Phew, glad I never used this word wrong in the past. I always knew it was revenge themed from context, but didn't know what it specifically implied. After a brief consultation with the locale dictionary, i.e. google, I learned this is specifically revenge for family related killings. Or a prolonged and bitter feud, which is more akin to what I had in mind. Quite apt how both versions apply to our Lord Protector.
Not much need for color theory today, could it be anything but crimson?
Hunger frowned. Losing Verschlengorge was a possibility they'd only briefly accounted for, the Armament of all things considered more than capable of taking care of himself.
I'll be first to say I didn't see this coming. I'm impressed Hunger and Gisena had even 'briefly' accounted for the possibility, Armament-napping was honestly the least of my concerns before this moment. It's surely blasphemous for me to say so, but I'm also least concerned for Versch, in general. It's not to say he isn't a big hunk-o-awesome, I just don't think I've developed as big a bond with him as the rest of the cast. I have a hard time placing him in the companion tier list because in many capacities I see him as a piece of equipment! I'm sure I would feel much differently had we ever sat in the cockpit ourselves, or made any moves to wield Versch ourselves.
In general though, while losing Letrizia herself would be unacceptable, Versch falling in her defense is inside my wheelhouse. The biggest downside to Versch falling for me, was the big hit to Letrizias relationship with us if we exacerbated things and got him killed by calling a bluff we shouldn't have. My apologies to all the Versch fans, and don't get it twisted, I'm not interested in seeing him go down by any means. Just that on a totem poll, Versch is at the bottom holding everyone else up.
Their lack of knowledge of the Lord Protector's true capabilities was crippling them in this contest. Without any data on the limits of his sorceries, it would be risky to proceed further.
Looking back at this statement, Glimpse was exactly what Hunger was musing to himself about. Though I'm not sure we learned of any real limits per se, more so that we learned they were capable of just about anything given enough time and resources. Perhaps learning that not even being cast outside of time and space are outside of the Lord Protectors purview will end up worth the cost, even if we don't go for diplomacy. I can easily imagine Hunger deciding to just tank a few traps in the alternate timeline, wheras now he will be greatly wary of anything he doesn't know the full remit of.
The Cloak of Sky had given him dominion over sorcery, and its theoretical power over magic was as vast and encompassing as the heavens themselves. The prototypical arcana it'd provided were the means by which he'd transported himself and Gisena to the location of the Armament-Fish. Could he draw upon those predecessor magics to bring forth a solution to this matter? Conjure some Astral Entity with knowledge of the Lord Protector?
I always like how Rihaku weaves in votes with reality, even though the options are incredibly varied, the results update to update never really strikes me as jarring. It's never really in question about how Hunger came to a decision in character, enough breadcrumbs are usually sprinkled about for any of the options to be the natural conclusion.
The vote for our cloaks magic was a few updates ago by this point, but until Hunger actually called upon the magic such capabilities were still locked in a haze for him. Sort of like his knowledge that he could bring forth more of the Forebears might by way of the All Defeating Stance, the Signs sort of sit in a ball of potential until such need arises.
I like this much more than Hunger merely cocking his head and saying, oh yeah, I can totally summon an Astral to talk to about this! It looks like it helps Rihaku pull off the above as well, keeping the idea of potential waiting to be drawn on as an actual plot device helps mid battle power-ups and the like from feeling cheap.
Just noting again how the last two sentences of the above quote are basically the conjuration of the vote below Whichever the voters decide was already hinted at as a real possibility, so both would feel fine update to update.
Focusing his Pressure, he channeled it through the Cloak of Sky as he had the Ring, when first he'd drawn forth those tatters of shadow into the Mantle of Evening. Pulled through that vestment it was no anglerfish lure, but the maw of the abyss itself, the Void Above like a reflecting pond mirroring the void below.
Let me think for a moment, is this calling back to the Ring update just before we had arrived back to the Temple? Or is this talking about when we very first acquired the Cloak? I'm not sure, I don't recall us channeling the ring when we first got the cloak, I'll have to check later.
Regardless, I do like the visuals here. The maw of the Abyss is probably one of my favorite phrases, and I always love when it shows up in different places. As I try and imagine what is going on here, I think it's saying rather than a beacon to draw an astral towards us, we ripped open a chasm into the Astral. The cloak of sky must be extended at least to the length of the tear we wrought, and I can imagine the tear of Edeldross at the centerpoint.
