Private - One Person Faction

It was a little unique, a situation Lucia hadn't come across before, someone was interested in meeting her for some reason that baffled her-- ironically it was one of those she betrayed on her latest mission. It was bizarre, Lucia didn't see herself as someone 'unique' enough to warrant meeting, but Lucia was always the welcoming and accommodating type. If others wanted to meet her, she wouldn't say no. It was this meeting that once more brought her to Astorea, for the sake of meeting @Madison Freebird, the newcomer she was largely unfamiliar with. At the very least, it was something that spiced up Lucia's usual activities of trying to evolve her combat prowess further.

Lucia walked towards a clearing, just outside of town, a place that she could meet Madison without the whole town being alerted to a 'possible attack'. The reason was largely because of what followed her. From the trees, a collection of armored knights carrying different things broke through the foliage, forcing their way through with armored hands and fists. They were undead, zombies in particular who had been collected by Lucia, the Tal'darim Knight Order, she had thrown together when she first became a necromancer. They were usually the ones carrying her things from place to place as she wandered. Setting up her large commander's tent with stakes, they hammered the tent down while Lucia brushed a hand through her hair, glancing behind her with a faint smile. "Madison will be here shortly I'm sure, until then, we should make sure nothing's changed in town. Can you send the usual group Mortimer?" She asked with a calm and collected smile.

At her back, from a puff of smoke, the Gentleman wraith himself appeared. Wearing a swallow tail suit coat and a nice shirt and bow, he resembled a renaissance man at least from the waist to his neck. Below the waist, there was nothing, just a ghastly greenish blue ethereal gas wafting from his mid-section, from the neck up, he had no skin, just a ghostly projection of hair and a cloth fabric that reached up from the neck of his suit covering a large portion of his head. His face was covered with a silver mask, one that lacked eye holes or a mouth hole making it something a normal living creature wouldn't wear, but despite that he seemed to have no problem navigating or speaking as he responded. "Of course Matriarch, we'll use the standard channels. Please--" He responded, his voice a little ethereal on the air as if carried on the wind rather then spoken from his body. Setting a nice chair down for Lucia to sit in, she didn't think much as she leaned back to pass her time in peace.

The Wraith stood by her side, with one arm folded behind his back, the other propped up a platter for her that had a pitcher and glass. Pouring a drink as if he'd been bartending for eons, he offered a simple glass of squeezed juice. "After all of the excitement, something refreshing is best." He explained, attentive in his service as she accepted the glass for a sip. A refreshed sigh from her lips as she used a hand to gesture for her menu, prepared to explore the forums and see what was new among the players there while her other supporters investigated the town's happenings. Lucia sat, a faction of one, while it wasn't a force she could mobilize for combat, it was one that could take care of these mundane tasks very simply.

 

Madison stopped pacing around her room at the inn long enough to draw a card from the deck.

"No, no, no," she muttered to herself as she slapped it back on top.

This was the seventh time she didn't get the reading she wanted. The woman was pretty close to just tossing the stupid cards across the room, leaving them in a messy pile, and just walking away. Instead, she glanced at the clock that adorned the wall, saw she would have to leave in five minutes, and shuffled up once more. Maybe this time she'd get the outcome she desired.

Why am I so nervous? This is what I wanted, right? I'm the one who asked for this meeting...

She nearly spilled half the deck onto the floor when she tried an in-hand bridge. Cursing wildly to herself, Madison knelt down and picked up the four or five cards that managed to slip from her grasp. She wiped the specks of dust and dirt that clung to them off on her sleeve and tried again.

To be honest with herself, Madison never expected Lucia to accept her request, let alone read the damn thing in the first place. Not for any good reason, of course; just a standard feeling of low self-worth and her status as "still relatively new and unknown" within Terrasphere. But the woman had, and Madison made her way across Astorea in order to speak with her.

The events that occurred in the caverns underneath the Bandit King's castle still weighed heavily on her mind. What was supposed to be a simple bit of murder turned into something else entirely, opening the witch's eyes to how people truly viewed the world that they shared together--for some, it wasn't just a game; it was a living, breathing world populated with actual people with dreams, feelings, and ambition instead of a bunch of NPCs woven together by scenario script and code.

It confused her, to say the least. Maybe it was because she'd only been around for a month or so, and she spent most of that time picking up random jobs in Brisshal and poking around Stokbon. In that time, Madison hadn't really encountered anything or anyone that made her think that this was anything other than a game.

The why wasn't the only reason she wanted to speak with Lucia. As she was pouring her life and spirit into Zeus in an attempt to save the old man, she handed out some free (if not slightly dramatic) advice to the newer players who were stupid enough to volunteer for the Aristocracy's little game to begin with.

"Learn from the Legendary figures and Deities that exist in this world."

So many questions popped up in her mind as Madison listened to Lucia's speech. About learning, about the real consequences of players' actions, about the true growth one could achieve in the game--

Madison fanned out the deck in her hand and hesitated. She was certain what the cards would tell her. They hadn't shut up about it ever since she arrived in town. Her spidery fingers danced in the air for a moment before she selected a card and looked at it.

"Fuck it," she said with a shrug. "Let's go."

The witch slid the deck back into its embossed tuck case and stashed it in her inventory. After a quick check of her hair and makeup in the mirror, she was out the door.

It didn't take her long to reach the outskirts of town, where Lucia said she'd be. Madison was greeted by a large tent, like one you'd expect to see on a battlefield. Armored knights skittered about, carrying out tasks with slightly stilted motions. Watching for any sudden movements or telltale signs of a trap, she approached the tent. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief when she found herself at the flap of the tent uninterrupted.

Her hand lingered for a moment, gripping the edge of the canvas. In her past "lives", she would have just barged in unannounced. But considering she was still a relatively new weak noodle in the eyes of the players that populated this world, she realized it was in her best interests to be polite.

"Lucia," she called out. "It's Madison. May I come in?"

 

Certainly there was no large traps or schemes or mechanisms taking place, it simply wasn't Lucia's style to backstab or betray in truth. She adhered to a strict code, a morality that she herself would not bend or break. Her eternal goal had always been to shine brightly, first and foremost, beyond that, ensuring that the world remained unique and special, she wouldn't have the world be mundane and normal like her. Instead, she tried to preserve those traditions, those sources of transcendent power. She worked hard to preserve the things that could lead to transcendence; to preserve their inheritances and ensure that they were out there for people to find.

