so, maybe part of my prior theory holds up here. the part where Lu was potentially from a family with some kind of background.

feels like there's a shared trauma of sorts, Zhao was an orphan from very young then abandoned into the arms of the sect, and seemingly forgotten about by the person who saved him from that life. While Lu seems to of lost her family or run away potentially(I could see a universe where she was offered as a bride to somebody to be a concubine for some political gains for her quote/unquote family)

finally, some water traction on this ship from the MC's side lol

I'm wondering how that bowl will tie back in... especially with the idea of smithing...

that's exactly what I was saying, ya dork. think better of yourself Zhao!!

your not wrong lol

that's called honoring a memory, a person, a promise. that's all. and like three lines later she mentions her I cannot so... and there's that

potential competition for Lu, a love triangle or quadrilateral even? lol

definitely a woman, she still hasn't forgotten what she asked you first and will not let it go till you answer her, satisfactorily at that.

but girl... you and Hemmy both have seen him do that before....

conquer it for the demonic faction, and give it to the father of the Bride as a dowry of sorts lol.

that's like her best skill, learning how not to die in the moment lol

hope she saves some to take back and share with Allura and Kayden, together they can remember the fallen Ayr.

finally, that sweet sweet ambrosia!!!

now... what might be a twist later down the line.... what if the tunneling to other realms was stopped partly during to the goddesses death as a means to prevent outside invasion and constant wars, and likely annihilation due trying to access to many all at once. on top of all the other greed factors and so on. with Alice appearing that plan may start to move forward again and despite them killing the goddesses and destroying Ayr, they may have to turn to the other three gods and their armies to hold back the countless realms that they will have to contend with.

ya, i still think these guys are linked to or even directly behind the stranger cases like Raze and his sister's. it could be a red herring, but it feels like they to are attempting to summon down one or more divine beings through ritual sacrifice across the factions. with their pursuits it doesn't seem like they care if they get a tyrant or not. but they could very well be summoning some other creature or being unwittingly or on purpose... all hail the arrival of Cathulu

at least half of that (or more) is probably from his use of dark magic and the use of the extraction technique, so he's bleeding out the impurities he's consumed. but iIalso wonder if he might not also be doing a bit of refining to or for the Bloodied Woman that's attached herself to him. like a conduit and passing it on or processing it.

no matter what Nayer ends up being, two things stick out, one- he's sharp, deviously smart. he with his limited interactions seems to already know what's what. two- he's proof that a being given the right tools, time and resources can become as powerful or more so than an apostle.