Oh the things one can hear when no one knows they are being spied upon. It was even easier when they weren't looking up. Why would they? No one expects a six inch pixie to be lurking in a shadow. Yet she was still finding everything boring. What was the point of being able to cast spells if she couldn't do something more with them? Morticia had a brilliant idea when she heard about something raising the dead in the desert.

How deliciously wonderful would it be to raise a few undead to terrorize the living! To hear their screams as they run around silly would be music to her tiny ears. The pixie didn't even think twice about how long the trip would make. She just hopped onto the back of her miniature wyvern and took off, leaving her succubus friend behind. Shortly into the flight, she had realized how terrible of an idea it had been to not bring Ryerles along. The flight was boring! Unfortunately, she has yet to learn how to understand her wyvern, so she couldn't strike a conversation with her.

Finally, after what seemed like an endless flight, the pale skinned, snowy haired pixie found herself over the city. Tenebrae swooped in and landed on a rooftop. "Go find something to eat." Morticia ordered as she rubbed her face into the wyvern's own. She walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down, watching a couple of ridiculous looking humans being quickly over ran by a group of mummies. They pressed in on the living creatures, wrapped arms outstretched, searching and groping.

Not too terribly far from where the pixie sat perched upon a rooftop, Dalanesca stood in a shadowed doorway, watching the same scene unfold but from a different angle.  She realized as she watched the mummies taking after the humans that she did not exactly know how mummies would attack things.  They were not exactly the most nimble of creatures, and she knew that their motor skills had to be somewhat lacking.  Thus, she eyed them with curiosity, studying their movements.  They lumbered towards the humans, mostly overpowering them by sheer number.  Dalanesca could not help but almost laugh at the typical moans emitting from their bandaged faces, as they sounded anything from threatening - though her laughter faded at the next part of the scene to unroll.

Of the two humans, one had fallen to the ground and was backing away by scooting across the ground.  The other fellow who had been left standing was in a much worse predicament.  One of the mummies - no, now two of the mummies - had taken hold of his arm and they were wrenching on it.  The man was screaming in agony, and a sickening pop sounded out above his screams.  Soon, the mummies had wrenched his arm free from his body, blood spurting on the ground.  They tossed the arm to the side and soon had descended on the man, continuing to tear his limbs from his body.  His screams died, and soon the mummies lumbered after the other human, leaving a dismembered torso behind.

Dalanesca blinked a few times, mildly impressed.  She had not thought that was what she was going to witness, but it had been so much more.  When the mummies had disappeared from sight, she meandered over to the scene, grabbing a discarded arm from the ground, examining the stump where it had been torn from its owner.  "Wasn't expecting that," she said, turning the appendage over in her hand.  She glanced off into the distance, still holding the arm as she decided what she was going to do next when she caught the scent of something other than human on the air.  

Dalanesca turned toward the rooftop, and though she could see nothing she still sensed the presence.  "Who's up there?" she called out, the severed arm still clutched in one hand as she squinted, trying to make out what it was that she was sensing.

Mummies were such vicious creatures. As slow and lumbering as they were, how did the undead have the strength required to pull an entire limb off of a living body? The screams from the human was brutal, ear piercing, a sound that Morticia decided she liked. Even the pop as the bone finally released the grip it had on its socket, skin ripping from itself, blood gushing, the pixie had a malicious grin spread across her whole face.

Yet the whole thing did not last very long. Disappointment was palpable as the mummies began to slink away from the gorey sight they had made. Just as she was about to stand and find another scene to witness, Morticia saw something else out of the corner of her eye. A gorgeous woman came out from the shadows of a doorway, calmly examining the discarded appendages. When the woman looked up, Morticia ducked, only to curiously lift her head again for just a fraction of sight.

Yet she was called out. The pixie tapped her finger on the roof, trying to decide what to do, or even what to say. A deliciously mischievous smile played on her lips as she called back. "I be a lowly servant of the goddess of death. She sends her regards, stranger." Her tiny voice sounded like bells, and it was obvious she did not know who the person was. In fact, the way she so casually threw out that line made it clear of her tricky ways. "If you don't want her embrace, I suggest you leave now. The dead claim all who live." She giggled at that line, debating on whether or not to fly down there and whisper in the woman's ear tiny dagger trailing along the skin. Of course, the dagger would be nothing more than a thorn, it was still a favorite toy of hers to use when imitating humans who like to intimidate.