It was uncertain, even at so mighty a Rank as his, to achieve exactly what he sought with so vague a methodology. The Cloak flared around him, encircling his impromptu ritual grounds, a halo of rushing darkness that formed runes into the earth. Directed by his will it enacted some primordial sorcery that matched the form of his desires, the stars of its pattern arranging themselves in the forgotten language of that magic.
Now this is my kind of magic. Some people like measured, calculated gestures. Precise measurements of reagent calculated down to the granule to achieve their desired outcome via the weighted calculus of mathematics and reason... Not me! I'm more of a fan where you point your finger at reality and tell it whats up. Flashing sigils, runes of power, and cloak flaring about without any wind are all very much appreciated while administering your version of reality to the magic at hand.
He felt some internal reservoir deplete, possibility itself caged and reified; it would be some time before he could call upon the Cloak for arbitrary tasks beyond this. Teleportation and Astral Summoning were the sigils it had adopted, and boons of a different flavor were now past its remit. The constellations, once set, could not be trivially shifted.
Once again Rihaku just setting the stage for this and future updates, letting everyone know why this bout of 'make it happen' worked, and why such flailing would not be successful in the future. I really like this whole paragraph though, it made a 'boring info dump' into a really cool passage that I enjoyed reading.
Had he been careless, to exert his mastery so totally, adhering the Cloak to a purpose towards which it was now fixed? But with its basic abilities unaffected, he did not find himself overly perturbed by this. For its power over sorcery to be employed, it first had to be delineated, and a tool unused was as good as useless.
I can't disagree with Hunger here. Potential is all well and good, but if you die with cards with a bunch of gas in the tank because you were so hyped on possibility, oof. Certainly different effects would be better at different times, but that will always be the case and is a fools game to play. Might as well play the cards you have in hand rather than worry about what you could have possibly drawn, especially when there are not take-backsies when it comes to moments like these.
Even with the Cloak facilitating his spell, the process of summoning was neither quick nor easy. It would take an hour or more to call forth a being of appropriate power and stature, runes of the sigil like a starry net interposed between the Astral and the maw of his Sky, harmlessly sifting and releasing those beings inadequate to his purpose, ensuring the spell's potency was not expended on an irrelevant subject.
Oh interesting. I had missed this on the first read, but it's actually a really cool picture. So the astral net that we had created had, a perhaps visible, filtration system in place! I don't know the specifics if anyone could see out or in, but it's a really neat image either way. Filtering a bunch of eldritch monstrosities via such abstract idea of 'usefulness in this situation' is perhaps the most busted application of rank ever. Absolutely bonkers, but I like it.
The fated hour though, It really didn't seem like too much when arrayed against the twenty four previously spent. Truly a grim cost, the expense of one of our vaunted get out of jail free cards. I don't begrudge the loss though, just as well the roll could have turned against us in an equally dire way had we rushed in for the rescue. Though with more players at stake who knows if one roll would have been sufficient to save everything, or would have a Wish been needed to rectify the situation?
Much in the same vein as above, speculation on what-ifs aren't something I'm too interested at discussing in depth. Things are happening, best to just keep playing your hands.
"I'm going to summon something that can help deal with the Lord Protector," Hunger said, hand upraised to stabilize the array. "It'll consume the majority of my Pressure and attention, so fight defensively until I'm finished."
I didn't realize that the enemies forces would continue their assault into the next update, I though it would have mostly petered out as they regrouped and evaluated the new situation. Based on the latest update though, with Aobaru proving his valor and courage in the defense of Letrizia, I was obviously mistaken. It's pretty plainly laid out right here though, and we did pick up Vanguard at last. So no harm no foul I suppose.
"Understood!" Aeira said, intercepting a straggler before its suicide charge reached Adorie. "Your arrival has cleared out most of the enemies in the vicinity. We should be able to hold on from here."
Rare Aeira sighting! And my Accursed, I can't believe the balls of steel on that madman. Charging his own princess, deep in enemy lines beside the Lord Hunger who is in the midst of literally shaking the foundations of the reality with the tidal surge of his Pressure. Then he gets ganked by Shadowcord. A+ for effort, but he probably should have stayed in school.
Adorie bowed. "I apologize for relying so heavily upon you, Hunger. I'm usually a bit more useful than this! When you go to confront him, let me come along to help. I can lend my Pressure to your own to bend matters in our favor."
