes. I thought you would be happy about that."

Always alone.

"That is so…so…" Jaime struggled to get the words out. "That is so…stupid!"

Darian blinked at her. No, Jaime would definitely have to reevaluate his intelligence. The boy was an idiot.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked, berating him. "Are you an idiot? I'm a disciple of the Pit Viper Set. I'm not the sort of person you just let go!" She lifted her hands and strangled the air in front of her. "You damned bleeding heart! Even if we don't take my crimes into consideration, I'm a cultivator at the Core Shaping stage. I'm a valuable resource! You can turn me into anyone, into anything, and you plan on just letting me go? An opportunity like this, and you planned on just throwing it away. Unbelievable."

Jaime stood up as much as she was able to and hobbled her way over to Darian.

"Get over here," she snarled. "I'm going to slap you for being so stupid."

She heard muffled laughter come from the door. At least someone found this situation amusing.

"This is for your benefit," Darian protested. "Why are you so angry?"

"I'm offended!" Jaime started hitting him. In her weakened state, her blows did nothing to him. "You're supposed to be a cultivator! Not a soft-hearted fool! Why did someone like you have to become the arbiter of my fate? Ancestors above, I could strangle you!"

Jaime continued to hit Darian, until he grabbed her wrists.

"Enough," he commanded.

"Why?" Jaime demanded. "Why would you be so wasteful?"

Darian just gave her an incredulous look.

"Do you want to be enslaved?" he asked.

"Of course not!"

Before she could continue, there was more muffled laughter from behind the door. Darian looked at it, before turning back to Jaime. He had a mystified look on his face.

"Auntie just told me that you're lying," he said in a baffled tone.

"That wasn't a lie!" she yelled at the door, before facing Darian again. "I just think there are better uses of my person than just throwing me away." She gave him a disgusted look. "I thought you were supposed to be an Immortal's disciple. Or maybe you think you have enough advantages, and that you don't need someone like me."

Darian's expression hardened.

"I know what you are," he said in a quiet voice. "I know what you did. Auntie told me. Murder. Slavery. Torture. You have done many terrible things. And that isn't even taking into consideration the way you lied and tried to manipulate me."

Darian nodded towards the door.

"Auntie suggested that I do as you said, that I turn you to my side, either as a slave or a servant. That is what Master Nova intended I assume." He shook his head. "I don't care what she intended. I will make my own choices. I don't enslave people, I don't use them, I don't abuse them. Rather, I try not to. I don't always succeed." His eyes narrowed. In their depths, Jaime saw the anger and hate from last night. "I am choosing to forgive you. I am choosing to let you go. I am choosing to give you a chance to redeem yourself and live a new life; a chance to be reborn." He leaned forward and stared her in the eyes. "What do you want? Make up your mind now, so you can leave and I never have to see you again."

Jaime stared back at him, unable to respond right away.

What did she want?

'To be loved,' Cassandra's voice said, speaking up for the first time in a while.

'Power,' the part of her that remained Jaime said.

The two parts of her spoke, interweaving with each other, like two threads forming a rope.

'Family.'

'Strength.'

'Friends.'

'Wealth.'

'Warmth.'

'Influence.'

'To not be alone again,' both voices said at the same time.

An idea popped into Jaime's head. It was insane, but what if it worked? She was already going to lose herself, she might as do so in a way she wanted. What did she have to lose by trying? Darian already said that he would let her go, or kill her if she wanted. She didn't think he would go back on his word. Why not ask him for what she wanted? There was a way she could satisfy both Jaime, and the part of Cassandra's soul in the mask.

"How noble," she sneered. "I still think it's foolish and naive." She shook her head. "Giving up a potential advantage for the sake of an enemy. You are a child."

Darian's jaw clenched.

"Do you want me to kill you?" he asked. "You're doing a very good job at provoking me."

Jaime's sneer deepened.