Hearing that Madison had arrived though, Lucia perked her head up, a mellow smile on her face as she gestured towards Madison with a bright and friendly expression. Despite being a necromancer, she had always had a warm and welcoming atmosphere about her. Even in the time of crisis where they were with Zeus she still maintained a gentle and caring disposition. Lucia was not one who sought out trouble at the very least.

"Of course. Welcome, though it's perhaps a little unsightly." Lucia explained. The tent at least from the exterior appeared to be something meant for a commander or a general. Though a closer inspection would reveal it had once been a pair of large bags shaped and sewn, it's shape and structure had been changed into a small home that resembled an apartment in some respects. On one side, a simple low table with cushions for sitting on, a large book case dividing the space in two, a place for sleeping on the other side large enough for four or five people to sleep comfortably. While the contents of the two 'rooms' changed from time to time, Lucia's tent was often built with that pair of spaces in mind, the dividing book case a recurring theme that housed a myriad of books, a large portion of which were either grimoires or charms and tarot cards. The magical weaponry however didn't seem to be her own, rather as if displaying loot or trophies, they were pieces that seemed more like decoration then anything else.

Offering the glass back to Mortimer's platter though, she folded her hands in her lap contently. Her posture was regal and refined as she spoke with a comforting tone. "I suppose you were curious about some of the things that had happened in the tunnels? About my decision maybe? Or what had happened?" She asked with a musing thought. Though she wouldn't imagine Madison's curiosity was piqued by her advice she'd offered in passing. In truth, it was advice she would give to anyone searching for some means of transcending the limitations of a normal character in the game, but despite her best efforts her advice or lectures were never really taken seriously. People either thought that she was going over their head with theories and research that was difficult to piece together or, on the opposite spectrum looked at Terrasphere as a simpler game where everything was scripted and there was nothing left to genuinely explore as the game itself was already mapped out.

 

Madison ran her thin fingers through her jet black hair as the events of that night played back in her mind.

Lucia, standing over a dying Zeus, pouring her life into him to stave off the death of an NPC. Visibly straining, trying her hardest to hold it together, but still finding the energy to lecture the newer players like herself and Portia and Ivan, hoping to instill some veteran wisdom. But it was that very wisdom that had been chewing away at Madison, a knot in her stomach that consumed her even when she logged off and rejoined the real world.

"Losing figures like these is a travesty. We can come back but these powerful people, who have the knowledge and skills to teach us to be transcendent... They don't have that same chance."

The witch took a seat on one of the cushions and scooched closer to the table. Whereas her host was the epitome of poise and class, Madison sat cross-legged and slouched, casually resting her forearms on her thighs, unrefined peasant that she was.

"...I can only hope the next time you're given this type of job, the next time you're faced with this choice, you understand the consequences of your actions."

Madison opened her mouth to speak, but found the words refused to come out. It wasn't like her to be intimidated by anyone, regardless of her status as a relative newbie. She'd thrown enough middle fingers at other players, NPCs, and monsters already. So what was different about this occasion? At a glance, Lucia didn't seem like much. Great hair, nice smile, impeccable taste in clothes, spoke well... Could easily be mistaken for a noble. But she'd seen what the woman was capable of in the dimly-lit cavern, with the misshapen, faceless girl that she summoned to combat the ant queen--and that was probably only a taste of her power.

She recalled Lucia lamenting that, even at her level, she was nowhere near where she wanted to be; and that if the rest of them wanted to get anywhere close to that, they'd have to learn from people like Zeus.

Scripted events. NPCs that can die and respawn based on what the player was doing or needed. In the month or so since she joined, Madison realized that Terrasphere was far different from any other game she played in the past... But was it that much different? Where if they managed to kill Zeus or let him die in the depths underneath the castle, that it would lock out so many players from achieving their true potential or whatever?

The witch's sapphire eyes drifted towards the impressive bookshelf set up inside the tent, at the numerous volumes and other knickknacks that decorated it. There had to be other ways to reach those upper tiers, right?

"To be honest," Madison began, her voice thick with hesitation, "I don't even really care about the betrayal. I signed up for the mission--my first mission, mind--just to see how things like this went on Terrasphere."

Her lips pursed into a thin line across her face. "That's what you do when you dive into a new world, right? You join a clan or guild or whatever, you start at the bottom, you watch, and you learn. Everyone does their job, you get your experience and gold and pats on the back, and you figure shit out in time for the next mission."

Madison shrugged. "I guess I'm still a little confused about why, though. I understand the bits you said about new players needing characters like Zeus around in order to learn the higher-tier stuff, but don't you think the game would have someone just as knowledgeable ready to take his place if he passed away? Someone still capable of passing on his lessons to those who sought them?"

She motioned towards the neatly-arranged rows of books on the shelf behind Lucia. "Or maybe other means of obtaining the same knowledge?"

 

Lucia couldn't help a melodious chuckle at Madison's words, they made sense, particularly for someone who enjoyed games. Lucia herself was familiar with various game mechanics being someone who played often to escape herself. MMOs, RPGs, anything she could get her hands on to feel special and needed. She enjoyed all those types of games, and understood that they all came with a script, characters dying were often meant to die, characters that didn't die were meant to live. Those that did die, often left behind some kind of tome or tool to achieve what they could have taught to ease the after effects... But that was for normal games. Leaning forward, folding her hands as she thought back, certainly even she herself joined the game with those types of expectations, but thinking back, she somewhat grimaced at the naivety of such a type of thinking.

"That is one way to go about it, definitely. But I'll tell you, I've played since the beta release of this game-- As one of the firsts back before there even was a kingdom for players. A lot of players played and acted that way back then, even me. We killed a lot of people, raiding small villages because we needed food to keep our meters up. Slaughtering mobs for coin to buy consumables." Lucia explained, a touch of bitterness and regret coming to her expression as she thought back to those things everyone had done in the earlier days before there were big events, a support base to guide new players and keep them happy and protected. "Back then we all expected that it would be fine. The NPCs would generate new NPCs, that the villages would come back, and other people would be able to continue on their quests in some other way at least, but reality was cruel."