"I'm not one to turn down assistance, but you'll be expected to take care of yourself," Hunger said. "If all of you are in danger, I'll prioritize saving my companions over you."
Poor Adorie, I pray her time will come soon. I'm a bit glad she whiffed on her negotiations with us, but I'm sad her defense performed so poorly in our absence. With her coming with us, I'm hopeful that her star will yet shine. I do have to agree with Hunger on his sentiments at the end, While she's a soon-to-be companion, she isn't quite there yet. Good on him to let her know where things stand should the sky start falling.
"That's only to be expected," Adorie said simply. "I wish there were more I could tell you of his capabilities. The Lord Protector has always been a mysterious figure, and his Patron Spirit even more so. I'm afraid none of my followers have successfully initiated the inner circles of his... cult. He is a powerful sorcerer, but even the laws of magic don't seem to apply to him!"
I'm so excited about this part. Adorie learning the true identity of the mysterious enigmatic leader, the Lord Protector. All along it was family, in a way she's not alone anymore, and in other ways, is she anything but? I'm absolutely giddy with the possibilities of this fallout. Will she be happy, sad, thrilled, despair? Will she want us to use diplomacy, want to speak with her? or will it all be too much, and she prefer her 'sister' be confined to oblivion without a final farewell.
I have a feeling she will be... interested in at least hearing her out. Especially if we fill her in on any of the details. It's possible she doesn't know anything going on herself and will want to get to the bottom of her sisters suffering. In truth what could drive an eight year old so far, with such conviction? Until the full details are known I don't think I could ever truly be satisfied. I'm so greedy for lore, it's like an addiction. Even at the cost of %success I'm willing to pay the iron price for insights into the world.
"Sounds like a challenge for my Nullity!" Gisena said happily. "I've always wondered at the limits of the Maidengrace. Perhaps here it will finally meet its match!"
"Magic for me, but not for thee?" Hunger raised an eyebrow. "I see Lady Nullity lives up to her reputation."
"It's Princess Nullity now!" Gisena corrected him.
"Don't make me regret giving you that title."
I do like their banter back and forth, and I forgot who mentioned it, but I too would like to see a bit more serious conversation between the two. It feels like it's been a good while since they had what could be considered onscreen non-banter, and I'm curious if it doesn't exist because of fronts they've put up for each other, or if this is just more engaging to write.
"Do you regret not doing all that paperwork by yourself? Perhaps I should defect to a nation where my services are better appreciated."
"Ah," Adorie raised a hand. "I'm sorry, but Nilfel cannot afford bad relations with the Elixir Kingdom at this time. We're too dependent on our military alliance at the moment..."
Hunger grunted, feeling strength drain rapidly from his limbs. "Someone get Aobaru over here. He needs to refresh our Vigorflame augments."
"On it!" said Aeira.
Then again, if we can get a third wheel Adorie in on the banter, that could spice things up well enough. I suppose variety is the spice of life, and I wouldn't mind if others intrude upon their banter if that's the route they have chosen with eachother.
oh shit, sequence break baby. Past this point is the perspective of a most interesting character!
The mask and robes of the Lord Protector weighed heavily upon her.
This changes everything. Or does it? I am at least 1% less likely to want to kill her now that I know it's not a man, sexist? I suppose so, not sure how deep it runs but there is some mitigation involved. Besides, how many female tyrants even are there? Killing her might be assaulting a protected class of worker and bring the Fates down on us for upsetting some great balancing act they have going on.
Her present form was protean, a protoplasmic mass of cells with strength enough to core mountainsides; and yet, they weighed heavily still, for the fact of their heft did not arise from mere mass. Finally the last of her advisors departed her command tent. She slumped quietly in relief. Dispelling the transmutation she assumed her true form. A strand of hair fell across her eyes, candyfloss-pink against the mask of iron.
Whoa hold on back up, I gotta break out the google-fu for this one and decipher what a protean protoplasmic mass of cells
is. Hmm okay, back. So it's a constantly shifting cell, sort of? I'm picturing a gray ooze, formless with great mass that kind of congeals and shifts as directed, roughly keeping the form of the robes.
Interesting that such a thing is physically strong, she really has the total package. Magic, Strength, perhaps rank? Seeing as she is both revered as a 'God' and the leader of the state, one would assume she is among the highest ranked individuals here. The only counter to that is her brief life, having only two decades at most means her stats may have far exceeded her Rank.
