Chapter 17

Unaware of the visitor she was soon to meet, Salem sat quietly in the living room as she dried off from her private bath. She had made sure to obtain some alone time for herself after promptly sending Ali to bed - the doll having already been thoroughly cleaned. Conveniently for Salem, it seemed Ali still relied on sleep as a form of recharge, causing her to fall into a deep slumber on the nearby couch.

"Didn't even make it to the bed," Salem snickered in Ali's direction as she fiddled with her white bathrobe. "Look at her, sleeping with that creepy little bear. What a child."

But as Salem finished with her hair, she became overwhelmed by a sudden urge of insecurity. Whether it was the bathrobe that hung tightly to her waist, or the peaceful rustling of the sleeping doll, something had disturbed the pale mother. The last time Salem could remember feeling so horrible was the day she took a shower back at Cora's greenery for the first time in years.

"Not again," Salem placed her mechanical arms against her head. "Get a grip girl, you can't be this restless."

But soon enough, Salem had relapsed into another memory as she began to obsess over yet another one of her flaws. This time she thought of her own personal strength and what had happened to her over the last few days, specifically the times she nearly perished. Once she began to criticize herself, It didn't take long before Salem stormed off into the winding hallways of Alia's mansion, cursing herself all the way.

"What am I without this stupid flower? Would I have won a single battle on my own?" Salem lamented. "What about my children? Would I be even remotely safe without them?

At first, the red mother hadn't a clue as to why she felt so suddenly inadequate. But after looking back at the beautiful doll in the living room, she realized the truth. It was Salem's own desire to protect Ali that had brought upon her feelings; or more specifically, it was her inability to actually fight worth a damn that hurt her so dearly.

"Oh Ali," Salem groaned as she thought back to her own memories. "I can't even protect myself, let alone you."

Back when she wandered the surface of Peruvia Salem had involved herself in several physical altercations as a child. But no matter how many battles she fought, she couldn't remember winning a single one of them, even after she had grown up. In fact, Salem was a horrible loser and often relied on looks alone to get her out of a pinch.

"Pathetic," the red mother sighed as she wandered back to the doll, whispering in her direction as if holding a conversation. "All I had was a pretty face to protect me. And even then, I couldn't keep my own pride with that either."

Salem thought back to the moments in which she was hunted specifically for her beauty, and how utterly helpless she was to avoid being sold like an object. Typically she was only able to surrender and hope she was taken to someone merciful. But when Salem's young body was given to a more cruel master, she was powerless to defend herself.

"Is that why I've accepted these so easily?" She stretched out her prosthetic limbs. "So I could feel stronger? If I was faced with the same people from back then, I'd still lose, wouldn't I."

As Salem recalled, she was just a little girl at that time, far weaker than even Ali, and twice as desirable for her youth. But the denizens of Pervuia didn't care how small and young she was in those days. Every chance they got Salem was either used or sold at a king's price.

"I think I actually got less expensive when my mature features came out," Salem smiled at the still-sleeping doll, placing a hand on her large chest. "If you were there Ali, they would have ripped you apart. I have to protect you."

But as Salem recalled a most particularly humiliating memory, she came to accept how unprepared she was to shelter the doll. Nearly a thousand years ago, when her adult features had just grown out, the pale girl had managed to escape her usual captors and was in the process of fleeing the country. She ran for countless miles before inevitably coming face to face with the consequences.

"They were called Thara," Salem recalled. "Giant ugly bear-like creatures with the largest slave trade on the planet as far as I could tell. They sold me for an entire fleet of ships once. And after they learned I had escaped, they sent a small army of bounty hunters to get me."

Ali shifted her position for a moment as if absorbing the words Salem was whispering into her ear. On the other hand, Bear-Bear had somehow acquired a purple sleeping cap before resting alongside its owner. If Salem paid more attention she might have even caught a glimpse of the plush sinking itself further into Ali's chest in an attempt to avoid the ruckus.

"Have you ever been hunted before little doll?" The red mother continued her tale. "Well, usually it's a terrifying experience. But this time, I just felt...sad."