Those quests had ended, others were unable to take them, slowly people began to realize there was no 'script' that their actions merely caused reactions. The script was being adjusted and rewritten from the tiniest act to the largest of movements. Those farms that were raided became graveyards, the villages ruins or homes for monsters to dwell in. Those people they attacked never returned. It was for this reason that things needed to change, the players couldn't run around doing whatever to earn a quick buck just to survive. "Since you brought up Zeus, we can use him as an example; What makes Zeus special, if he died, perhaps you're right, there would be a book out there somewhere for people to learn from. But then what if someone burned that book? Would we learn from someone who read it before it was burned and what if they died?" She offered an explanation letting the gravity of it all sink in. Terrasphere was a game that deeply considered it's immersive world and realistic nature. How many coincidences would it allow before there was no longer any hope?

"Of course, there will be methods of imitating it, ways of faking it, there are plenty of ways to achieve the same thing. High Tier skills are as easy to acquire as the Mastery points you need to invest to receive them... But what I'm speaking of is beyond that. Beyond something that our mastery points can reach and achieve-- Beyond simple illustrious skills and master tier techniques." Lucia offered with a gentle smile, it was much like her own connection to Synra. Why would she bother creating her own faith and drawing her power from the 'idea' of something like Lucifer or Hades who existed only in reality as fiction when there was a genuine deity she could reach out to and call. "There are many sources of power, legendary figures in this world... but how many Zeuses are there? How many Synras or Azoggs? Take that Ant Queen we killed-- There was a world boss once who was an Arachnid Queen, when she died, the Ant Queen took it's place, but even if they both spawned swarms of insects and were giant matriarchal bugs-- How different are spiders and ants? How different would Zeus's skills be to his replacement?" Lucia explained, hoping Madison would begin to understand just how much things would change, just how different one legendary NPC could be to another.

So what if one dies, another can take their place certainly, but if someone who knows slashing learns from a Master Thief, then the results would be different then learning from that dead swordsman. Even then, what if the Swordsman specialized in a special style of combat like drawing techniques while others specialized in Dual wielding or wild savage hacking or quick keenly placed strikes to the vitals. "With death for them being permanent, would you take a chance in killing one and hoping another one will just appear when you need to learn their skills?" Lucia asked with a knowing smile, a bitter smile. Not everyone was lucky like Lucia who acquired the support of a Goddess after all; Others had given up after hitting a wall in their growth without anyone to learn from. After acquiring mastery, with nowhere to go they got bored and left, others who didn't understand how to reach the next step grew spiteful or just 'played' rather then trying to grow further. Those old friends who had joined her at that time in chasing after divinity had given up one by one and taken different paths through the game to try and stay relevant.

That vague loneliness flashed across her eyes before she turned them back on Madison. Her gentle smile slowly returning as she shook her head, wondering if the girl understood what she meant in how immersive the game world was supposed to be. It limited things like second chances, retcons, take backs and 'coincidences' "I'm rambling... But the moral of the story is as I said back then; If you just want to keep stabbing wolves and gaining points to level up, I won't stop you. However, if you want to start stabbing legendary existences just for a few points, I'll have to intervene; Those figures are worth a lot more then the unfortunate amount of points they'll provide you after dying." She offered with a soft gesture of the hand. She knew she was rambling, if allowed, Lucia could sit and lecture someone for days on how to get stronger and how to become a god like existence if people allowed her. Though only one in ten might be able to make heads or tails of her advice, she had a habit of talking non-stop when given the opportunity.

 

Madison kept her trap shut and listened while the veteran spoke, sitting there in polite silence. She soaked in every word, growing more and more curious with each passing sentence.

It made perfect sense to her that even during the beta and first few weeks of the game's release, everyone banded together to kill them all and take their stuff! That's what you do. That's your instinct in a game. That's what you've been trained to do since you picked up your first FPS, or RPG, or action game. Solo, couch multiplayer, online; it didn't matter. Hell, that was the mindset she herself had when first booting up Terrasphere. "Oh, this will be like any other game, just with a big no-no sticker slapped on it by the VRSA."

Turns out, apparently the developers considered this and decided to go towards a more realistic approach to the game, as she was learning today.

Madison recalled following up on a few starter quests she completed, packs of animals that had to be put down and bandit hideouts that needed clearing. Days after completion, she discovered that those quests hadn't respawned for anyone else. She didn't think anything of it at the time, but as Lucia spoke, a sense of permanence settled in. Maybe this game truly was different, after all.

But now, it was her turn to speak. "I've done my fair share of mob slaying since that night under the castle," she admitted. "It got boring, really quick. But I kinda' felt obligated, you know? Watching you and the others do all sorts of cool shit--"

Maddy tried to catch her tongue, but was a bit too late. "Stuff, sorry..." A smear of color filled her cheeks as she apologized. But, why did she? It's not like she censored herself in front of anyone else. There was something about the way her host carried herself, the way she viewed this digital world they all shared, the way she was respectful of this lowly newbie that made Madison think that she should be a bit more polite.

Well, wasn't that was a fucking first.

"Anyway," she pressed on, "I spammed small quests like that to try and level up. I feel like..." Madison paused, searching for the words that wouldn't make her look bad. "I feel like I've hit that beginner's ceiling, you know? That point in every game where you've seen enough and done enough to know whether or not you want to press on."

She shifted on her cushion a bit as her legs began to fall asleep. "I've made a couple friends, tried to get a questing group together and all, but all they seem to be interested in is killing. And, to be completely honest, I've kinda' already been there and done that in the last game I threw myself into." Madison tried not to look at Lucia, not wanting to see any sort of reaction in the woman's face.

"I need something more from this game." The witch left the words "at any cost" unsaid. "I don't have any grand designs or anything. I got into this looking for a bit of stress relief, to be honest. The more I see of this world, though, the more I kind of like it here."

The words sounded foreign to her. Who was this Madison, opening up to a complete stranger like this? A stranger who had fallen a little too deep into what was, is, and always will be just a video game? As if any of this mattered the moment she logged out? No--of course none of it mattered. The only thing that did was her enjoyment of her time here. And to scratch that itch, she would do anything she could, to anyone she could.

...Right?

Madison shook her head and cleared her thoughts. She had asked for this meeting with Lucia for a specific reason, and she'd be here all day if the two women continued with the philosophical banter.

She casually ran her gloved fingers through her hair, putting errant strands of jet black back in place. "So, I guess what I'm saying here is that I'm a little lost. I want to discover more about this world, what makes it tick, discover all these people and things I can learn from. After you had your, uh, epiphany?--how did you go about this?"

