Chapter 727 (2/2)

Much to the delight of Helen’s dark fantasies, they eventually arrived at a crumbling stone monastery. Religion wasn’t popular on Tellus, at least since the Spearman came to prominence, but civilization had existed for thousands of years, so some edifices to the old gods remained.

Azriel looked over her shoulder to speak to Helen, but when she caught the other woman’s gaze, she frowned. “Helen, is something the matter? Your face is a bit…”

Helen froze, unsure of what to say. For better or worse, the choice was taken away from her as Azriel simply sighed and said, “You have spent far too much time with Randidly. Right this way, my Master is within. And please, do not, ah…”

Feeling profoundly confused and oddly insulted by the comparison to Randidly, Helen waved her hand airily. “Bah, I get it, your master is unusual. Which of us is not? Don’t treat me like a child.”

Azriel seemed unconvinced, but Helen walked past her. Within, holes in the roof allowed faint beams of light into the oddly must and destroyed space. What was once undoubtedly an imposing shrine now was a broken room with rotten pews and a pile of black rubble at the center. From the way the light was reflecting off the rubble, whatever had served as the centerpiece of this place had been made of incredibly valuable material. It looked shiny and crystalline, like a more transparent version of obsidian.

But the object was irrevocably broken. Although the base was wide and strong, whatever edifice had stood straight from it was broken and twisted. It hung like a tired old fishing pole, drooping over the once proud construction.

“Master, it’s good to see you,” Azriel said while bowing. “This is Helen, a friend of mine. I figured you would enjoy the company on your first trip to Hastam.”

There was a dull chuckle, and then a gravelly voice that set off warning bells in Helen’s mind. “As always, you are far too thoughtful, child. But it is true that I am very excited for this arrival. For far, far too long I dreamed of arriving, victorious at this place. Now, after so much has changed, even I am surprised how intrigued I am at the prospect. Well met Helen. I am Azriel’s Master.”

The pile of black crystal, the ruined edifice, shifted.

“Uh… yea… well fucking met,” Helen said, her eyes widening as she took in the whole of the movement. The thing… the thing was as big as a cart! And it’s body-

“You didn’t tell her?” The scorpion inquired, with a hint of amusement in its voice.

“Not explicitly,” Azriel said with the smirk. “Everyone has always been so relaxed in response to my warnings about you, I wished to be vindicated by seeing someone gobsmacked.”

“Wherever did you develop this troublemaking streak? Surely not from me?” The scorpion asked, mock aghast.

“Don’t play coy. Most everything I am, I learned from you,” Azriel said.

Helen recognized the familiar and intimate conversation of two long apart individual intellectually. But her body was coping with another truth.

Azriel’s master was a giant obsidian scorpion. The old fishing rod was a stinger the size of her forearm. The crystal insect could crush her body with a swipe of its claw. Although Helen had expected weird, this was a bit…

“It all makes sense why you get along with Randidly,” Helen mumbled. “Everything related to you both is so ridiculous.”

“Ah, I have heard much of this Randidly. Is he not here as well? I have looked forward to meeting him.” The giant crystal scorpion rumbled. Its obsidian claws flashed as they were clicked shut with enough force to sever Helen's spine.