*As Salem explained the story to the doll she began to replay its events in her mind, creating a vivid scene of humiliation and sorrow.*

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On a cold winter night in the oak forests of the Thara's kingdom, a pale girl ran clumsily through the snow, panting and wheezing all the way. She had never truly exerted herself so much before and was usually just lounging around in sleazy silk dresses and warm coats, leaving her woefully unprepared for the journey ahead. But that night Salem longed for freedom and was more than willing to give up all the comforts of her past life. Even if she was sick and miserable, it just had to be better than the endless pleasuring of others.

"Finally," Salem coughed as she reached what appeared to be a large wooden cabin, no doubt constructed by the primitive humans who could rarely ever afford her. "I can hide here."

Salem knew nothing of Glacia or its legend back then and was not yet resilient to the cold. Once she realized she was freezing, the pale girl surrendered herself to the foolish strategy of entering the cabin. But as Salem inspected the sides of the wooden house, she was happy to see no one was home. Perhaps, she thought, that night would be an easy one.

"Well, well, look who it is," a deep feminine voice pierced Salem's ears as she placed her pale hand against the door to the cabin. "A lost little princess."

"What?!" Salem spun around to see a tall woman dressed in black leather. "Who are you?"

"You know the answer to that," the woman laughed as she brushed aside her short blonde hair. "They told me you might be hard to find since you know, smart people disguise themselves and whatnot. But good heavens, look at you. That dress supposed to be obscure?"

"Why do you even care? How much do they want for me?" Salem hissed as she put her fists up.

"Oh they offered a fortune, but honestly I don't care. No money in the world can win me a rack and rear like that," the hunter smiled as she gestured towards the many windows on Salem's dress. "The name's Pysno. I'll be your escort for the night Mlady."

The residents of Peruvia were diverse and unique, with no singular culture or form of technology proving to be the most dominant. Even after she had wandered for countless years Salem was never quite sure who was the dominant power, nor what limits there were to the sheer variety of the planet.

Pysno in particular appeared to be an advanced human of sorts, with delicate and expensive clothing not typically found amongst the squaller. And while she may have been a rowdy pervert, she still carried herself with a sense of elegance typically found in regal and fantastical regions as opposed to the more urban cities Salem had explored. The Thara for example loved nothing more than an overgrown industrial fortress, its black metal and tall smoke stacks complimenting their strength. Yet still, the goddy slavers weren't exactly picky about who they would hire. As long as a hunter was good at their job they would be paid generous amounts of currency.

"You call yourself a hunter?" Salem smiled as she stared at the woman, whose frame wasn't exactly that impressive compared to the hulking men she usually faced. "You look hardly taller than me. Are you sure those overgrown hippos would ever hire you?"

"Oh, I'm not that much stronger either," Pysno lied as she tipped her round hat and winked. "Yet when I'm done with you, sweety, you're going to feel a whole world of regret. Unless of course, you come in nice and easy."

"I won't go back to them," Salem growled. "I don't care if you are some tomboyish foreign prodigy from a fantasy land, I refuse to be taken ever again. And if you think this fight will be easy-."

"Yea yea, apparently your extremely rare species doesn't age a day, or that's what I heard. And if you had actually given a damn to discipline yourself, I'd be terrified. But alas, privileged girls sit around and do nothing all day."

"I am NOT a privilaged girl. Do you have any idea what I've been through?"

"Show me then little girl," Pysno motioned for Salem to come closer as she pointed to a sharp metal nail attached to her left glove. "Show me you're more than just some one-of-a-kind trinket."

Salem lunged forward at the hunter with a rather well-trained kick, only to find her opponent had already moved.

"What?!"

"Oh wow, this is going to be fun," the woman chortled as she played with a rose-shaped sigil on her jacket. "I love a good dasmal."

Pysno then grabbed Salem by the hand, spinning her around like a toy before slamming the pale girl in the stomach with a vicious knee.

"Aaugh!" Salem choked as she collapsed into the arms of the hunter.

Rarely was the pale girl ever hit so hard, causing her body to nearly go limp with shock. Salem had half expected the hunter to hold back seeing as it was usually a financial disaster to harm her priceless body. But it seemed Pysno didn't care at all as she locked her opponent's arms behind her back in an excruciating maneuver.

"Never been in a real fight huh?" Pysno smirked as she raised Salem into the air, still restraining the girl's feeble limbs like they were handles to a bag.