 

Hearing the curse word, Lucia wasn't particularly bothered, she had an elegant and noble demeanor that didn't flinch even with something like that. The distinction between Peasant or otherwise was something she was largely oblivious to, she maintained a welcoming exterior, to either vagrants or beggars; if they had the desire, she'd always have the time, there was no question about that. Reaching a hand out to Madison's head, she gave her a soft pat, as if trying to console someone while she chuckled, sweetness in her smile and tone as she spoke. "It's alright, just be yourself, be happy. You shouldn't try to restrain yourself too much or you'll get frustrated or bothered." She tried to offer, worried that Madison was holding back her words or feelings.

The wanting more though was something Lucia could sympathize with and understand. She had been a newbie once herself as well, grinding up against mobs and killing for her strength initially. She'd struggled to scrape together enough coin for an inn to sleep in, and often times took up housing in a convent with Priestesses from the Elysid Court. A sly smile coming to her face, a knowing grin, it was a similar kind of thirst she suspected but there was a flicker of a judgmental gaze. As if Lucia was questioning whether or not Madison was really going to listen to her. After all, how many people had she lectured like this only for them to grow frustrated or annoyed or confused and leaving to try and play the game 'their own way' or quit?

"It all begins with the game's Lore, Investigate and exploring that is the best start. Understanding how the world views it's own creation, it's birth and growth is something you should know if you want to get a better understanding of the Deities and what they can offer." Lucia explained, uncertain what path Madison wanted to pursue, but willing to help lead her through the process of trying to find 'something' no matter what her choice was. "If your goal is magical might-- First you should understand whether or not you want your background to be in Eastern or Western magics; The answer to that choice will drastically change your options." She spoke, continuing on to physical techniques after musing and thinking a bit harder then the previous two. "I've not learned martial combat personally, but from what I know in Sylvanas it depends heavily on your background and style. A trained and disciplined combat style will always be better then an untrained method of just swinging the weapon." Lucia concluded.

Normally this much preaching and lecturing would be enough to infuriate at least half of those people. Others would last a little longer as she explained the next sequence of advancement once she learned a little more about the person in question's style, but it was rare for people to ever hear her speak about it until the end. Sadly very few people invested the time to 'study' as much as Lucia did.

 

Madison couldn't help but to stifle a chuckle. "Yeah, when I started off I chose Martial Arts as an offensive mastery, but that quickly changed after my first run through the Beginner's Cave or whatever. I figured, last game I was in, I threw enough hands that something fresh was in order.

"Besides," she said with a smirk as she produced her deck of crystallized tarot cards. "These things? Cool as hell." The witch spun one on the tip of her finger, the filtered light coming through the canvas walls of the tent catching on the thin layer of crystal pressed into the card back, errant sparks swirling around in the air before she snatched the card and slid it back into the deck.

"Tossing hexes and middle fingers around's a lot more fun than low-blows and cheap shots."

Much to her surprise, Madison felt herself relaxing a bit around the veteran. Here was someone who could have ignored her ping, or could've replied with something like "what I said in the cave was enough, please go away", or could have lured her into a trap. She was used to always being on guard, always expecting the worst from everyone she came across. A million possible ways today could have gone wrong, and she got the best possible outcome.

Not that she was complaining, of course.

"I, uh, don't know what you mean by Western or Eastern magics," the witch admitted. "I've always just been a sort of a 'do the thing, let the system worry about the hows' kind of woman. Guess that's just another thing I'll have to look into." Madison shrugged.

"I do have something in mind, though. As far as a path I'd like to take, that is." She shifted in her seat, her hands knotting up in nervous fidgeting. Madison was never comfortable talking about this sort of thing. Last time she did, her guildmates judged her and ostracized her for being "too weird", despite her hobbies tilting a clan war in their favor.

So far, Lucia hadn't shown any hint of being like the others. All she could hope was that she didn't take things the wrong way.

"I've always had this morbid fascination with the cycle of life and death." Maddy broke her gaze away as she said, "Mostly leaning towards death, anyway. Studying plagues, rot, necromancy--have you ever played Magic: The Gathering? Think the Golgari Swarm, if you have. Not going to lie, I've used my studies for good and evil." Madison threw up a pair of air quotes around those last three words. "Depended on who was paying at the time or what the task was."

An almost imperceptible sigh escaped her thin lips. "It's just sorta been my thing, y'know? Not, like, going around and infecting people just for the sake of it; shit, I'm not a fucking psychopath or anything--" A smattering of color returned to her face and her words began to fail her. Madison was overcome with the overwhelming feeling that she might have said too much, and now Lucia was going to ask her to leave for being a little too honest with her or maybe strike her down right then and there as a preventative measure and ah shit fucking goddammit--

 

Lucia chuckled a little, hearing Madison's impression of the game's excitement factors. She'd thought the first thing as well initially, trying some kind of physical skill to offset her weakness as a mage. It seemed like a good idea in practice, but after giving it a go in a raid, she found it was better to stick to magic, she just didn't have the skill for those types of taxing physical maneuvers. "It is fun, isn't it? I built mine personally." She spoke, unlatching the tome at her hip. The black book even had it's title etched in in black ink, it was stupidly hard to read without the proper lighting, but it was no doubt made to be so. "I've been gutting grimoires and magical tools since I started though, I'm not sure if it makes it stronger-- but it's a fun personal challenge." She mused looking down at the book. The tome itself practically radiated a hungry and famished murderous intent. If Madison tried too hard to focus and read what was written on the front her menu would alert her to let her know a status ailment was bleeding off of the book once it left Lucia's hand. Had it taken effect she'd be able to tell it was the status effect 'Fear', though whether or not she was playing on a setting to actually feel such a thing, Lucia had no way of knowing.

If Madison had been effected by her grimoire though, Lucia would hastily pull it back a little bashful. She had only 500 points of MP in Illusion magic, and was a little oblivious to just how strong it could feel for some people when unprepared for it. Rather then dwelling on it, she tried to hastily explain the importance of eastern and western styles of magic. "In this game of 1s and 0s, the world prides itself on realism, I already explained that before, so I won't go back into detail-- But, that does mean that approaching it as if it is real will make the experience more fluid and less clunky. Imagine being able to cast from memory, with words or a simple flick of the wrist rather then navigating your menu?" She explained with a mellow smile. After all, Lucia was that type, using her own thoughts and actions to cast and pull from that EN bar to cast spells. "Those who are more western style mages would prefer things like classical staves, cards, wands and lean more towards incantations. Those who with eastern foundations would prefer Daoist tools or artifacts, charms or talismans as well and lean more towards casting with gestures." Lucia explained with a soft nod.