"Clearly you need someone around to protect you from your own altruistic impulses." She looked him up and down. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were the kind of person to give up your life to save someone else. You seem like the sort."

"Is there a point to all this? It may not seem like it, but I'm tired and hungry and I just want to move on with my life. So hurry up."

"Fine then." Jaime cleared her throat. "You asked me what I want? I want to join this little weird…thing that you're building here. Sect? Clan? Family? It doesn't matter. I want in."

A stunned silence followed her words.

"Absolutely not," Darian stated. "I already told you that I wouldn't make you a slave or a servant, and that is the only way I would trust you to stay."

"Even if I asked you to?"

"Even then. That is not a line I'm willing to cross."

Hmm, this was proving to be more difficult than Jaime had anticipated. What if…?

"You could always adopt me as kin," Jaime said. "You can use the soul binding to ensure my loyalty and devotion."

Darian shook his head.

"I doubt that Clan Wind Dance would accept you as a member, not after what you did." He paused. "No, I know they won't."

"I didn't say that I wanted to join Clan Wind Dance. I said that I wanted you, Darian, to adopt me as your kin. You have a mother, right? Adopt me as kin on her side of the family."

Darian gave her a strange look then.

"That's…Huh. That's an oddly…poetic suggestion."

That wasn't a rejection. He was on the fence. Yes! Now she just needed to give him a little push, and she would get what she wanted. The best part was, she would do so by telling him the truth.

"I'm tired, Darian," Jaime said. "I'm tired of being alone. Ever since my parents died, only one other person has cared about my wellbeing. When she died, I was well and truly alone."

Darian stared at her.

"What about the Pit Viper Sect?"

Jaime shook her head and gave him a sad smile.

"The disciples of the Pit Viper Sect might have to work together for the sake of the sect itself, but other than that, we're all rivals. Resources and knowledge are limited, and competition for them is fierce. Betrayal and backstabbing are common. Imagine being surrounded everyday by people who lie to you, who try to cheat you, who watch you for any sign of weakness so they can strike and take what you have. That's what it's like to be a disciple of the Pit Viper Sect."

"After hearing that, I almost feel bad for you. Almost." Darian's hands around her wrists tightened. "You still hurt a lot of innocent people. You also murdered Cassandra and stole her life."

"Yes. However, if you adopt me as kin, I can redeem myself. You said so yourself. At least this way, my skills and strength can be used for your benefit. Kin look out for each other." Her voice softened. "It would be nice to have someone watch my back, and not because they want to stick a knife in it."

Darian didn't say anything for a long time.

"Besides, if you're concerned about Cassandra, a piece of her lives on in me. That isn't much, and it certainly doesn't make up for what I've done, but it is something."

"I can't believe I'm entertaining this idea," Darian said, before sighing. "Fine. I'm adopting you into the family." He gave her a hard look. "Don't think that this will give you any kind of authority over Ellen and Elliot, or any other servants I acquire. You'll be akin to a cousin from a lesser branch."

Jaime nodded, unable to contain her excitement. Darian paused and looked towards the door.

"Auntie is telling me that this is a bad idea," he said. "I'm sure it is." He looked back at Jaime. "Do you promise not to fight against the soul binding?"

"I promise."

In fact, she might help it along, if she could.

"Very well. Lean forward."

Jaime leaned forward, and Darian whispered into her ear. Despite that, his words reverberated throughout her entire being, binding her soul. They were louder than any shout. She did not resist in any way.

[By the power given to me by my master, the Immortal known as Nova, I bind your soul. You are Estelle, adopted kin of Darian Wind Dance and his mother, Immortal Nova.]

Wait, Immortal Nova was his mother?

[You are loyal and devoted to them, for they are your family. Their safety and wellbeing is as important to you as your own.]

Cassandra's voice spoke up then, adding her words to the soul binding.

[I love them and care for them, just as they love and care for me.]

Not to be outdone, the part of her that was Jaime spoke up as well.