The hunter then hurled Salem's light body through the cabin's door, causing a loud crack as the pale girl tumbled inside in a painful heap.

"Eeaugh!" Salem moaned as she landed headfirst, her feet twitching as her rear end was stuck pointing at the ceiling.

"Perfect position, and now for the fun. Can't take it too fast though," Pysno threw off her hat as she closed the cabin door before lighting a fire in the nearby kitchen.

The smug hunter took her time, preparing the home for a night's stay as Salem lay crippled in a pathetic and humiliating display, her eyes barely open and her mouth agape. After finishing her work Pysno eagerly removed her own black leather gloves and unveiled a long strand of wire that glowed with some sort of strange blue energy. As if they had a mind of their own, the slender strands of metal then slithered toward Salem and surrounded her broken body.

"How's that spine feeling little lady? Did I break you in too hard?" The hunter spoke slowly as she began to carefully encircle her prey.

If it wasn't already obvious to Salem before, Pysno was an extravagant woman with a myriad of tools at her disposal. Wherever she hailed from wasn't at all like those pathetic human outposts that lined most of Peruvia's colder regions. Instead, her clothing and gear were well-kept, and most definitely made in a finer land. It then made Salem all the more confused when she considered how far Pysno had to have traveled just to find her prey.

"Wait-," Salem released a scraggly moan as she attempted to right herself.

But by the time the pale girl finally fixed her own position, the hunter's wires sprung into action and wrapped themselves around her body, holding her still and snagging her most vulnerable places.

"I trained these little friends of mine to restrain you cute girls in the best places. Good to squeeze around the chest and waist, you know?" Pysno laughed as she stroked Salem's voluptuous breasts, her pale flesh pressed tightly by the binds.

"Stop it!" Salem yelled as she tried her best to resist. "What is this?!"

"You never heard of the Fate Weavers? We have something of a reputation for gadgetry and glory."

As Pysno continued to molest and humiliate Salem with her hands, she carefully explained her origins to the pale girl whose clothes were one tug away from being torn apart.

"My people come from a brilliant city of steel and sapphire bordering the wetlands of Peruvia. We call it the Cascade. Or La Chute D'eau if you really care," Pysno explained as she ran her fingers through her own blonde hair. "After conquering our surroundings we pursued art and passion through technology. That's how I got my spiffy attire. You see, I'm something of a star over there, with riches and women as far as the eye can see. But none of those prizes can compare to the rush you get from a hunt. Most of my family likes to find large beasts or ugly insects to kill. But me? I want to capture the most beautiful women in the world, and make them mine."

"You're disgusting."

"Am I? The way I can treat a lady is unmatched, especially compared to filthy men," Pysno sneered. "Just take a gander at my little serpents here. I invented them myself you see."

As the hunter pointed to Salem's glowing binds, the mechanical wires instinctively tightened their grip, causing the pale girl to release a shameful moan.

"I call them recreants," Pysno continued. "Smart little robotic wires that know exactly what I want. And when they get to work, they will make you feel like a coward."

"No!" Salem screamed as she was suddenly filled with determination. "I'm not a coward!"

With a burst of energy, the pale girl suddenly shattered her binds, causing Pysno to step back with a surprised look on her face. No one in the cabin had really expected Salem to somehow conjure up some inhuman strength. But seeing as she had a chance to flee, Salem questioned none of it and ran as fast as she could towards the door.

"How did you?" Pysno stammered, quickly sticking out her foot to trip Salem. "Ah, not broken in enough it seems."

The pale girl was too slow to react and fell to the ground in a crash, leaving her wide open for an attack. Without hesitation Pysno's foot dug mercilessly into Salem's back as the hunter reached down, gripped her hair, and pulled, bending her entire body in a cruel arc. Salem was too shocked to release any further noises and produced only a weak cough before she was picked off the floor and forced into an arm lock.

"Just one more little lady, I promise not to ruin you completely," Pysno whispered into Salem's ear before throwing the girl over her back, smashing a nearby table with her fragile opponent.

"Ack!" Salem wheezed.

Battered and bruised, Salem was helpless to resist as the hunter released her binding pets once more, enveloping the girl's body in another embarrassing position. Pysno was evidently done taking chances and strung up her prey in an even more elaborate knot, hanging her off the roof of the ceiling like she was a sack of meat for sale. In but a brief moment, Salem was once again defeated and captured, like her resistance was nothing more than a pathetic gesture.