The pixie's voice, though quiet and incredibly high pitched, much like church bells ringing out through the night, was clear in Dalanesca's ears.  Her divinity enhanced her senses an incredible amount.  The words that she heard the pixie speak, however, were enough to cause her to chuckle slightly.  "Does she?" she called out in the direction she could sense the pixie.  "And who are you to know the Infernal Queen's embrace, yet still walk this plane?" she asked, her own words coming across as rather sinister.  At times, Dalanesca found herself annoyed when others did not recognize her, but then again some beings were more in tuned to divinity than others were.  This time, however, she found it rather interesting that a magically inclined creature - an awareness she carried as she was able to sense the pixie - did not recognize the aura that she gave off.  It did not bother her nearly as much, though she was about to prove a point regardless of that fact.

With a simple wave of her hand, the pixie vanished from her location on the rooftop where she had been perched, the tiny creature reappearing in the palm of the Reaper's hand.  Dalanesca eyed her with a bit of curiosity, as she knew of the existence of pixies but she had never encountered one in person.  "Well, hello there, little one," she said, moving her face to peer a bit more closely at the creature that now rest in her hand.  "You speak as though you have met me before, but I've never had the pleasure of making a pixie's acquaintance," she said, her words making it clear that she was referring herself as the Goddess of Death.  "What makes you so certain I've any involvement in the happenings in that pyramid?" she asked, looking down at her.  There was no threat in her voice, but a sincere curiosity.  After all, if people were convinced that she had anything to do with what was happening in that desert, it would be awfully bad for her reputation - and she did not want that.  People were just now beginning to get past what had happened between her and Angela Rose, their battle - if you could call it that.  

She continued to look down at the pixie.  "What is your name, little one?" she asked, finding her to be more and more curious the longer she looked at her.  "And what do you know of the goings on in this desert?"

Morticia laughed unperturbed by the sinister tone, little bells ringing musically as she did so. "As I said, I'm a servant of." Just as the pixie was beginning to thing the woman a little special in the head, touched by the scorching sun perhaps, in a blink, Morticia felt herself instantly surrounded by magic. Hot stone turned to warm flesh beneath her, and Morticia's eyes beheld the woman up close. At this distance, or lack there of, the woman was more than ten times the size of herself, intimidating on that fact alone. This was the first time she was this close to anyone before.

"Um… hello?" The pixie decided she did not like having someone's nose be a pixie length away from her. Their face looming over her was too unsettling, it messed with her self-importance due to size relevance. "Of course I haven't met Lady Death personally. And I don't think she'd carelessly let…" Violet eyes framed by long lashes looked up at Dalanesca, growing wider by the second. A strand of snowy hair found itself in tiny hands as she fidgeted under the scrutiny. Starting at her neck, up all the way to the tips of her ears, Morticia was turning a bright crimson of embarrassment. "You are… she? Humblest apologies, mi'lady… As I was saying, I honestly don't think one such as yourself would let such vile undead creatures roam the land unchecked. Reputation and all that."

Not having talked to many people, Morticia was quite pleased to hear that the goddess was actually becoming more curious about her. It was refreshing not to be labeled instantly as a trickster, even if she was. She stood, straightened out her short dress, and held her chin up high, presenting herself with the best manner she could. "Morticia Nouhime, mi'lady Death. As for the desert, I heard rumors of a long forgotten somebody raising the dead to terrorize the living. Tis not a skill I have, yet, but I aspire to. I'll make the best skeleton army. Anyway, the dead are mummies, slow and vicious. Adventurers seem… lacking. Doubt they have what it takes to end the mystery behind the walking dead." Oh she was rambling, with a child-like confidence of what she was going to accomplish.