As if to demonstrate, Lucia gestured with a hand, fingers twisting forming different signals, signs, seals. Rapidly signing as if she'd practiced these gestures hundreds of times. Only when she finished with a gentle sweep did the sound of bones falling like a heap echo out, a small skeleton wearing a blue robe had landed on the floor, summoned suddenly. Strangely it was wearing an apron over it's robe that said 'Bone-Appetit!' and appeared as if it had been working up until only a few moments before it arrived. One might have thought it was just a normal dead body if it wasn't for the snoring coming from it. Whatever it had been doing until now, it had no doubt blown it off for a nap.

After giving the sleeping Sans a small nod, she glanced back towards Madison with a soft 'tada' gesture, a gentle smile on her face as she introduced the skeleton with that simple summoning spell and playful wave. Though the talk about Magic the Gathering made her chuckle, after all, she'd been told she was similar to a card herself. "I do know the game, I'd been told I'm a lot like Vess... Though I can't really see much of a connection myself." She admitted with a sweet laugh, though she folded her hands in her lap while she continued. "I can understand though, what inspires a lot of my magic is the cycle of life and Death, Samsara, the concept of Rebirth and Reincarnation and the like. Though there are other factors that are a part of my spellcraft at least, that's the part that's helped me understand a lot by itself." She spoke, naturally keeping some cards closer to her chest, but the rest she was fairly open with in truth. More Necromancers made it easier for her to be out and about. If dark magic was accepted by the masses, she wouldn't have to wander so much.

 

The cursemage watched in muted awe as Lucia put her skills on display; first producing a grimoire that exuded power like she had never seen thus far in Terrasphere, and then dropping a robed skeleton that looked awfully familiar into the tent. At that moment, as she tried to tear her eyes away from the sleeping character, she swore she could smell something odd. Ketchup, maybe? Or was it spaghetti?

Shaking the sensation away, she now focused on her host's explanation of the differences between Western and Eastern magic. What intrigued her the most about the philosophy was it being based in real world traditions and tropes. While Madison picked up tarot cards because they just looked and felt cool, Lucia seemed to actually put more thought and effort into her choices. To the witch's lessening surprise, of course.

Maaan, did she have a lot to learn about about... well, everything, really.

As she thought about it more and more, she found herself finding a modicum of appeal in Eastern-style spellcasting. It'd be a hell of a lot easier on her wrists than constantly shuffling cards, that's for certain. Why risk some serious joint pain just to make sure her spells fired off nice and proper? And then there was the occasional bout of randomness that came with drawing an unintended suit or court card...

The crystallized deck she looted from the corpse of the Ant Queen was neat and all, but once she had a bit of gold saved up? Totally getting something else. Like a ring! Yeah, that would be pretty sweet--channeling her energy and hate into a small glowing rock on her finger, using the mana like ink to write a runic spell in the air... Maybe even just hauling off and punching someone in the face, discharging a raw curse into their jaw and watching their skin fly off in sloppy, bloody chunks from the recoil...

Yes, she resolved. This is absolutely happening.

So much for sticking with one theme in this game.

Madison had been too busy daydreaming about her future possibilities to catch the minutiae of Lucia's explanation behind of her own magical capabilities and how she twisted the effects of Black Magic around to suit her philosophical desires. But she could tell that there was more she wasn't letting go of by the slight hesitation in her voice. The cursemage decided not to press the matter.

Instead, she went back to another point in the conversation. "Something's been tugging away at my curiosity for a bit," she said after a slight pause. "You mentioned gods and legends earlier... Who was that we met in the cave? Not Zeus--the woman with the white hair? Synra, was that her name?"

Madison's curiosity burned at a fever pitch. "Zeus said she was the guardian of the underworld, yeah? So she's not, like, a special summon you can do or anything? Synra's an actual goddess in this world?"

She had never been the religious sort. Raised an atheist, she avoided the conversations surrounding gods and religions at all costs. But if they actually existed in Terrasphere, this was something she needed to know about.

 

Lucia chuckled, watching the woman's mind wander in silence. It wasn't an unusual thing for people to space out during her lectures. Her smile a bit dry, but she was used to this type of thing, after all, if someone had the patience to sit down and absorb and really invest in what she was saying, wouldn't she have more competition? This type of thing only reaffirmed her belief that she was on the right path, exploring the lore and uniquness of the game world was the way to transcend, she just needed a chance to do it her own way-- a proper guide hadn't yet presented itself for Lucia.

The portion Lucia hesitated to comment on though was the nature of magical power and the strength a person's inspiration and imagination could have on one's skills. Lucia's own self-image after all was particularly unsightly, her self-hate and loathing was high enough to live her life in reality as a nihilist after all. Having a skill set that was born from 'Envy' and 'Jealousy' was a very ugly and unlikable thing in her own mind; People would also be much more guarded against her if they realized the depths of her avatar's potential came from her own weakness as a human being.

Though the topic of the deities was a nice change of pace. Tilting her head up, Lucia nodded back with a mellow smile. "Synra, and, if we're being accurate here, she'd be the Goddess of Death, Silence and the Underworld. Personally, I like to view her as a Goddess of Love too though." She added with a coy and playful wink. Synra was the Goddess of Death, but she was one who, according to Lore would go against her own role as a Ferryman of souls to bring the deceased back to return them to their loved ones. She was also known for having a love for another God, and without any ability to speak was unable to communicate her feelings.

Synra though, as the Ferryman was the Goddess that made something like Necromancy possible, Necromancers after all were effectively making use of metaphysical gondolas to fulfill a similar role on a limited basis. "Not a special summon that's just for me though-- A real Goddess, one of the rule makers for this game, one of the deciders. Back when I first started the game, it was a bit hard to be a successful dark mage in public after all, so I hid among the clergymen and women for shelter and food since lodging and ingredients are expensive. Praying back then was just something I did to be one of them and sort of earn my keep, but, during a raid the Goddess actually appeared to help me-- much to my own shock admittedly." Lucia laughed melodiously, after all, she was awed by the experience. The softness of the woman's skin, the feeling of her soft chest against her cheeks. Sure she died for it back then, as she did with Zeus, but each experience wasn't bad, particularly for Lucia.