"Oh, Salem. I'd love nothing more than to take you back to my kingdom and claim you as a wife," Pysno sighed as she took a moment to admire her work. "But unfortunately those Thara are not to be trifled with, especially after they made a deal with the damn Gladicans. No one messes with them anymore. Still, nothing is stopping me from enjoying you here and now."

"Wait, no please-," Salem groaned as she hung upside down. "Mhhh!"

Before the pale girl could continue to protest, she felt the hunter's smooth tongue enter her mouth as it scraped the entrance to her throat. She knew better than to bite down at that moment and could do nothing more than close her eyes and accept the unsolicited kiss. For what felt like hours, Pysno kept her mouth pressed against Salem's as she continued to passionately make love to the pale girl.

"See, I'm not that bad. Not like all the boys I bet you've been with," Pysno giggled as she finally removed her tongue from Salem's lips.

"You-," Salem stammered as the hunter began inspecting the rest of her body, her hands eager to tear apart the girl's silky dress and expose her completely.

"I what? Have an appreciation for pretty ladies?" Pysno smirked, licking the girl's smooth white stomach after tossing aside a handful of fabric.

"You're just like the rest of them."

"Really now? If I was, I'd cut you down and hump that delicate waist into the ground. But Alas, time is not infinite," the hunter frowned as she turned to leave.

"Wait, where are you going!?" Salem cried as she continued to dangle helplessly from the ceiling, her chest and rear still exposed. "Don't leave me here!"

"Oh calm down, the Thara should arrive soon. This village may be filled with lesser humans, but even they find trinkets to sell to the best merchants in the world."

"What?!" The pale girl gasped, realizing she had likely been lured toward the snowy forest all along. "If they catch me-."

"It'll be rough, but hey, at least they can't defile you since...well you know... they're too big. And besides, corrective treatment can't be that bad when no one wants to permanently damage you."

"No!" Salem croaked as the gleeful hunter spun her hat around, waving goodbye as she closed the door behind her. "Please take me away! Anything is better than them!"

Farewell pretty lady," Pysno smirked one last time before disappearing into the snow.

For the rest of the night Salem was left spinning around the ceiling, her exposed body still wrapped tightly by her captor's bonds. She was miserable, humiliated, and frankly saddened by the results of her escape. As she stared out through the cracks of the warm cabin she could partially view a band of humans sitting by a campfire, patiently waiting for the Thara to arrive just as Pysno had predicted.

"Curse all of you," Salem hissed with an envious glare as she continued to watch the humans who smiled and spoke to their families with excitement on their faces. "What I would give to just...be like you."

Salem never was a normal girl. She was either worshipped for her sinister-looking eyes or ravaged for her pristine beauty. Either way, she felt cursed all her life, until the fateful day when she came to Lacuna and discovered there was so much more to her identity than she believed.

The Red Flower was satisfied.

___________________________________________

"And that's all," Salem finished her story as she carefully placed a brown blanket across Ali's chaste skirt. "The world isn't such a nice place for little ladies like you. Remember that."

Rising to her feet, Salem silently tip-toed away from the doll and back towards her own seat. She had planned to get some rest as well, but after reliving her horrid memories, she felt more sick and lifeless than anything. It was only after a red light came from her silver bracelet that Salem jumped to attention.

"What is it?" Salem spoke into her arm, half expecting to hear Ina's voice from the little gadget she had been gifted. "Did I do something wrong Princess?"

"It's me," Anger replied with his usual gruff tone.

"Anger?! How did you get this channel? I've only called Ina with it when I want stuff."

"It's an open channel mother. Did you never learn the basics of communication tech? All of Lacuna uses these sorts of devices, either internally wired into their brain or attached to their body via some trinket."

"Well whatever," Salem shrugged, blatantly admitting she had no idea how a phone or any similar device operated. "Has something happened?"

"There is a man here to see you. He claims to be from the surface of Peruvia. I believe him to an extent."

"H-how? What?" Salem stood shocked as she attempted to keep her voice down. "Impossible. Is he dangerous?"

"He is likely a threat, but he knows something we do not in regard to your previous enemy."

