Nina started to totter just as she saw Laanimere entering through the corridor with Tristan. Her eager eyes lit up as she saw the half-witted barmaid.

"Hey Nina, good that you're here. Take him to his room now, okay? Nina? NINA? NINA? Stop there you brain dead bitch. Are you listening to me? UGH!!!"

Laanimere kept shouting her name from behind her but didn't drop the boy leaning on her. But despite her crude mouth that bordered on cruel, she was a good girl at heart and would never leave one in their need. Nina had decided that if fate of her powers succored anyone in this cursed village to escape, it had to be this little loud girl.

For now, she thought best to ignore her existence as she came into the spilling crowd in the circular hall and perceived a silent tug of war between Nicola and Kolte for the new girl, Olean... was it?

Something was going on here and she didn't have time for it. Elder was not here, maybe she could use his absence before it was late.

Nina approached them, limping, slobbering. The ones in front immediately made way for her, thanks to her stench. Nicola and Kolte watched her warily; they didn't want to leave the girl into the other's hand so they stayed, despite wanting to be anywhere where Nina wasn't. The two enemies standing this close against their 'resident lunatic'. Nina's filthy disguise had worked well these months.

How beautiful was she... Nicola, whom everyone called a witch. Her creamy pale skin, dark long hair, slanted eyes, small sharp mouth. Before, she would have fit in any royal ball or high end brothels. She would give the most expensive of services. But lately her looks had changed to a rather twisted path. She still retained her beauty but coated with poison. Her skin had gone paler, bluish cold of ice, long hair ragged, a wild beauty, her face gaunt with deep crevices and sharp bone structure that only made her look more dangerous. And her eyes, they rested in that deep cave of her sockets, wearing an eternal dark shadow as her eye makeup. A ghostly beauty if she ever saw one. Nina shivered.

Near her, Kolte looked so much more normal. The large man, big and hairy, face full of dark beard and hair almost was tame compared to Nicola.

"El... l... da" Nina managed, her spittle flying onto Nicola's smooth face, "wa...wan er."

Nicola grimaced. After all she had taken in Nina when her owner had died fighting the monster. Her words were all sweet then but all Nicola had wanted was a slave and Nina gave her a perfect one, who could not speak of what she would see.

"Fine. Elder has sent her to fetch Olean?" Nicola harrumphed and by then Kolte had decided to slip away from her. "Come with me." She grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her toward where the Elder's chamber was but Nina stopped her. Olean seemed satisfied just to see the scene play out in front of her.

"Na... na... naht der. Aalon..."

"And asking you to take her?" She asked incredulous, only she could understand her maid. But handed over the reluctant girl to Nina regardless. But Nicola had a strict respect for the new Elder. After all, if not for him, she would have been buried weeks ago.

***

Nina led the younger girl deeper into the tunnels, the temple was full of them and how far they went, no one could know. The saying that only the head of the temple was above surface was probably true.

If their temple was a man only his head would be above ground... the rest stayed buried within the mountain. At least, that's how the saying went. In her time in the village Nina was unable to find just how far down they went, leaving her to believe in it more and more every day.

She had let go of her hunch and was walking straight, she also worked her face just enough to give herself a more poised look.

Olean was a rookie just like she had guessed. Now Nina was looking for privacy where she could ask her about just how bad her situation was.

When they were deep enough and was certain no one was nearby she turned to Olean.

"Did you come alone?" she asked and hoped the answer was no.

Olean shook her head. "No, Lady Ava was with me. She sent me ahead."

Nina's jaw dropped at that sudden revelation. She laughed; a strange pitched sound escaped her mouth, echoing in the empty tunnel. All the stress that built up suddenly left her in euphoria.

Ava was coming?

"Are... Are you okay?" Olean asked, her big eyes wide with concern.

"Hehe- yeeah- hehe-." She said, again in between her giggles and Olean took an involuntary step back from her.

And Nina, she giggled some more.