Man I'm in love with the evil villain shtick she has going on, the single strand of hair falling down is just absolutely compelling for me. Perhaps it is in the fact that it's a somewhat 'stereotypical' sort of reveal, but by the Accursed I'm happy it's here. The once thought imperious, unassailable villain is, gasp, more than meets the eye.
Interesting that for all her power she still knows the power of specialization and delegation, smart to still have advisors even in her genius. It's easy to come to believe yourself to be all-knowing compared to those below you in her situation, but she isn't lost for their value.
Man, every time I scroll back up and reread that strand of hair across the mask of iron I can't help but smile. That's the good stuff right there. Not sure why it tickled me so much!
Augustine shifted uncomfortably below the robes, sweat of her body drowned out by the smoke and soot emanating from her form. Field work was onerous as always. It was unproductive to dwell upon the merely physical, yet she felt uncharacteristically hesitant to contemplate her plans. But she could not afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. Her vengeance had been forestalled but this latest obstacle would fall like every other. She had come too far to fail now.
I can picture myself in her place, the last of your advisors shuffling away as reality sets in around you. Your brave exterior you exuded for your underlings dripping precipitously from your forehead, tangibly losing her cool as she is forced to reconcile the plans she gave her forces to the realities of the situation at hand.
Then, despite the absurdity of the situation, resolving to move forward. Sometimes that's all you can do. One of the reasons I like her.
Her half-sister's forces had crumbled beneath the initial assault, but the arrival of the Interloper had halted their momentum completely. According to her scouts and telescopic observation, his power had grown considerably since he'd departed.
And this, my dear, is just a taste of Progression. Though to be fair, I believe this is something like three and a half EFBS? So perhaps in fairness this is a full helping of Progression, with seconds.
Probably the single strongest point in our favor if/when we got to negotiate with her. The concept that time = power, it's a very simple equation. The idea that not only is it foolhardy to try and force the battle with us on its own, but why bother? Such a foe as the Shard is a enigma we are probably happy to impale. Why bother slaughtering eachother when we can both get what we want.
For us, it's merely the completion of our deal with Adorie, the return of her Kingdom. In return for the Realms of Myth, Hunger can turn his blade towards the Arcanist. She has already expended her childhood and any semblance of a normal life in the puruit of her vengeance, if she believes in not only the strength of Hunger, but his resolve and the promise of Progression, I think we can work something out.
I really hope the dice favor us should diplomacy win, but sometimes those are the beats.
Was it a consequence of consuming the Opalescent Tower, or had Adorie's dreamt-for hero completed some monumental quest for strength? His Rank alone now brushed full Legions aside like dust from his linens. What abilities unrevealed could the Interloper boast in addition? The very prospect was unsettling.
The most concerning thing, is that Hunger often doesn't even know his limits, are the full or even the half-extent of some of his abilities. Until he's pushed and at the precipice of life-and-death he doesn't usually know the full extent of his limitations, often because it's at that moment they are broken without ceremony.
Even if she could scry us, It would give her a picture that is hazy at best, but if she read it as truth it would be her downfall for certainty. As it is, she is smart enough to know to be wary of the unknown. Given the monumental strength of his Rank she is going to be breaking out her big guns now, no holding back should it come to blows.
I do love the visuals of the dreamt-for hero. The Princess in her
ivory Opalescent Tower pining for the Realm that should have been hers. Her sister in the shadows letting her play-saboteur by having her loyalists meet her in 'secret' through tunnels she provided. Only, somehow, the Hero did show up. Through some confounded sorcery of chance or design an enigma had joined her merry band that she had been carefully allowing her sister to cultivate.
Luckily for our 'Lord Protector', Hunger doesn't have to win by cutting through. Though such is well within his remit, so to rings the words of his beloved. 'Win, no matter the cost' Such could also be interpreted as no matter the means, and this doesn't need to end in death for the girl if she plays her cards right.
Specifics mattered. His immunity to divination cast a pallor of uncertainty upon all her calculations. Even the minds of his companions were secured against the possibility of profile-building, and the Purple Bitch was properly immune!
For the first time in twelve years she felt the possibility of defeat looming. What mattered guile or adroitness in the face of such power, such sheer unfairness, as this?!
A full sequence of childish thoughts and fancies, from a girl denied her childhood. I think this is where I really decided I liked her. For all her genius and power, this is all too human. Sheer annoyance, childish denial in the face of unforeseeable events, appeals to fairness.