"Wait, how did you know I wanted more information on Alia?"

"I know. Do you want him or not?"

"Bring him into the castellum, quickly! But not too quickly!" Salem stammered as she ran out of the room. "I want to be there before he arrives."

On the other end of the call, Corian stood with a confused look on his face.

"Is she alright? She sounds like a confused child," the man exclaimed as he stood patiently outside the mansion's front door.

"She is," Anger sighed before leading Corian to Alia's most open chamber. "I recommend you try not to irritate her. She is prone to reckless acts of violence."

"So like every important girl I've met."

_____________________________________

Once Salem had reached the castellum within Alia's home, she sat patiently on a red leather chair she had hauled over, posing in the most seductive and confident manner she could.

"Listen I think the house is still creepy, even if some maid cleaned it up," a man's voice echoed through the room as Salem waited in anticipation.

"Cleaning is her only specialty. Be thankful for what little you can get from Ali," Anger replied as he stood guard near the entrance of the chamber. "Now, she's expecting you. Remember what I said-."

"Do anything dumb and you'll kill me," Corian shrugged. "Yeah, I got it."

Corian strolled leisurely into the chamber before his face changed into a focused expression, his eyes squinting at the frozen horde of Vornex that blocked his path. He frowned at first, before brushing some dust off his shoulder and continuing on his way. The young knight had seen enough horrors to be rather undisturbed by Alia's creations, even if they could rip him apart at any moment.

"Alright, clown bots. Not too creepy."

"I ordered them to treat you as a friend," Salem's voice spoke out to Corian from the distance as the young man struggled to locate her. "Be grateful."

"Yea it wouldn't be nice fighting them I imagine. Still, there's worse out there. Trust me on that one."

"So you've seen all manner of monsters then?" Salem asked in an unusually feminine tone.

"Lady, I've seen everything from ugly to-."

But as Corian brushed past the last Vornex in his way he suddenly stopped in his tracks. The young knight had been following Salem for quite some time, and yet, he was left without words the moment his gaze met with the pale girl. From his perspective, she was the most unique and beautiful thing he had ever seen in all of Peruvia.

"What's wrong?" Salem smirked as she raised one exposed leg over the other in her chair. "I thought you were saying you've seen everything."

"I uhh, admit there are a few things unexplored," Corian chuckled nervously. "Can't say I've seen anything like you before."

"That's because there *is* nothing like me."

"Well, you're a confident one, aren't you? I mean you sure dress confidently."

"Excuse me?" Salem gasped as she looked down at her black dress, its silky surface inundated with several gaps that revealed her skin. "I'm the one observing here cretin. Now tell me, what in the heavens are you?"

"I'm a...human?" Corian shrugged. "I thought that much was obvious."

"Take off your hood. Let me see," Salem growled as she snapped her prosthetic fingers.

"If you insist."

Salem did her best to avoid producing any reaction as the man unveiled his face. But as she began to analyze his sharp blue eyes and handsome face, the red mother began to blush uncontrollably. She rarely had any attraction towards humans, but something about the young knight gave off an air of timelessness and vigor, just like herself.

"Oh-my," Salem coughed, hiding her embarrassment with her last good hand. "You are human."

"Well technically I'm subhuman but yea," the young man smirked, brushing his hand over his unusually dark hair. "Can I ask what you are?"

"Don't you already know the answer to that? Anger tells me you've been wanting to see me for some time."

"Well, I'm confident you're a breed of Tella. But considering there's a whole debacle regarding that race and its genetic backstory, I'm not too sure even you know what you are."

"That so?" Salem bit her lip as she stood up from her chair and stepped closer to the man. "Anger also tells me you know things I do not."

"Ask and I answer, on one condition."

"I'm not making deals here human. Either give me what I want or die," the red mother growled.

"That's how it's gonna be? Really?" Corian gestured towards the pale girl with disapproval. "You gonna get those Valekry to kill me then? Or maybe use that flower to do your dirty work for you."

"You know about the parasite within me?!" Salem gasped as she clutched her own heart.

"I know only something of that caliber could keep you alive," the man pointed toward Salem's prosthetic limbs. "Unless you got some kind of advanced surgery, it looks to me like it's put you back together a few times. And that's why I'm not intimidated by you Salem. I have yet to see what's behind that crimson power."

