The sound coming from Melaine's lips brought Leander and Narina's attention back to her, earning her a grim expression from Leander. Even Ravenmother, who was still perched in Narina's hair, looked at Melaine. The small raven's eyes widened slightly as if she could not believe what she was seeing.
After a few minutes of only the sound of the crackling fire and Melaine's melodious laughter, she grew quiet, covering her mouth with one hand as she turned her head to the side.
"I'm sorry about that."
Still grinning from ear to ear, Melaine closed her eyes for a few moments as she composed herself.
"I don't know what came over me. I suppose we should discuss how everything went with Riku and that blade you found… Where is it? Did you leave it with Riku to fully repair?"
Huffing, Leander rested a hand on his empty scabbard.
"Not quite. It seems Sword's soul was heavily damaged by those crystals. Riku repaired him just enough so that Sword could enter my Soul Sanctuary and begin to repair himself, but we don't know when that will be."
As Leander spoke, Melaine slowly tilted her head to the side.
"You… Leander, you named your sword, Sword?"
With a blank expression, Leander stared at Melaine.
"Yes."
With a faint giggle, Melaine intertwined her fingers.
"Sounds as if everything went according to plan. Maybe the schedule has been pushed back a little. Anything else interesting happen whilst you were gone?"
Looking to Leander, Ravenmother chirped.
"Such as that scar you received on your arm."
At this, Melaine almost jumped out of her seat.
"Scar?"
Moving to Leander, she grabbed at his right arm – her fingers moving over the vambrace, feeling for the scar that wasn't there. Seeing this, Ravenmother sighed the sound laced with quiet exasperation.
"The other arm."
Pausing for a moment, Melaine moved to the other arm. Her fingers moved across the damage left by the Stalker. As she felt the long scratches that pierced through the vanbrace, Melaine looked into Leander's face.
"What could have done this?"
As Melaine was so close to him, Leander sank back into his chair.
"On our way back, we were attacked by something. A beast, Narina called it Stalker."
Her eyes narrowed at the mention of the name Stalker. Melaine's head turned, her gaze locking onto her shadow as if expecting it to whisper some hidden truth.
The silence stretched between them. When her shadow remained still and voiceless, offering no answers, a flicker of annoyance crossed her face. Slowly, she stepped back from Leander, her fingers curling at her sides.
"I see. Had I known you would have gotten into such a fight, I might have thought to send Ravenmother with you again. Well, at least that's all you had to worry about."
Scratching his jaw, Leander took a deep breath.
"Hm, actually, that wasn't the only fight we had."
Covering her face, Melaine moved back to the couch before asking in a despondent tone:
"Let me guess, you ran into more corruption? Or maybe the Seraphs founds you?"
As Leander opened his mouth to speak, Narina's response burst from her lips.
"We got attacked by these fox people! The yellow one would have killed Leander had I not saved his ass at the last minute!"
"F-fox people?"
Clutching the bridge of her nose, Melaine slowly shook her head.
"Leander. By 'fox people,' Narina isn't trying to tell me you got attacked by the Kitsune, specifically the Yellow fox… is she?"
"Technically ,we were attacked by both the yellow and grey foxes. We weren't their targets. Apparently, members of the Kitsune have come to Ozaria to kill three people: Riku, his sister and the Hero of Stormwind – whoever that is. We just got caught in the crossfire."
Staring at Leander, Melaine threw her hands up.
"Sure, whatever. Riku was able to look at your sword – at Sword. So I'm guessing you managed to fend them off. Want to tell me of any more interesting facets whilst you're at it?"
Running his fingers over his vanbrace – tracing the mark left by Stalker. Leander frowned.
"Why did you not tell me about what a Soul Arm is? If a Soul Arm operates like an Aegis Series and allows me to store them within my soul. Something like that could be of great benefit. Granted, this armour has stood up to its fair share of abuse, but couldn't you have given me a sword Soul Arm? I wouldn't have to worry about defence if I killed the other thing first."
Without looking at Leander, Melaine tucked a strand of her dark red hair behind her long ear.
"Oh, believe me, had I the opportunity, the ability to, I would have outfitted you with countless Soul Arms. In such a number that would have given you an advantage in every fight and situation you could find yourself in, yet…"
Melaine sadly sighed.
"I find myself lacking, you see, the souls that are forged into Soul Arms. Myself and my undead are incapable of making use of them. When these wandering souls enter my Soul Sanctuary, and the Soul Sanctuary of my undead, they simply pass through onto whatever is next."
"Well, that's not completely true."
Surprised by his response, Melaine turned to face him.
"What was that?"
Leander sat up.
"I said that's not true. I'm one of your undead, am I not? Yet inside my Soul Sanctuary, I have a soul. I have no clue where it came from, and I am unable to reach it because of the fractured state of my soul, but I can assure you. There is a soul within my Sanctuary."
"When you give context to your comment, it makes a lot more sense. Leander, I may have brought you back, but you are not technically one of my undead. You are not bound to the same constraints as they are. For instance, if one of my undead were to leave the confines of the Undead Kingdom – move beyond my domain – they would lose their mind in the most literal of senses."
Leaning so far forward that she was practically not even sitting anymore, Narina chimed in, her brow furrowed as she tried to recall a past memory.
"I think… I think I heard my uncle talking about this once. He said that the undead within this place are calm and normal like a human, but those that are not in this place are mindless, blood-thirsty abominations."
"Blood thirsty abominations…"
Melaine sullenly repeated the words.
"I suppose they are. That is why they journey here, even if they don't intend to. The mindless undead can feel the pull of my aura that calms them, stabalises them. But yes, you are not like my undead Leander. You are not bound by my aura thus, you are free to go where you please, as you please."
Mulling these words over, Leander thought about what Melaine had just told him.
'Her aura, could this be the cause of the decay that covers the Undead Kingdom? The cause of the dead plant life. But how does she channel her aura across the entire kingdom? No matter how strong she is, Melaine is still only one person. She would have to have some kind of conduits that are spread across her domain.'
As he was lost in his thoughts, Narina couldn't take it anymore as her stomach loudly rumbled, causing Melaine's head to turn in her direction, her expression almost alarmed at the growling noise.
"That's it! I can't take it anymore! Leander! You said she would have food!"
In one quick motion, Narina moved, sliding to her knees in front of Melaine. Both of her hands reached forward to clutch Melaine's, her fingers wrapping gently around them as she tilted her head slightly upwards, her lips curling into the sweetest pout.
"Please, miss, he's been starving me for weeks. This lovely kingdom of yours is lacking in food for a beast such as myself. Please, could you give me something to eat?"
Hearing this, Melaine gasped.
"You haven't eaten in weeks, Leander! How could you allow this to happen!"
Stunned by Narina's blatant lie, Leander sat in his chair for a few moments before slowly holding his hand up.
"But i- it was only two days-"
Without paying attention to Leander's response, Melaine grabbed Narina's hand, leading her away.
"Come, come. I'm sure there will be something for you to eat in this castle. If not, then I will have something brought for you. Ravenmother, do we have anything a living being can eat?"
"I'm not too sure. I know there will be some fruits in the garden."
The last thing Leander saw as the three women disappeared out of the room was Narina's expression contorting into disgust at the mention of fruits. Her disgust vanished a moment later as she continued her bright smile, her eyes sparkled at the promise of food.
Left alone with the crackling fire, Leander could only repeat his words.