"I can summon her pretty freely, but every time I ask for her help, she takes me with her to the other side for a bit... which is to say I die here to join her. The first time, I was rather frazzled, so I didn't really get to enjoy the experience, I was hoping to maybe sit down to tea with her on the gondola ride to the other side, but my hopes were dashed pretty abruptly." Lucia admitted with a sheepish almost shy smile. She'd wanted to know more about those legendary figures. As someone who had read a lot of chinese novels about common peasants becoming immortals and Blessed children of the heavens she felt it was possible to become a deity herself in this game if she just found the proper path to do so. Having someone who had already achieved success to draw inspiration from would no doubt be a great help.

 

Madison listened intently as Lucia told the story of her past, of her time with the clergy and how she first met her goddess. She soaked in every detail about what it cost her host in order to summon Synra to her aid. The meeting she witnessed underneath the Bandit King's castle started to make more sense--Lucia paying the ultimate price and Zeus handing over half his arm in order to gain the strength to save those who were sent to kill him.

The cycle of life and death. Even though the witch was more fascinated with the latter, even she was aware that there must be a balance between the two. Although, her practices were based more in science than anything. It was why she specialized in rot and fungi, not to mention other darker corners of Nature Magic.

She couldn't help to wonder if there was a nature-based equivalent to Synra. There had to be, right? Just another thing she would have to look into.

Madison hadn't known how much time passed since she plopped down on the cushion and started asking questions, but she felt like she had enough to go on in order to level up not as a player playing a game, but a participant in a living, breathing world. It would still take her time to come around on the idea of Terrasphere being anything but a piece of software meant for her to enjoy, but... There was something about Lucia and the conviction in her voice as she told her story.

She had a lot to think over while she found her path in this new virtual life.

Sliding her shining tarot cards back into their tuck case, Madison offered a nod. "That makes sense. I can only imagine how much it sucks to go through death, even in VR. But there must be balance, I guess. Power for power, life for life, yeah?"

The witch opened her mouth to continue, but felt the words caught on the tip of her tongue. It normally wasn't like her to say these sort of things, but Lucia had been completely different than she expected. Maddy was used to being stabbed in the back, being shit all over by other players, not being trusted, not being liked or treated with a modicum of respect.

The way Lucia treated Maddy meant quite a bit to the woman. More than she'd be able to properly convey.

But that wouldn't stop her from trying. Madison flicked open her palm menu and checked the time. "Hey, Lucia, look. I have to get going, but I want to thank you first."

She looked at her host and offered a rare smile. It was a weird, awkward smile that felt like her face was contorting at impossible angles, but it was a genuine one nonetheless. "Thanks for sacrificing yourself to save our asses at the Bandit King's castle. And thanks for sitting down with me today. You didn't have to meet with a nobody like me, and you certainly didn't have to let me stick around as long as I have." Madison offered a weak wave of her hand. "It means a lot to me."

Madison pushed herself up to her feet, taking a moment to straighten out the wrinkles in her black dress. A pause filled the air between the two women, one that she desperately wanted to break, but felt that she troubled her host enough.

The witch wanted nothing more than someone to work with, someone with a solid head on their shoulders. Someone she could discover the world with, someone to learn from. The thought flashed through her mind that Lucia would be a perfect mentor... but...

No. I should do this on my own.

Madison prepared to leave the tent, but hesitated for a brief moment. "I hope we meet again in the future. That'd be pretty neat."

 

Thinking back to her death, Lucia could only say it wasn't bad. Each time she hadn't really gone to through the typical channels, though she wasn't aware of what it was like for normal players, in her own mind, sitting down with that silent figure and riding on a gondola through the dark was a very sweet experience. She couldn't see what made dying so scary for others, but again, as a nihilist the prospect of dying and self-sacrifice appealed to her. Her self worth was never particularly high.

"It's not such a big deal, I rather enjoy the quiet goddess's company at least. The woman isn't necessarily shy or reserved in a lot of ways, but, how to put it, she seems like someone who could use the company." Lucia admitted with a dry laugh. The poor goddess was one of loneliness after all, Lucia could certainly identify with that. She saw herself as a pea in the pod with the Goddess for a myriad of reasons, she naturally appealed to Lucia as a human being, at least through the stories that were told by the clergymen. Because of that Lucia didn't so much treat her as a deity like figure most of the time but instead more of a supporter or wealthy investor in a lot of ways.

Though Lucia had put a bit of thought into Madison's comment about leaving, perhaps more then Madison put into her effort to say her thanks. Lucia couldn't help a mellow smile and nod when it seemed like Madison was ready to go, or had tired of her presence. Certainly, Lucia thought, she wasn't a very interesting character to listen to, to speak with. Spending time with her was likely painful she thought, viewing herself as someone who was as mundane as plain ice cream that didn't deserve to be called Vanilla, she felt it was natural.

"Nonsense, I'll not have others die before myself, Noblesse Oblige is the obligation we should all undertake after becoming at least this capable." She explained with a noble nod and poise, standing with a soft brush of her hand, she turned her gaze away towards her shelf in thought. Lucia had always been someone with a crippling 'normality' and weakness, her averageness and plain nature had stuck to her like a curse from some otherworldly figure since she was born. It was because of that she felt she possessed a keen eye for specialness and uniqueness in general. She spoke while deep in thought, while Madison was hesitating she spoke up while perusing her tools. "You should discredit yourself though Madison. I've always had an eye for people who were unique, special-- There's a brightness, something that always shines about them and sets them apart from everyone else." She asked flashing Madison an enchanting smile, turning her gaze towards the woman briefly before sorting through what was on the shelves.

"There will be a day when you go on to do great and immaculate things I'm sure. Someone that shines as brightly as you do always has something just waiting to be unearthed and polished until it becomes dazzling. For those bright and colorful individuals, I always have time." She spoke with a faint smile as she made an effort to properly illustrate just how Lucia interpreted the woman in front of her. In Lucia's eyes it wasn't an exaggeration, Madison would certainly have a bright future, just like those other dazzling figures she'd met up until now. They all shined so brightly compared to her who was dull and bland lacking in light or hope. Finally pulling a pair of loose cards from her shelf, she wiped them clean with a thumb before turning towards Madison with a modest smile.