"You think I'm a fraud? I chose these limbs. I could have had them replaced. These are a part of me!" The red mother exclaimed.

"I think you're confused. And I can help you if you take my deal."

"What deal?!"

"Allow me to stay here, be your knight and advisor."

"Why would you want to be with me?" Salem scoffed. "Are you just another pervert looking for a prize?"

"I came looking for a purpose lost through time. You are that purpose Salem."

"Liar. I've seen others try and worship what I have."

"Then what can I do to prove myself besides spilling what I know," Corian sighed.

"If you can beat me in combat, then I'll consider your deal."

"Very well then," the knight posed for battle without his blade. "But don't use your flower."

"But-," Salem stammered as she realized how helpless she was without the new power that had delivered her every victory.

"You said those limbs are a part of you. Beat me with them. Prove your point that you are in control."

"Why you!" Salem frowned. "Is this some kind of game to you?"

"I'm not trying to humiliate you Salem. I just want you to see why I want to help."

"Then just tell me what you know!" The red mother lunged forward.

"Trust goes both ways," Corian abruptly explained as he stretched out his leg to trip Salem over. "You show me some trust and I will tell you everything."

"Wah!" Salem tumbled onto the ground in an embarrassing heap. "What is your deal!"

"Well if it was up to me I wouldn't fight at all," the man chuckled as he politely helped Salem off the floor. "But I can tell you were about to attack anyway so..."

Back at the entrance of the castellum, Anger stood patiently as his brother approached from behind.

"Should we help her?" Valor inquired while Anger turned to block his path. "I've never even seen that man before."

"She is fine. If she were in danger, either the Vornex or the flower would react."

"But he's demolishing her," the young Valekry pointed towards Salem as she stumbled onto the floor once again. "Are you sure she's alright?"

"I am sure. Our mother is a terrible fighter, she merely hurts herself when she tries like this. The man has yet to even make a move against her. As long as he obeys my request, then it is alright."

"So it's not his fault she is getting hurt?"

"No. Let her figure herself out."

"I see."

Valor raised a metallic finger to his eye as he watched the battle with curiosity. From his perspective, Corian was a well-trained knight with years of experience, causing the eager Valekry to burst with excitement. If there was anything Valor loved more than a heroic display, it was another warrior he could take notes from. But as he continued to ponder alongside Anger, a small figure tip-toed into the castellum.

"What's going on Valor?" Ali yawned as she held her plush tightly.

"Oh, hello," Valor spun around, politely waving to both Ali and Bear-Bear. "Salem is just em...sparring with a new friend."

"She's not doing too well," the doll gasped as the red mother was effortlessly put into an arm lock. "I couldn't fight any better but, It was my belief Salem was stronger than this."

"She's not using her powers," both Anger and Valor replied.

As Salem's fight with Corian continued, it became clear just how comically outmatched she was without the red flower. Even as the young knight did his best to avoid attacking the frustrated girl, he couldn't help but send her reeling with even the lightest maneuver. Corian soon decided to simply hold Salem still in an attempt to stop her from hurting herself.

"Let go!" Salem hissed as Corian casually placed her into a hold from behind.

"You've got bruises all over Salem, and I haven't even thrown a hand at you."

"What do you want then? Do you want the feeble girl to beat you up? Would that make you feel better?"

"Those limbs of yours could lift an elephant, I'm not sure your strength is the issue."

"So then I have no skill and discipline. If I admit I have no talent will you be content? Just tell me what you want!"

"Just ask for some help lady!" Corian yelled as he became frustrated. "Give me a chance to be your ally."

"I've had enough help!" Salem screamed as her flower instinctively sprung to life within her body. "All my life I've been worthless!"

As Salem continued to lament she released a large wave of crimson energy, knocking Corian across the room with immense power. But as the man landed on his feet, he appeared unharmed as a black suit of armor suddenly enveloped his body. Salem then realized just how little she knew of the man, whose arsenal of skills and weapons dwarfed even Pysno's.

"Did you see that?" Valor beamed. "He has a knight costume hidden in his earring!"

"Unexpected," Anger noted as he too began to watch the man closely.

"That is not technology Lacuna possesses, as far as I'm aware," Ali noted. "This man must be from a more advanced race."