Overhead, Morticia heard the screech of Tenebrae. Over protective, loyal little lizard was he, that Tenebrae did not feel comfortable with Morticia being so close to being plopped into a mouth whole. "Oh hush, you." The psuedowyvern did not listen, and went to swoop in for an attack on Dalanesca's hair. "TENEBRAE!!" Morticia screamed, terrified of how Dalanesca would react to such an attack.

Dalanesca cocked her head to one side and gave the pixie a knowing grin as she began to put two and two together, coming to the realization of who it was she spoke to.  "Yes, I am she," she said, mimicking the pixie's words.  "No apologies are necessary - it is not often that one expects the Reaper herself to walk amongst the living, even in treacherous times such as these," she said, moving her face a bit closer to the tiny creature she now held in her hand.  "And contrary to popular belief, I am not allowing these creatures to roam the land.  Whatever power is creating this madness has no tie to me, and is doing it without my consent.  That is why I have come to Harena, and traveled here to Aysut.  I cannot let the dead freely roam.  I need to do what is within my power to stop this," she explained. "And you are correct - my reputation is at stake - that is why I have taken such an interest in this."

She could not help but smile at the pixie as she seemed to fix her posture and introduce herself.  "Well, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Morticia.  Contrary to popular belief, I am not as evil as most say I am - well, I am evil, but not in the same methods one would expect, I suppose."  She paused, furrowing her brow in contemplation for a moment, before continuing speaking.  "So, you fancy yourself a learning practitioner of the necromantic arts?" she asked, her curiosity being piqued.  "Most would think the Goddess of Death would frown upon necromancy, but having Darkness as another sphere changes my sway on that bit," she said, allowing the pixie to go on.  "Perhaps you could travel to the pyramid with me, and I can teach you a thing or two along the way?" she said, giving the pixie a grin.

The smile was wiped from her grin, however, as the pixie's animal companion swooped to attack her hair.  She let out a shriek and snatched the thing from midair, holding it by one wing.  "Does this belong to you?" she asked Mortiica, the tone of her voice rather unclear as to whether or not she was upset at the pixie, or just annoyed with what had taken place.  Of course, Dalanesca was not really upset - but fear was a tactic she used rather often.  She was not going to harm the pixie, nor was she planning on harming the creature, but she had every intention of scaring them, at least a little bit.  

Tenebrae screeched frantically, flailing wildly as his wing was immobilized. Tiny claws finally latched onto her wrist, tail wrapped around her arm. The wyvern began to gnaw on the flesh beneath the thumb knuckle. Flapping her own wings, Morticia flew up to Tenebrae hands on her hips and a stern look upon her face. ”Bad Tenebrae! Stop that right now. You should apologize to the Lady!” With a bop on the nose, the wyvern stopped its gnawing efforts and managed to look quite pitiful as he ducked his head.

Morticia turned and gave a sigh. ”My apologies, Lady Death. Tenebrae is… protective. He doesn't understand, and fears you'd eat me.”Everything as big as a kitten could be considered a threat, and the six inch pixie was quite pleased to have such a faithful companion looking out for her safety. She looked back at the wyvern. ”If she releases you, would you behave yourself, or should I send you home?” Tenebrae hung his head further, his way of agreeing to the terms of behavior when being chastised.

Returning her attention to the goddess, Morticia smiled. ”Tenebrae shouldn't attack you again. As for your offer, if it's still on the table, I would be honored to learn a thing or two from you, oh great one.” The wyvern was released, who shook his wing experimentally before delatching himself from her wrist and settled on Dalanesca's shoulder. He rubbed his face against the bottom of her jaw apologetically. Morticia returned to Dalanesca's hand as they began to walk farther into the city.

”A question, if I may? What do you think drives these creatures to run amok? Did their souls get sucked from your domain? Or are they purely animated by some other means?” Even for a tricking pixie, she was actually quite knowledgeable in certain things.

Dalanesca did not flinch as the tiny creature latched onto her and began to bite at the skin of her thumb.  She merely raised her eyebrows, looking at it rather curiously.  Ballsy little creature, she thought to herself, nearly laughing as the pixie flew up to the creature, chastising it for its bad behavior.  A chuckle snuck out as the pixie hit the wyvern on the nose, causing it to look rather sorry for itself.  

