"Care to explain why you suddenly grew quiet?' Mr. Valen thought, asking the Whisper Stalker a direct question.

After a brief moment, the Whisper Stalker responded, its voice grim. {I had to. I fear that if I had not gone quiet in time, we would both be dead. Nevertheless, we have company.}

'Yeah, I know,' Mr. Valen thought, looking towards a turn in the fleshy path, where the shadowy footsteps of a being could be seen approaching.

"Ohh and who might you be?" A melodious voice called out, its tone pleasant to one's ears.

Mr. Valen, on the other hand, did not share the sentiment. He was more focused on her form, a feeling of the uncanny valley washing over him.

In front of him was a bluish crystal, like ice yet too steady. Her form was carved exquisitely down to the diner details of her robes, (a flowing dress that clicked softly as it moved, like shattered glass).

The air became palpably cold, so much so that the muscle wall constricted at her mere presence and the veins branching near her bare feet turned blue.

Her features were soft, too perfect to be natural. Despite this, Mr. Valen noted that she bore a striking resemblance to Sophia, though much more mature; there was also a crystal embedded in her chest.

If the grey haired pirate captain was here she would recognize this as the same crystal she had given the newbie.

"You know it's rude to stare, little one," the woman? Thing? Statue? Spoke, her words causing Mr. Valen to narrow his eyes.

«Let's briefly weigh the odds. I'm in an unfamiliar environment. I have no idea where I am or how strong this supernatural entity is. What do I do?»

Without a word Mr. Valen turned back and immediately sprinted away, but the thing was quick to react swinging its arms and sending shards of ice through the air some cutting into him.

It then moved.

It was fast.

"One, two, three, no look at me," the blue eyed woman statue smiled while pursuing him, it's steps slow, deliberate despite her speed, painting the veiny floor in shades of icy blue.

In a moment it was upon him, skating rather than running, then she thrust at his back with her palm, an attack Mr. Valen waved through, his form spinning to deliver a devastating blow to her side.

The air tore with an audible "Whoosh" a testament to the force of his strike, but-

"Bam!" The statue intercepted the blow, her form twisting, unnaturally, as their position changed, with Mr. Valen pinned against a fleshy wall, his breath shallow as he stared into those icy eyes.

Meanwhile, the statue seemed to notice a wound she had inflicted on Mr. Valen's neck, healing like it had never been there.

"Who are you?"

Both figures asked simultaneously, and with that a small smile graced the statues face. "Interesting, a green eyed Wizard who has immense physical strength and can heal... An anomaly, or a mutation perhaps—"

Mr. Valen suddenly moved, twisting free with a burst of strength while he stomped at her core, but the statue waved to the side tapping his waist, allowing it's chill to numb him.

But Mr. Valen just groaned and closed in, throwing a barrage of punches, all of which were redirected with such bizarre grace that it almost seemed like a dance.

The statue pierced forward with it's blade like arms, but Mr. Valen just waved, his arms behind his back as he slid back on the now icy floor.

"Impeccable," the statue muttered, tilting it's head. "Copying my style are we? I wonder—"

Mr. Valen did not respond, he just stood tall, focused, and unflinching, an intent in his gaze.

The statue closed in once more, sliding along the ice before leaping onto the ice-burnt walls themselves and running toward him.

And then she vanished and appeared behind Mr. Valen with a puff of cold smoke, "swoosh," Mr. Valen dodged a palm strike to his head with a sidestep before catching her wrist and turning to her with a balled fist, throwing a punch without hesitation.

"Brutish, but precise," the statue muttered as she palmed his fist down with her free hand, both figures drawing closer as a result.

They both paused, the statue tried to wriggle free, but Mr. Valen's grip on her remained unwavering.

"You'll get burnt," the statue muttered and in truth Mr. Valen was already starting to feel a stinging pain assail him, forcing him to release his hold.

The statue used that opportunity to break free but only for a moment as Mr. Valen caught her again, pulling her into his form and punching at the core in her chest, releasing her in the process.

"Swoosh!" The air tore as he struck her but she dodged with a twirl despite the distance, then proceeded to skate away from range.