"It was nice talking to you. Really, I'd like to ask you to join me and my little group in our future adventures, not just the undead I move, but my dream of letting the undead develop their own culture will need someone like you. Someone to help create the first 'Undead Plant-life' for them to start creating their own society, for 'Undead campfires' and 'Undead log cabins'." She explained with a bit of a sheepish smile. Her wild and crazy ideals of creating an undead culture with it's own systems beliefs and structures was usually shunned by most people, but she didn't doubt Madison would understand. "So, first, to commemorate our meeting in the first place, a good souvenir would be helpful." She spoke, blowing on one of the cards, he breath came out as an ethereal fog that was a bright pinkish lavender in color. Upon touching the card, it was sucked in like food coloring taking to a cup of water as the card changed it's texture and shape. When she offered it to MAdison, she'd see the crazed visage of the Ant Queen they'd fought together, it's crystal carapace active and it's intense hate and rage was properly depicted in the card.

"And-- If you're interested in helping me realize my little dream, the second one can be my support and guidance as far as Necromancy goes. We all look at Life and Death as something secret, but just like good and evil, life and death can be subjective. Are you alive just because you have a pulse? Are you dead just because your heart doesn't beat? There are plenty of humans who wander around drowning in monotany and boredom worse then zombies as they go through the paces of living just for the sake of 'not dying'. While there are undead who take every step every day to try and better themselves or grow without pause to create change. It is the spell that earned me my role as a Saintess; The Sacred Blight, that supports those who 'live'." She spoke offering the second card as she tightened her grip around it. This one though had a fog that was pitch black, eerie and disturbing to the eyes. It was a desolate empty fog that carried a deep helplessness. It changed the face of the card to a picture of Lucia, sitting in a chair, a faint smile on her face, and priestess clothing on that fit in with the theme of local clergy in Terrasphere.

"The Empress and the Priestess, good cards... I'll leave them with you. If you find any more interesting things you want refined into cards, I'll help you borrow some of their strength." She offered with a mild grin, Lucia wasn't one to ever really show off, but every once in a while she tried to do something that would make others surprised or in awe.

 

Madison gingerly took the two gifts in her gloved hands and looked over them.

Even though secretly she was only a beginner at understanding the potential meanings behind each of the Major and Minor Arcana, the witch immediately understood the significance of Lucia imprinting herself on the High Priestess.

Just looking at it, it was hard not being immediately entranced by the woman's stunning depiction. The warm smile on her face as she sat in the chair in an unfamiliar temple, priestess robes flowing around her, seemingly peering into Madison's soul with this almost ethereal gaze.

Even on its own, it suggested that Madison had a lot to think about after her meeting with the necromancer. She would need to reflect on her original intentions upon taking that first dive and how they would affect the world around her. She was talented, but raw. She would need someone to help guide her, to help mold her, to help bring out the potential she had and give it shape. Someone who could help her make her mark on Terrasphere, and not in her usual self-destructive way that helped her cut bloody swaths across a handful of other, similar VRMMOs.

It couldn't have been that subtle of a hint on Lucia's part, right? An offer to teach her the ways of necromancy and further her understanding of the cycle of life and death from a more philosophical standpoint, and what both concepts truly entail.

Madison's thoughts turned to her own life. The necromancer's words rattled around in her brain. "Are you alive just because you have a pulse?"

No, the cursemage agreed. No I am not.

Wasn't that why she loved diving into virtual worlds all the time? Wake up, have a shitty breakfast, work a shitty job, come home to a shitty apartment, eat a shittier dinner, and then plop on the decidedly not-shitty VR headset and go raise some hell?

In every game, Madison defaulted to villainous roles. There was something about causing untold amounts of havoc and racking up her NPC kill count into the triple or quadruple digits that made her feel like she had control of her life. Maddy knew it was all fake, of course; but even the illusion of control gave her the sort of sense of accomplishment that she lacked in the real world.

And then it would be time to turn the game off, throw on shitty pajamas, climb into her shitty bed, and wish she wouldn't wake up for another round of the same in the morning.

She'd never admit it. Not in a thousand years. But Madison wanted and needed Lucia's help. This curious woman with the kind smiles who surrounded herself with the dead.

Meanwhile, the terrifying visage of the enraged Ant Queen printed on the Empress... Now, that card generally has to do with maternal influence, and is usually associated with the desire to start a family. Madison's imagination went into overdrive as she pictured the sharp crystal spikes that shredded flesh and pierced muscle that night under the Bandit King's fortress. J. Effin' C., wouldn't that be the absolute worst if they were laced with eggs?

Suddenly, every little inch of Madison's skin began to crawl as she pictured little baby poison crystal ants feeding off her, waiting until the day they could burst through her skin. The witch quickly slid both cards into her deck and tried her damnedest to purge the thought from her mind.

"Thanks," she genuinely offered, trying to match the necromancer's warm smile with an awkward one of her own. Certain muscles in her face, lethargic from prolonged disuse, protested as they were twisted in ways that felt like they hadn't been in ages. "I'd love to join you and your group.

She let the canvas flap of the tent fall back down as she let go of it. "Y'know, in my... uh..."

It never occurred to Madison to ask any other players how they referred to their experiences from other games. She learned pretty quick that the game's inhabitants just sorta went all glassy-eyed whenever you b R o K e I m M e R s I o N by insinuating that they weren't real and there was a whole world outside of the game that you actually lived in. But other players? She'd never heard any of them talk about their exploits from other worlds. It always struck her as strange.

"...I don't know if this sort of thing is taboo, but let's just go with past lives, or another time, another place, or whatever," she barreled on with liberal use of air quotes. "You mention 'undead plant-life'... That was kind of my specialty."

Madison's gloved fingers absentmindedly flicked the corner of her tarot deck as she spoke. "I supplemented my necromancy with parasitic plants and cordyceps. There, the undead had a tendency to rot away pretty quickly. I don't know how it works here, but I'm assuming the heavy emphasis on mana helps to keep them upright and walking about as long as you're willing to feed them. We didn't have that luxury there; it was just a one-time sort of thing. You cast your spell, raised 'em up, and they were gone in half an hour." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

The cursemage felt some old memories dredging themselves up. Tried as she might, she was unable to shove them back down and instead she kept on talking. "I did manage to find a way to cheat the system. Raised a corpse with the parasitic plant I mentioned. She--Hyperion, I named her... Yeah, I kinda' suck at names... Anyway, Hype managed to stick around for..." Maddy ran her hand through her hair as she tried to recall how long Hype spent at her side. "...a solid two years, perhaps? Last I knew, she was still walking around after I logged out for good earlier this year. Probably still going strong to this day."

She dismissed her memories with a soft wave. She missed Hype dearly, and secretly felt rotten for not saying goodbye to this summon that took on an independent life of her own.

