Kat PoV
The Countess took us over towards the kitchens, dismissing the rest of the servants and having a few of the Banshee's follow behind us just in case, as well as Lexa and Lexi, the twin human girls.
Mother remained at my side the entire way, her arms wrapped around mine as she asked mundane questions - how was I feeling, did I eat right when I was away, did I sleep well...
Things that, on any other day, would be extrely minor questions that could end up being slightly annoying, but today...
After finally getting to see her after who knows how many days, weeks or even months...
It was... refreshing and rather emotional to answer, the two of us speaking quietly as we traversed the all too familiar halls of the Asmodia Mansion.
Being surrounded by her familiar scent and warmth, while her voice sounded almost the sa as she spoke to - albeit a little shaky - and each and every other small thing about her just filled with joy.
I was well and truly back ho, and I didn't need to worry about whether or not soone was going to try and take , whether or not I needed to run or wake up before dawn to make so progress...
It was all just a large relief to , and I could feel the exhaustion of those long weeks or months away finally catching up with , weighing down despite my desire to remain awake and ready.
Dinner would only make that problem more apparent, but I needed good, proper food in my system after such a long ti of eating off rations and even just going hungry...
And the best person I would trust with making that al - besides Mother and I - was Lesnera, the Dwarven woman who cooked for most of the Asmodia staff.
So as we walked into the kitchen, I sat down besides Mother and the Countess as we began making small talk with the Dwarf, who only gave a nod before turning towards her kitchen, shouting out orders to the poor sods working beneath her.
Sadly though, as we waited for the food, my mind began to grow hazy as I grew more and more tired, the drain of my journey slowly catching up to .
Mother pulled my head down onto her shoulder and stroked my hair, lulling to sleep with the ease only a Mother could manage.
The next hour was spent in an odd trance; I would wake up to hear so chatter between Cali and the others, only to pass back out monts later.
Then I'd wake up to food being served, and I scarfed it all down before resting on Mother's shoulder once more.
That repeated a few tis as Lesnera piled more and more food on the table, and I sort of beca like Jahi for a few minutes, eating whatever was placed in front of like I had a hole in my stomach.
However, that nap mixing with the food did wonders, and eventually Cali got tired of waiting and woke up properly - earning herself a glare from Mother - and said "Co on Katherine, let's get going! I want to see that bastard soon, so that I can get that bond of yours fixed. Your soul reeks of them..."
Getting to her feet, the Arch Fiend grinned at as she pulled off the bench and buried my face into her chest, adding "Besides, if you want to rest, this is where you should be resting my love~!"
I didn't even need to turn to know that Mother was preparing a spell to hit, so I just freed myself from the two pillows on Cali's chest and made space between the both of them, my hands raised as I said "Calm down, please. Cali, let's not antagonize everyone, hmm?"
The Arch Fiend just shrugged her shoulders, a smirk on her lips as she said "What? I wasn't wrong though? These are much~ more comfortable than a shoulder, and she certainly could have used them~!"
Shaking my head, I turned and smiled slightly at Mother, saying "Sorry, I haven't known her long, so... I don't really know how to rein her in. Just... deal with her for now, alright?"
She just nodded, before grabbing ahold of my arm once more as the Countess began to lead us down to the basent, where Ka'Hondi resided.
The cellar was just as I rembered it to be; shrouded in a perpetual darkness and laden with powerful runes that were inscribed into each and every brick that made up this room.
Each rune would pulse with power as they led us down towards the chained Ka'Hondi, who was still only a pair of floating red eyes inside the dark mist of the cellar, not allowing us to see their body.
Cali didn't mind the heavy feeling of the air, laden with the scent of blood and ash, and she just approached the chained Arch Fiend and sat in front of them, her pink skin shimring softly in the dark.
"Sla'Caligo... what are you doing here? I believe I made myself rather clear last ti we saw one another..."
Ka'Hondi's voice was grating and low, like the sound of two knives honing against one another.
"Hmm, have you lost your touch over the years, you bastard? Those Banshee's of yours didn't relay you the information yet? Tch, weak fuck..."
"Sla'Caligo, don't test ... I could rend you limb from limb right now..."
"Could you? From where I sit, those runes around your chains are rather unbreakable."
The two glared at one another, before Ka'Hondi just let out a sigh.
"What do you want?"
Leaning back, Cali humd softly before saying "To tell you that I'm back. We're all coming back. If you were still the sa Ka'Hondi that I knew from all those years ago, I wanted to see if you wanted to rid this world of our more... corrupted, unneeded brethren. Will you help , Ka'Hondi? Or are you too proud to help a Fiend of Sla?"
A low growl filled the room, and Ka'Hondi glanced towards before looking back at Cali.
"I don't have much of a choice... in a few years, anyways. That brat is still tied with the Asmodia girl. That's my condition, Sla'Caligo. My honor binds just as much as these chains do, and I gave my word to serve the Asmodia family until I beat one of their successors. The ti for my challenge is coming. If I win, I am free once more, and I shall do as I please. However, if I lose... I shall consider it, depending on the Asmodia girl's choice. That is my answer."
Cali clicked her tongue before getting up, shrugging her shoulders as she said "I thought as much... now, fix Katherine's bond to the Asmodia girl. I didn't think you were that terrible with your mana, Ka'Hondi, to let it be frayed like it is."
Growling once more, the shackled Arch Fiend looked towards and said "Approach , brat. Let reforge your bond once more, so that Sla'Caligo can leave in peace."
I looked towards the Countess, who nodded, before gently pulling my arm free from Mother's, allowing to approach the chained Ka'Hondi freely.
When I knelt in front of them, the Arch Fiend's red eyes narrowed as the mist around them turned into tendrils that approached my body, coating in the mist.
Letting out a gasp, I felt the mist worm its way into my veins and towards my Core, where it began to tighten and strengthen the fraying tether between Jahi and I.
The sudden difference of not being able to feel her presence that much to suddenly being overwheld with her emotions and desires, as well as location made hiss in pain, my head aching at the influx of everything from her...
That pain only increased as I felt the incredulousness and joy from the bond as Jahi tugged at it, trying to confirm that I was really back.
Even as the pain made my vision go black for a mont, I grinned as I tugged back, just as ecstatic as she was to feel her once more...
So, despite the wave of agony that threatened to split my skull in two, I was relieved that I could finally feel whole again.
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