It all just adds up to me that she drew a bad lot. This could easily be our protagonist in another Rihaku quest, given an absurd objective and a narrow means through which to accomplish it. She has done awful things but somehow I'm willing to look past it far enough to give her a chance to bend her will towards more noble goals. Whom does her death bring back?
The 'Lord Protector' can die, his patron spirit banished, but if we could bend her will to a greater purpose the girl Augustine need not perish.
Augustine steadied herself, breathing deeply of the smoke that wreathed her. The taste of ash settled her mind and calmed her racing heart, as always. Her memories of the crucible were not dear to her, but they were familiar, and familiarity was the anchor of her vengeance.
Another point in her favor in my book. I like the human moments of losing yourself, equally so I praise those who can reign it in. Her means and method of doing so are heart breaking, but that has been her world since before most children were learning to read.
I feel bad for her that she hasn't even really had a life, a pursuit, but not a life by any means. Always wearing another mask, I doubt anyone even knows she exists beside us. Had we struck her down sans Glimpse the world may have never known Augustine existed.
I hope Hunger can take a lesson from this, if nothing else. That even if he gets his vengeance, if he built nothing to happy with along the way, what was the point of it all if he never takes the time to live?
From the age of eight she had ruled the greatest nation in the world with a fist of iron. She would neither falter nor yield. She would buy off the Interloper with the Armament her hostage, or banish him into a void beyond time, or catch his remaining companions in a trap, send him chasing phantasms and increase her leverage.
Absolutely bonkers. It's probably my human ideas of time and inability to peg the Foremost to anything concrete involving childhood-adolescence-adulthood timescale, but It's super hard to wrap my brain around this one. I do know the endgame though, and for me, I find it hard to really get infuriated over the actions of an eight year old. If we had found her at ten, everyone would be all about rehabilitation, I believe. Is at twenty, when she merely followed the path of her cut and was never offered an alternative, reason to withdraw our aid?
I don't know, perhaps I'm all wrong about this one but I do feel sympathetic. And if I'm being pragmatic, then I know she is a valuable ally to have in our pocket for a myriad of reasons. I don't doubt for a second her loyalties if we should slay her mother, for afterward she would really be a blank slate. Her personality and purpose has been molded for the completion of one insane task. I want to know who she is afterward.
Even in the face of overwhelming power, there were always options. There was always a way forward, even if the path did not run straight. To disguise the form of her strength she'd invented Claumngor. To conceal the form of her weakness she'd created the Lord Protector. All things were possible with ingenuity and will.
She really is impressive, though as I mentioned before, she has basically concealed all parts of herself using these disguises. I'm just reiterating the point but, damn, if she were to die now it's like she would have never existed so much as the world was concerned. At least as far as the girl 'Augustine' is concerned.
She would delay, distract, obfuscate, demoralize, play dead - do whatever it took to buy time, then develop a solution to this latest challenge.
Never forget what they took from you.
This is also what I like in a protagonist, the resolve to not leave anything off the table. I don't believe there is anything she wouldn't at least consider, she just needs someone to pull her back from the more awful solutions she comes up with. But this is the type of attitude that you need in the face of overwhelming adversity, something we are well acquainted with.
Never forget, but we are so lacking in specifics. I'm pretty sure she's referring to all her siblings and the experiments, but who knows what else they may have endured. I suppose it's empathy at play, because if some foe slaughtered our companions, is there any length, any depravity I wouldn't vote for to see justice done? If it were the only way, whatever lie upon the path it would be the way.
Hard for me to condemn her when I see myself after all.
The House of her father had paid in blood, Adorie the only innocent spared. But the clan of her mother was more culpable by far, and she could not rest until her siblings were avenged. It was regrettable that her father had slain himself before she could extract all pertinent information. Had he truly been ignorant, mere unwitting accomplice to her mother's experiments? A hapless genetic donor ensnared by her seduction?
Despite his faults she still wanted to forgive him, to make excuses for his ineptitude. As if her mere posture of good-will would somehow bring forth a parent that cared for her.
As if that would alter the situation in any way.
It didn't matter anymore. She had had her vengeance on him. He was the past. She could only look forward now.
I wonder if she had him, her father, in her hands before he killed himself. Was she able to get some answers, then? Was he unable to look at her, or was he unable to bear her look upon him? Why would he not just confess the reality of the situation as late in the game as I imagine he was captured. I'm not sure, and compared to reviving our own family I'm not to concerned about this one.