[My strength is their strength, just as their strength is my strength.]

Darian continued.

[With these words, I bind you. Let them shape your soul. Be reborn.]

Estelle felt her entire being realign. It was as if everything she was, everything she had been, now moved in a new direction. The change wasn't complete. The Mask of the Mortal Face still needed to finish its work, now guided by the soul binding. Despite that, Estelle knew that even if she took the Mask of the Mortal Face off, she was still a changed person. She even thought of herself as Estelle, not Jaime.

She had expected it to feel odd. Wrong. Instead, it felt right, as if this was always meant to happen. That was the soul binding at work, but since she had chosen this, even as Jaime, she didn't care.

Darian leaned back and gave her a wary look.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I feel…" Estelle paused. "I don't feel any different. It feels as if I have always been like this. I know this isn't true, but it feels true." She frowned. "Soul bindings are terrifying."

"Yes, they are."

"Now that?" Estelle asked.

Darian let go of her wrists and gently, but firmly, pushed her away from him.

"Now I leave," he said. "Make no mistake, Jaime. I'm still angry with you. In fact, I might even hate you. I will keep to my word, however. You are family now. I'll adjust, though it might take time."

Estelle felt hurt by her junior brother's words, but she understood where he was coming from. In her previous life as Jaime, she had not been a good person. She wasn't sure if she was a good person now, but she thought she was. Rather, she thought she would be, once Jaime's and Cassandra's souls fused to form hers.

"Estelle," she told him. "My name is Estelle now. Jaime is gone."

Darian nodded, before standing up.

"I'm told that the process will take a few more months to finish, given your cultivation level. The physical changes will start soon. I'll make sure someone checks in on you. Right now, I need to leave."

With that, he left. In the brief moment that the door to her cell was open, Estelle caught a glimpse of Cultivator Astra. The cat spirit beast gave her an odd look, just before the door shut. It took Estelle a moment to realize that she had felt no need to escape the room.

Why would she? She was in the middle of her rebirth.

***

Stella, who was in the middle of sweeping the floor of the house she shared with Darian, paused in her work. As the one who had put the soul binding on Jaime, she knew the moment it had been used. She had left a piece of herself in the soul binding, so she could monitor it, and now that piece had just returned.

Her left eye twitched.

Darian surprised her. He used the soul binding in a way she hadn't expected, or wanted for that matter. Stella wanted him to suborn Jaime, make the little rat serve him. It was the best use of the girl, after all. Despite that, she knew her son well enough that he wouldn't do something like that. Stella thought that he would let Jaime go. While it wasn't ideal, it was something she could handle.

Besides, she would have taken additional measures to ensure that Jaime would no longer be a threat. Both for her son's sake, and to keep her word to Sword Immortal Darian.

What she had not expected was for Darian to adopt the rat into their family. This caught her off guard, and it left her stumped for a fraction of a second.

When she recovered, Stella sighed. What was wrong with that boy? Why did he have to make more work for his mother? Did he not know what adopting Jaime into the family meant? Maybe he did, and that was one of the reasons why he did it. Still, it was a creative way to deal with the situation. Even if it meant more work for her, Stella had to give him credit for that.

Stella sighed. It would take some time to ensure that Jaime would become a worthy member of their family. No, not Jaime. Estelle. Her name was Estelle now. Stella smiled, knowing why he had picked that name.

"Cheeky brat," she muttered.

However, it meant that Stella needed to leave Silverwood Vale for a time, and take Estelle with her. She needed the right facilities to change the balance of Estelle's spirit root, and ensure that the changes to the girl's soul didn't result in any weakness or deficiencies. This meant removing the mental compulsions Stella had put on her. The girl's dantian needed an upgrade as well. If Stella remembered right, Estelle had a green dantian, which was middling at best.

To make all this happen, Stella needed to return to her abode in the Dawn and Dusk Sect.