It was time to change the subject back to more relevant matters. "Point being; yeah, absolutely! I'd be okay with helping you out in this manner."

Madison already felt the gears inside her brain creaking and groaning into motion. As much as she loved chaos, there was nothing quite like a problem and a purpose.

"I mean, you're the expert here; I don't know how long the undead can last with their bodies rotting away because the devs haven't completely ignored the rules of reality when they created--and that's assuming that you stop pouring mana into them or that they're able to rise from natural causes..."

The witch began to pace around the tent, her forefinger resting on her chin as the world blurred around her. "But yeah, either way; dead things rot. Their flesh and bones return to the earth, giving life to the future. To establish a society of undead would be to subvert that cycle somewhat. But that's neither here nor there... What matters most for that is that they're able to sustain themselves without completely draining the mana of those who created them, right?"

Madison spun on her heels, facing the ever-patient Lucia. "My understanding of plant-life here in Terra is minimal, but I'm sure the only things that have changed from other places are the names. I'd have to do a bit of research, but I'm positive I'll find some analogues to my studies in plant-based necromancy. If we could find a way to use Nature Magic to supply the undead with a constant stream of energy without having to keep it going ourselves--"

She paused in her tracks. Suddenly, she felt a bit of color building in her cheeks. Going on and on like that, not letting her host--the real expert here--get a word in edgewise. "Please," she offered with a wave. "Feel free to tell me to shut up."

 

Seeing Madison hesitating about the other games, Lucia was perplexed, at least in her own experience many people weren't too bothered about discussing such a thing. Even a great many of her original friends would never immerse themselves and rather played it like a game doggedly arguing with her every time she tried to explain the importance of realism. With a soft gesture trying to stop Madison's awkwardness with a soft halting gesture. "It's alright. I've played a lot of other games myself. It's always been my fall back for as long as I could make my own decisions at least, so I'm well versed as well." Lucia explained with a mellow expression. She knew gaming well, after all, her life was tragically normal, mundane, average. There was nothing special about her or the world around her, it was a poison she fled from with every ounce of strength.

Lucia didn't hesitate just to listen to Madison talk, nodding along, attentively watching how lively and animated the woman got when talking about her past exploits. Listening to her talk about her familiarity with fungi and other skills she might have had. If Madison happened to glance at her while talking, she'd find the woman with her chin propped up on a delicate hand, watching with an attentive gaze and a sweetness in her smile. Not wanting to disturb Madison who seemed to enjoy reminiscing, she waited patiently for the woman to snap back to the present, shaking her head when she finally realized she'd been rambling.

"No no, it's alright. You've done well to get this far after all." Lucia spoke with a soft nod, though thinking about Madison's guesses about a variety of things, Lucia cracked a warm grin as she began to explain a few details Madison was likely a bit hazier on. "Raising a corpse though isn't particularly difficult, after all, I could make a thrall my first day as a Necromancer within a few minutes of testing things out. The real challenge, comes from what you do after you have an undead?" She proposed with a sweet musing smile, while she let there be a long silence, as if genuinely asking Madison for her plan, it was clear she didn't expect Madison to have thought that far. Instead, she only wanted to let that thought bounce around in the woman's head as she continued. "An Undead will naturally begin to lose itself and decompose after a while after all if it's not fed persistently. They lack the intelligence to make efforts to preserve their own life and will simply let themselves fade away if forgotten." Lucia explained with a nostalgic sigh, but Madison would likely notice something peculiar about Lucia's words.

Lucia's undead didn't fade away, even now the skeleton Sans was summoned but asleep with soft snores. Mortimer stood nearby, arms folded behind his back as the Wraith waited patiently for Lucia to finish her business like a professional Stewart might. There were those in the camp still hustling and bustling to finish various jobs or organize patrols or hunting parties. Lucia wouldn't hesitate to answer that question on her own though as she folded her hands in her lap continuing with a graceful posture. "I went through the effort of tying Necromancy and Summoning Magic together-- Necromancy creates the physical presence in the animated corpse while the Summoning magic supplies the boost to propel them to higher levels such as Death Knights or Liches rather then your generic zombie or skeleton. Summoning Magic also allows Magical Imbuement; in my case, I imbue Dark Magic-- More specifically the Draining property of it, should they ever find themselves running low on energy, they have the tools to consume, devour and sustain themselves. Furthermore, the final piece would be Spirit magic. Which preserves their remains, safeguards their corpse so that it won't draw flies, spread disease wantonly or rot away into nothingness." She explained the complicated process she went through to achieve the type of sentient and self-sufficient undead she had in the present. It was a process she felt few could mimic or imitate, but her roaming knights and her treasured subordinates were the best proof.

"Unfortunately, despite this seeming like a perfect system, I can't consider it so. While they don't depend on me for all of their energy, they require my support to deal with the rigorous consumption that comes with combat scenarios and prolonged time away from me will lead to the other magics bleeding out as time passes. It's not a perfect solution to be able to create a kingdom that can run autonomously without my maintenance just yet." She offered modestly. Lucia had managed to accomplish a great deal on her own, but autonomy was asking for just too much from her. She needed more; a facility, a plan, experimentation and more trial and error then she'd ever tested in the past up until now.

Letting that sink in, just how long and arduous a road Lucia had walked to reach her current point, just how much trial and error it had taken to achieve such a thing with magical skills that otherwise wouldn't have meshed with one another. She wasn't expecting Madison to copy her though, the woman should at least know by now that everyone had their own paths. The skills and abilities of masteries used by someone could become completely different int he hands of someone else after all. "I wanted to create a civilization, a people, but your goal will not be the same as mine. It might be best to ask yourself, just what kind of undead you would have follow you. What will you need of them? What should they provide for you? It's never too late to ask these questions, but your options become more narrow the longer you wait." She explained with a gentle gesture, trying her best to sound like a proper mentor. If it was merely lecturing she could certainly do so, but Lucia's status as 'average' was practically legendary. She didn't expect to be much help at least.

"Nature magic would be a nice way to supply them with a more stable source of energy, and as a nice container for the sacred blight. I'd been considering building a Ziggaurat in my Duchy to facilitate Undead Longevity, adding a system of roots and fungi for pulling in other sources of energy would certainly make things more efficient and effective. Though it would be important to ensure that the power remains firmly within the undead rather then the possible plant life." She mused, with nodding gesture, expression full of consideration. Not writing Madison off for her ability level, instead considering every option and opinion and making an effort to approach it realistically.