Man, again with the +sympathy points. Whoever you are, you can probably imagine not having a parental figure. Harder to imagine a parental figure that betrays you and yours. Harder still to imagine living not only on your own from the age of eight, but conducting a quest for vengeance against your own mother who so callously used you and can't even turn her attention to witness your efforts towards her demise.
I know some people don't care at all for this Lord Protector, but Augustine is a sad lot, to me.
Playing dad for this girl may be a bridge too far, but someone reliable isn't too much of a stretch. How nice would that be for her, I wonder. If Adorie welcomed her back despite everything, could they still be family? Come on B movie plot activate! Sappy power engage! Ritualists of contrived get-togethers, begin letting the goat blood!
I'm surely going to be disappointed when my dreams don't come true in this regard, but I am hopeful for such a result. I'll steady my own resolve to see her cut down should it come to pass, or worse, she turns the tables on us. Imagine should my compassion be our downfall, it would be a bitter pill to swallow. Still worth it.
Forward, but her view was clouded by the Interloper's presence. Nothing for it but to work on further contingencies.
Spells to strengthen her Legions in case his strength was not truly insurmountable. Spells to conjure attendants to observe and ambush any companions undefended. Spells of layered protection, to shield her from all manner of power and displace her beyond his reach. Spells of illusion and concealment. Spells of destruction and disjunction. Spells of influence and contamination targeting vectors beyond the spirit and mind. Spells to stretch the moment, thread of time spun clean from the aether. Spells of noxious poison. Spells of virulent flame. Spells of impossible color. Spells of malice undying.
Gisena is more of an engineer, or a saboteur , than a mage to me. A specialist with great abilities, but not a 'mage'. This is a mage. Uncompromising magics in all schools, a beautiful spell list to make and mage-gang enthusiast wet themselves I'm sure.
Even if Hunger is never the spell boy, we can finally have someone on board who epitomizes the archetype! Except for the whole super-strength thing, she really does do it all.
Smoke filled the chamber, ash and fibrous dust, bubbling molten steel as work after work emerged from her forge. Her power was to Build, shadow of a shadow that it was, and if her mind saw no path forward at least she could occupy her hands. Would it be enough?
Interesting. Not just the blood of the builders, but she inherited its use as well. Even the remnant of a remnant of the Builders key talent is enough to still challenged us. I can scarcely imagine them in their prime, curious if the Voyaging realm in its totality
is their prime. If so, color me impressed.
She would not hope. Hope was the province of the powerless, the falsely-sweet daydream which sapped the will to action. The mighty had no need of hope. They simply enacted their designs.
Hey now! I just spent several thousand words backing you up, can you not trash my wistful hoping for a gosh darn minute!? ...Well, I mean she's not entirely wrong. And merely hoping would not be generating Arete such as this, so perhaps this is in a way enacting my designs. Alright, perhaps I was too hasty, it's not like what she said was even wrong. Just painful.
The power of her father's blood was the abatement of all waning. The power of her mother's, was the very sorcery that once had raised the Walls of Myth. She was no trueblood, her awakened strength but a fraction of Adorie's potential, but some part of her was Foremost still, and no Interloper would stand against her vendetta, no matter how conveniently placed-
All at once she made the connection. The presence of a hostile Armament, the Interloper's impeccable timing, his improbable immunity to divination, the Purple Bitch's resemblance to her mother... She could scarce see the skeins, the barest outlines of the plot, but this was very possibly one of her mother's schemes.
Had the monster regained coherence enough to plot again? Was the Purple Bitch one of her avatars, steering the outcome towards her ends, breaking Augustine's grip on Nilfel so that the 'Lord Protector' could not consolidate all the Realm of Myth behind 'him'?
Despite herself, she smiled. If that were true, then her mother had finally acknowledged her as a threat. A worthy opponent.
Spin your wheels, monster. Stand against me if you dare. And if you dare not, then run and hide. It will all come to nothing in the end.
Oh geeze. Probably the biggest hurdle in the face of diplomacy, her own flight of fancy and a falsely-drawn conclusion from a hint of evidence and resemblance.
She finally smiles, and not for anything 'good'. She thinks for a moment that her mother is finally paying attention to her, after all these years. She may try to cloak it like her identity, but I'm pretty sure that was the key to her smile. Attention, something she has been denied for over a decade from the only being she has actively pursued.
