In that instant, several of the ghastly creatures hanging around rushed to her side to protect her, swirling around her so that she was almost hidden in their midst, though, they couldn't cover her front as it was occupied by the table. It would seem that they weren't able to phase through objects.
Beads of sweat trickled down the lady's face as her entire frame went cold. She didn't dare move even a single muscle, nor did she try to raise her eyes to look at Aldritch. Looking at her fingers on the table, they trembled subtly as she cowered over the overwhelming pressure.
From her eyes, Aldritch had suddenly become an insatiable demon of immense power. The fear had even caused her to see illusions.
It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like minutes had passed. The presence of a diabolical blood thirty beast trampled on her very mind and soul.
"Lord..." Khal said, placing a hand on Aldritch's shoulder lightly before taking it off, he looked to be completely unaffected.
Understanding what Khal meant, Aldritch withdrew his bloodlust. Even though it was meant for the Lady sitting across him, at such intensity, Aldritch couldn't control his bloodlust to target one person alone, so everyone was affected to varying degrees.
After everything went back to normal, Aldritch maintained his earlier calmness, while the one sitting across him tried to regain herself, breathing heavily but as quiet as possible as she heaved in and out, breathing through her mouth.
"Now, let me ask again, what exactly are you doing in my house?"
Even though she heard Aldritch's question, she couldn't bring herself to speak as she hadn't calmed her nerves yet. Aldritch in the other side was getting a bit impatient. This trick of his had worked marvelously well, but there was always a chance for his bluff to be seen through.
"Speak!" Aldritch said authoritatively, sending shivers down the Lady's spine as she almost jerked up mildly before speaking, her tone shaky as the words left her mouth.
"I-I-I-my name is Anshire, the primordial dame of Black of the Lunar Cult... F-Former Primordial Dame of Black, of the Lunar Cult."
Aldritch listened to her in silence, and even after she was done speaking, he remained silent, only maintaining eye contact, though her own eyes remained on the table, focusing on the sweat that had dropped. Read the latest on m_v-l'e|-novelhall.net
Seeing as he didn't respond, Ashire swallowed a ball of saliva before speaking up again, "I only came to check on Lada, as her master requested..." She said, in a much steady voice, though fear was still evident in it.
Seeing that Aldritch still wasn't satisfied with her explanation, she added, "I only reacted this way because I thought she was in danger. As for these two, they will wake up in a few hours without any serious injury, they only need to rest." She explained.
Aldritch was quite amazed, as he didn't expect it to go like this, after all, even in face of such danger, an enemy would not show such subservience, so even with her current actions, he wasn't convinced.
Veronica had asked Ashire to pay Lada a visit, since she sensed something was wrong, and since Ashire was passing through the capital for some personal business, she agreed and decided to stop by, only to find the various abnormalities within Lada's house and command. That was the only reason she was here, and why she had taken the action she took.
Aldritch was tempted to turn Ashire into one of his kind, but he decided against it. As someone who dealt with magic pertaining to the soul and spirituality, she would naturally have strong immunity against mind control and related skills and magic, so anything he did would only erase eventually, and quickly.
Unlike Lada who decided to push it to the back of her mind that she might have been brainwashed and forgot about it, this one may be different. It was a better idea to coax her into joining him of her own accord than forcing her.
If he could get her to join, Aldritch believed that was it, as it would be difficult for her loyaly to drop so drastically. If he was to force her into it though, her loyalty would plummet once she regains herself and finds out the truth.
He first had her call off all of her summons, leaving only two by her side before their talk started.
"You must be a necromancer? A rare and overwhelming power indeed." Aldritch remarked, looking at the two creatures by her side again.
Even though he complimented her, she couldn't help but feel an ounce of threat.
Not just Aldritch, but Khal, Rindher, and Olgud were also seated, close to Aldritch. The fact that there was no single food on the table made it even more intense.
"You've been able to keep the Lunar Cult at bay; they must have people always attacking you I suppose." Aldritch spoke.
"Yes... though they don't always act themselves, as it's not exactly a wise move for a witch to curse another witch, unless one of a lower rank, most of my assailant are people commissioned by the cult to kill me."
Aldritch could already see why they had no success in their missions.
"I see. Now, what will you do? What is your next move? I've pretty much captured you, and you've left your cult, there's no one to save you..." He said, drawing towards something.
"If anything happens to me, say I go missing, or I don't return to deliver the message like I normally would, Veronica's suspicions will only grow further." She said.
Aldritch had to praise her for thinking on her feet, though, it wasn't such a difficult circumstance to maneuver out of.
"Are you suggesting I let you go then?" Aldritch asked, his voice calm and cold, just as it had been from the very start, his weight, leaned back into the chair.