Bear-Bear continued to sleep with her nightcap still on, unaware of the battle that ensued.

Posing for a more serious battle, Corian unfolded a kite shield from his armored palm as he turned to face Salem. The red mother responded with nothing more than an embarrassed expression as she began to feel humiliated. Even with her unstoppable power, she was still weak and undisciplined.

"Could you really fight me? Even now?" Salem cried as she dropped to her knees.

"I've faced worse," Corian sighed, lowering his guard. "That's not some kind of boasting. It's just true."

"Then just tell me what you know! Anything!" The red mother sobbed. "I'm tired of feeling so lost and alone, with nothing but this parasite to guide me to our death!"

But as Salem fell closer to the ground, Corian suddenly approached in a flash - gently offering her a hand just as her tears began to well up.

"What?" Salem sniffled, looking up at the man whose face was obscured by his dark blue visor.

"I knew your mother Salem."

"I..."

"Her name was Isera. She was...an amazing individual and the most beautiful woman in the world."

"M-mother?" Salem whimpered as warm tears streamed down her face. "Where is she? H-how do you know?"

"Because two thousand years ago, when the seams of our universe were torn apart, I fought alongside her."

"Then why hasn't she come to see me? I thought she must have been dead, or nonexistent!"

"I know nothing of her whereabouts, not after she disappeared at the climax of our last battle. It's been so long, I can't even say for sure she's still alive. That's why I came to find you. Salem, you are the last link."

"Isera," Salem muttered as the young knight picked her off the floor. "Somehow, she sounds familiar."

"I wouldn't know if you two ever met. But I do know she's your mother. I mean...you look exactly alike," Corian laughed.

"So that's it then, you're from the previous era?"

"You remember those days?"

"I was much too young, but from what little I can piece together about Peruvia's history, every single race seems to believe there was some mystical time before this."

"Indeed there was Salem. And I can tell you all about it, save some more sensitive details I'd rather not personally recollect. But first, why don't we meet your family?"

"You won't tell me everything you know?" The red mother frowned as she wiped away her tears. "Not this very instant? How rude."

"I'm supposed to be your knight Salem. Not an info dump," the man smirked. "Besides, there will be plenty of time to discuss things once your little group over there stops staring at me like I'm some freak."

"Are you always so corny?" Salem giggled, her heart beginning to flutter.

"It's a human thing. You wouldn't get it."

"I think I do. Or at least I can. Now, if you insist, let's go introduce you."

As Salem and Corian walked back towards the entrance of the Castellum, they seemed calm and content regardless of the trauma they had both endured.

"So who's the two badasses and the little girl?"

"The taller and older one is Anger, my firstborn. The spry knight is Valor, I think you'll really get along with him. And as for the beautiful doll, her name is Ali."

"How old is she? I wouldn't want to be a creep."

"So you admit she's prettier than me?" Salem scoffed as her hand drifted closer to Corian's side. "And yes, she's an imprint of an adult, not that it should matter!"

"Well, I'm just asking. I didn't mean to imply anything," Corian laughed.

As the new pair continued to banter, a sense of anxiety swept over them, their unevenly sized hands nearly scraping against each other. Anger and Valor stood perplexed, unsure if the man they had just met was truly as trustworthy as he seemed. But for Ali, she seemed convinced Corian was pure of heart as if she could somehow read into his soul.

"He still wants something from her," Anger muttered. "I will find out."

"Does it matter? If he can help our mother with her troubles, is it not worth the risk?" Valor shrugged.

"I see pain in his eyes. Like the kind I saw in Alia, only, he hasn't given up yet. I believe he is good," Ali whispered. "If he can make Salem happy, then, maybe Valor is right."

Anger turned to face the doll with a strange look in his eye, "How would you know?"

"I just do," Ali smiled, as if subtly mocking the older machine.

"Bahaha!" Valor chortled. "She's just like you! Come on now, let's stop slandering the man and try talking to him."

That night Salem's family had expanded. But as her group of followers continued to grow, an envious eye watched closely from a distance. It was an old acquaintance of Salem, who refused to forsake his plans for retribution.

"So the human runs to you for help," Kalis whispered to himself as he monitored the red mother. "Have it your way then. Vengeance will be mine."