Corrupt Creations

Lan Xue was sitting down on a small wooden table at the first floor of the Evergreen Tavern, as many complicated things were passing through her head. Many scenes, many events were being played, as she silently stood there.

Seth slowly approached that table, putting an empty cup right in front of her, before filling it with the famous elven wine, the Evergreen Wine.

Lan Xue felt the sweet scent of that alcoholic drink and almost immediately refused it. However, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to do it and reluctantly decided to at least taste that.

It had already been more than fifteen years, since the last time she drank anything that contained a bit of alcohol, but even though she disliked it, this time, she brought that cup towards her mouth in order to take a sip.

Seth sat down at the other side of that small table, directly facing the Twelfth Palace Master, observing her ever graceful bearing, a demeanor that didn't leave her even while she was drinking. Maybe, it was because she had that chilling stance with a doll-like face, that even at a time like this, he couldn't help but admire.

He inwardly smiled, before taking another empty cup out.

Like always, Seth wouldn't waste the opportunity of drinking, so he also put wine for himself, completely filling the cup, before bringing it to his mouth and letting everything go down his throat in a single gulp. After it was finished, he looked at the beauty that was sitting across the table and finally decided to say something.

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"I can imagine how hard things must have been for you. Lan Xue... Just by looking at you, I can see that you're not the same person as the one that had spent so many months trapped in that abyss with me. But there is no point trying to guess what happened... I would like to hear it, from you."

Lan Xue was a woman of few words, someone that would never socialize with other people, much less talk about her life before them. But after everything that had happened inside that dark abyss, Seth had already acquired a special spot in her life. She could at least trust him and maybe call him a friend. That's why he was the only one she could talk to and even though she didn't like to do it normally, that wine had entered her bloodstream and made her feel like talking.

"She... She was everything to me. My grandma had done everything for me, even going as far as... Yet, I couldn't even... If only I wasn't so useless. That man... He had taken everything away from me. My mother and even my grandmother. I just want to kill him."

Lan Xue's voice seemed normal while she was talking, but Seth could feel the sadness and hatred through her words. He could even feel the hidden self-blame contained in her speech.

Seth closed his eyes and sighed. There was nothing he could do in order to take Lan Xue off of that road of vengeance and even if there was something, he wouldn't do it, since he knew what it was like.

So instead of telling her everything was going to be alright, Seth just listened to the things she had to say, lending her his ears and his shoulders, so she could let everything out of her chest. However, her tears had already dried up at that unfortunate day and the only true emotion she was able to display, was hatred.

Sadly, even though she told him everything that had happened, it wasn't able to alleviate her gloomy and dark feelings.

Seth wasn't able to directly help her, but Lan Xue started seeing him is a new light after realizing what he was doing meant. She felt he was even more reliable now, than at that difficult time they passed together and was glad that she had met him.

Being able to let everything out, had made her more lucid, clear of what was about to happen and all of that was thanks to him. She was now able to push her uncertainties aside and completely focus on being merciless to that man and whoever tried to assist him on the incoming battle.

After they finished their conversation, Seth decided to go upstairs in order to think things through. While he was listening to Lan Xue, he had realized that he wasn't the only one suffering, feeling pain for not being able to protect the person he loved. That realization had made him deeply consider Arwen's words.

'Maybe, I really should calm down and recharge myself for what is to come.'

Seth entered one of the two bedrooms at the second floor and laid down on the bed. Impressively, he swiftly entered a state of relaxation where his mind felt much lighter than before.

Down there, a few minutes after Seth had left, Lan Xue was still sitting on that same wooden table. The Evergreen Wine bottle was near her, but she didn't drink anything else besides that initial cup Seth had given her.

That silent atmosphere was broken by the sound of steps coming from the entrance door. There, there was an enchanting mature elf, that entered the Evergreen Tavern and sat on one of the seats located near where most of the wine bottles were stored. However, instead of looking towards the bottles, she was actually looking directly at the Twelfth Palace Master.

With just a stare, Arwen felt some significant changes on Lan Xue's aura and she couldn't help but smile.

"You're cold and full of determination now, just like a sharp blade. I wonder what have happened when I was out."

Lan Xue didn't say anything. She resembled an unmovable block of ice, that would forever remain frozen.

"Well... That doesn't matter. What is of importance, is that like this, our chances of succeeding this mission might have taken a turn for the better. However, it is not enough yet, so I'll have to push things further a little bit."