[past] And you are?

Lustara watched her, a gleam of satisfaction dancing in his sharp, devilish eyes. Her rage, her frustration—they were like a fine wine, intoxicating and delightful. But he knew better than to gloat too openly. This was a delicate balance, and Eithne was a predator who could turn on him at any moment. He’d won her agreement, but the real game was just beginning.

Oh, darling, you wound me with your low expectations, he said, his voice a smooth purr as he gestured vaguely toward the corpses at her feet. I’d have thought you’d realize by now, I *am* the story. A demon slipping through your grasp, sowing chaos and mischief in his wake—it practically writes itself. Sprinkle in a bit of melodrama, perhaps a heroic last stand on your part, and voilà. Your superiors will eat it up like starving wolves.

He stepped closer again, slow and deliberate, his posture relaxed yet poised. But I understand your dilemma. It’s not easy being the one caught between ambition and obligation, is it? You want their recognition, their praise… yet you despise the hoops you’re forced to jump through. You hate the way they look down on you until you deliver something extraordinary. Believe me, I know the feeling.

Lustara’s grin widened, a wicked, knowing smile that cut deeper than any blade. But here’s the thing, my fierce little huntress: You’ve already taken the first step toward something far greater. You’ve made a deal with me. And deals with demons? Oh, they’re the kind of currency that can buy power, freedom… maybe even a little revenge.

He let the weight of his words linger before he turned, pacing idly, as though he were merely pondering the weather. As for the mages, they’ll be more than enough to smooth over any… misunderstandings. A whole nest of them, meddling with magic that even your superiors wouldn’t dare to touch. Take them down, and you won’t just be appeasing anyone—you’ll be a bloody legend.

Lustara stopped, turning back to her with a glimmer of dark amusement in his gaze. And let’s not pretend you’re doing this just for them. Oh no, there’s something in you, something burning beneath all that righteous fury. A need to prove yourself. To show them all that you’re more than just a weapon they point and fire. Am I wrong?

@Eithne