She waved her hand dismissively at Morticia as she apologized on the creature's behalf.  "It's nothing to apologize for - you are lucky to have a companion that wants to protect you so," she said.  "However, I don't know how much damage he could do unless the threat facing you was your size," she said rather honestly.  She watched as the creature flew to her shoulder and perched there.  She glanced at it, holding her hand out for Morticia, moving towards the city.  With her free hand she reached up to stroke the small wyvern, accepting his apologetic nuzzle.  

"Ask away," she said, listening carefully as Morticia questioned her.  "Honestly I think it's the priest's magic, that bastard of a lich," she said, sighing.  "The souls are coming from every corner of Revaliir, but a large majority of them seem to be getting pulled from the circles in Inferos, which would be my domain - Revaliir's underworld if you will.  That is why I am on my way there- normally, I wouldn't give a care in the world about shambling undead roaming a ruined city - but when someone is stealing from me, that's where the problems begin," she said, the frustration clear in her voice.  "Might I ask you why you are here? I mean no offense, but a small pixie like you could hardly do much damage to these creatures," she said, gesturing toward the undead in the distance.

"Try telling that to him. He's a stubborn brute." Morticia giggled. As Dalanesca explained about the souls coming from the underworld, she realized that the goddess only answered a portion of the question. Or rather, she answered it yet left quite big question as. To where the souls were going,what were they being used for.

The pixie looked horrified at the thought that people would be brazen enough to steal from the goddess of death. Did they want eternal damnation from her wrath? "He would steal from you? But what is he using them for?" Yet, Dalanesca turned the conversation to the pixie, away from undead. More scrutiny, but this did not include a nose being less than a pixie length away from her own, dwarfing her and miniaturizing her in her own mind. Again, she fidgeted with her hair. "Pixies are curious by nature. Tricksters too. But, I don't know yet how to raise the dead. It was my hope to learn something out here. Damaging the creatures, assisting the realm, that was too grand of a plan for me. To witness was all I wanted to do, all I can do for now."

It led the pixie to wonder as to exactly how one went about raising the dead. Who better to ask then the queen herself? "To raise the dead, what all do we need? Magic, a soul, a little blood? Teach me, mistress!" Her excitement for malicious deeds was laughable with that melodic voice.

The goddess joined Morticia in her laughter as she referred to her companion as stubborn, and found herself rather happy that she listened to her answer.  She was not, however, pleased with the horrified look that the pixie gave her - she had not intended to scare her.  "Unfortunately, he would - and believe me, if you are surprised that someone would be so bold, imagine how I felt when I discovered what was happening," she said, raising an eyebrow at her and giving her a rather incredulous look.  "And I feel as though I did not entirely address your question - I think the priest is siphoning the souls to power something up - what it is, I am not quite sure.  I have heard talk of a gem of some sorts - some call it a chaos gem.  The statue of Sardon striking down Xunatar outside the pyramid is enough to give me cause to think that Sardon may in fact have something to do with it."

She listened to Morticia's explanation of what she was capable of, or more so what she hoped to plan.  "Stick with me, and you can learn by example.  It seems that Tenebrae has found an acceptable perch - you may have permission to use my other shoulder and accompany me, should that sound interesting to you.  I can also teach you, along the way, if you so choose.  I am not exactly a necromancer myself, but I have picked up quite a few tricks along the way."  

She shook her head when Morticia asked if blood would be used to raise the dead.  "I frown highly upon sacrificial magic.  The only sacrifice that should be made in proper necromancy, at least in my opinion, is self sacrifice - so a bit of one's soul, as a tribute to me, ironically," she said.  "You can see why that would make it difficult for me to cast that type of magic?"  She paused for a moment, thinking on what she could do to further the pixie's knowledge as they traveled on.  "The type you would learn you would draw from yourself, or perhaps from your wyvern if he is willing - though you would have to be careful, as drawing too much could be more of a detriment than a help." Dalanesca ceased speaking for a moment to wave her hand at a group of undead that had begun to approach them, and they disintegrated into dust.

"One thing you must tell me - if I am to teach you in the ways of necromancy and dark magic… are you willing to put your powers to use for me if I so ask?" she said. "That is what I would ask for in return."