Stella turned towards the peak of Mt. Wind Dance. While Sword Immortal Darian had other things to occupy his time, he always made sure to keep an eye on her.

"I'm leaving Mt. Wind Dance for a time to deal with the Pit Viper Sect disciple," she said. "I will return, however. After that, I'll keep to my role. If you have any objections, let me know. Otherwise, I'll take your silence as permission."

After a moment, Stella received an image in her mind. It was Sword Immortal Darian washing his hands. Well then.

Stella put away the broom she used to sweep the floor, and then stepped into Darian's secret realm. As an Immortal and the realm's creator, she didn't need to use the teleportation formation to enter. She hid her presence, so that no one could sense her. That last thing she wanted to do was cause an uproar.

Stella made her way over to Estelle. It looked like the girl was cultivating, trying to speed up the merging of Jaime's soul with Cassandra's. That would only work until the Mask of the Mortal Face erased her cultivation completely, which was the last part of the process.

After she reached Estelle's cell, Stella revealed her presence to the girl. Estelle's eyes flew open and she jerked away from Stella. The girl looked at her with fear and wariness. Her reaction was understandable. Stella did not treat her well the last time they met. Besides, just because Darian adopted her into the family, that didn't mean Stella accepted it.

"Greetings…Auntie," Estelle said, her voice trembling.

Stella sighed again. Should she go through with this? Yes, she should. After all, this was Darian's decision. What was the point of having him make his own choices if she didn't respect them?

"Greetings…Niece," Stella said.

This was going to take some getting used to.

Estelle blinked in surprise.

"You're not here to kill me?" she asked. "I thought that was why you were here."

"I thought about it," Stella admitted.. "But we're family now, and while I'm not happy with the situation, I'm no kin killer." She sighed again. Something told her that she was going to do that a lot over the next few months. "No, I'm here to ensure that you become a worthy member of our family. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. Don't worry, you'll be asleep for all of it. By the time you wake up, the mask will have finished with you."

Before the girl could protest, Stella used a bit of her spirit energy to put Estelle to sleep. She then picked her new niece up and sent a message to Junior Sister Astra using her mind sense.

'I'm taking Estelle with me for a time,' she said. 'Tell Darian not to worry. I'll bring her back, alive and well.'

If Junior Sister Astra was surprised to hear her voice, she didn't let it show.

'Well now,' Junior Sister Astra sent back, her mental voice dripping with sarcasm. 'Look who deigned to grace this mere sun cat with her presence. Senior Sister Nova, what a great honor it is to hear from you.'

Stella sighed again.

'Really?' she asked. 'You're going to do this now?'

There was a beat of silence.

'No,' Astra said, her voice serious this time. 'I'll save it for later, and there will be a later, Senior Sister. We need to have a talk. You owe me that much after you lied to me and tricked me. I am furious with you about that.'

Stella's expression tightened.

'I know.'

'And that isn't even taking into consideration what you did to Darian. You damaged him more than you realize, Senior Sister.' Astra paused. 'Or maybe not, considering that you watched over him his entire life, Stella.'

'I had good reasons for doing things the way I did.'

Astra gave her a mental snort.

'I'm sure you did. Whether or not those reasons justify your actions, that remains to be seen. Go, take the girl. I'll make sure that Darian doesn't worry.'

Stella started to step out of the secret realm, but stopped when Astra spoke to her again.

'Oh, could you leave another memory stone token?' she asked. 'Darian and the others had planned on interrogating…Estelle, to find out what she knows. Let's not leave them empty handed.'

Since Stella found the request a reasonable one, she complied. She had already scoured Jaime's mind for all her knowledge and memories, so it was just a matter of taking out another memory stone token from her spatial storage item, a dragon tattoo in this case, and imprinting the knowledge into the token.

'I left it in the room where you kept Estelle. Goodbye Junior Sister Astra. I will be back.'

'Goodbye Senior Sister Nova. Be sure that you do.'