Suddenly. "I understand now," Mr. Valen's voice rang out behind her and then she felt a a jerk like her form had tripped on something.

When she looked down she noted that the man had caught her ankle with some kind of rope, she immediately spun and crossed her arm, refusing to leave her crystal open.

But Mr. Valen was not having that, he moved like a phantom, his fist cutting through her arms and into her ice chest with a brutal crunch.

He prevented her from falling, holding her by the waist. The chill caused him to shudder slightly, his eyes narrowed.

Left without a power source, the statue began to melt, and as it did, she spoke. "A shame that I did not send a stronger beacon, I would certainly have enjoyed pushing you to your utmost, but seeing as you have this kind of strength at your level I assume we shall be meeting again."

{How unsettling,} the Whisper Stalker's voice called out in his mind, eliciting a nod from Mr. Valen.

{I have granted you 10 points. You now have a total of 12 points} the Whisper Stalker added, it's voice grim. {I have seen what I wanted to see, so it is time we leave.}

------------

Meanwhile, Sophia paced around her room like a startled cat at the "cho!" of the steam alarm.

She knew that something was wrong, she could hear the panicked steps outside her door, but it was better for her to stay put as she knew the rules of the tower.

"Knock, knock!" Two hard knocks startled her greatly, her eyes widening as she drew in a sharp breath.

'Ohh my,' she thought as she stopped pacing, her breath shallow as she resolved not to make another sound.

"It's Dynatós High Scioness, I've come to check on you," a familiar voice sounded out, though muffed.

At that moment the alarm ceased, causing Sophia to let out a breath in relief at the passing danger.

Quickly she opened the door to behold Dynatós who looked to have been very worried. "Are you ok, Dynatós?" Sophia asked her voice calm.

"Yes, I'm quite fine," Dynatós said with a smile, his eyes widening as he whispered. "Some pirates attacked the tower, so I decided-"

"To check on me," Sophia interjected, a smile touching her lips as she added. "I'm just fine. You may return to your quarters, Dynatós; we'll be leaving tomorrow."

"Forgive my innsolence High Scioness but I thought we'd be leaving today?" Dynatós' asked, scratching his black hair.

"After what happened to today, I don't feel like traveling, I'll relay the news to Calista," Sophia shook her head and asked. "You should learn from Valen, he isn't so jumpy."

"But I did not see Valen when I was awakened by the alarm," Dynatós said, his voice softening towards the end of his speech as he realized he had overspoken.

"Valen was not in his quarters?" Sophia muttered, her eyes narrowed slightly as she thought. 'Were did he go?'

"Well let's go look around for him then," Sophia responded, her voice slightly raised as she attempted to step out of the room, but Dynatós interrupted her.

"High Scioness, your attire," he spoke, his gaze locked on Sophia's daring form, garbed in her childlike nightwear, an odd choice for a noble lady.

Noting this, Sophia narrowed her eyes, causing Dynatós to step back, his head low. "Forgive me, High Scioness-"

"What is the problem?" A new voice cut in from the side, a female voice its tone deadly calm and familiar.

"Miss Calista," Dynatós immediately bowed and stepped back once more, his expression like a child caught doing something wrong. "I-i we were looking for Valen-"

"The slave?" Calista echoed, her head tilted slightly, her expression unreadable behind the blindfold.

Turning to Sophia, she saw her attire and said. "High Scioness, I see your preference for night wear hasn't changed."

"Leave us," Sophia turned ordering Dynatós who scurried away immediately, allowing Sophia to turn back to the Veild Oracle. "I like my nightware, it's comfortable-"

"But you are a woman, High Scioness, a noble or at that you must not be seen like this," Calista argued, shaking her head as she spoke. "Get dressed we will depart soon-"

"I don't feel like traveling today, plus we have to look for Valen," Sophia responded, straightening her form, her hands on her waist and her legs spread apart in an effort to appear more... Commanding.

Calista smirked slightly, her eyes twitching beneath the blindfold, "my lady please mind your posture, you're a noble woman, do not worry I will find Valen for you, stay and you room until we depart tomorrow."

With those words Calista turned away, her steps barely audible in the now quite walkway.

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