She knelt, her head bowed. "I will not fail you, my Lord."
I hoped, for her sake, that she was telling the truth.
We prepared to depart, a wave of dark, hungry ambition washing over me.
It was time to go see a man about a shadow Ogre.
"Chloe," I said, my voice low and cold, a final, undeniable command. "Remember the objective.
I want them alive. That is my will. Do not disappoint me."
-------------------------------
The domain of Old Man Yori was a masterpiece of infuriating tranquility.
We materialized not in a grim, stone dungeon, but in a serene bamboo garden.
The air was clean, smelling of damp earth and green leaves. A gentle breeze rustled the bamboo stalks, creating a soft, whispering sound. It was disgustingly peaceful.
"I hate it already," I announced. "It's too quiet. It feels like a place where people come to find themselves. I prefer places where people come to lose their limbs."
