The living lands move on and flex in all directions. Ribbons knot and slip apart. Each turn wears a new mask and falls another. The core of who anyone is never changed, but the ways they choose and why flex and crave as fibre along its course. Even the damage of a tree can hold its past scars, although grown over a new bark with time. But carries that scar to its heart, given enough time.
She has been living with her grandpa since the Thanksgiving incident. Just at a glance at the calendar, it will be Christmas soon. Her mom is living in England now, and there is no telling if the family will glue back together like it did. She doesn't even expect a big Christmas, not even a large tree of decorations.
She got mail from and about her brothers progress at his biological fathers way of forced living. She couldn't help but have some her dream clients in trade and damned allies watch his back in a dangerous man's house. Most of the damned that were worried for her brother are victims of his biological father. The word among the shadows goes that wicked man lives life as a bail lift. The dude is a back door among gangs into smugging stuff into prison and sending innocent people into prison instead of those who should be there. If you ask aid of his service, you might as well sold your soul to the demon under that skin. A loan shark that will make you pay your jail bonds thrice over and then some. More in the dip of more crime time than whatever got you in jail in the first place. He is on the radar of undertakers, but no kingdom has figured out how to crumble the empire the man has going.
Also, the Seers have been distracting such things. Her biological father sucks at being a tome keeper. He has the blood but no smarts for the duty. But sadly, he is the current and only core tome keeper.
She shook into being humoured by her silly pets. They have made themselves comfortable around her Grandpa's house. Eating the unwelcomed spy types, mostly the spell craft ones that act as remote cameras and soulless creatures made by pacts. Her five dogs are outside in the large back garden, playing their own game with scraps of such spy. Morpheus in cat form sits amused over looking them from the orange tree. It will seem that Ragnar, who mostly takes a cat form and personality, has decided to also play with the scraps among the five dogs. She stands at the sliding back door, watching them with love. Without her, they wouldn't even be here. That's proof enough that she worked hard enough for other broken names in this shared universal problem. Having broken something in their souls that seems unfixed. She, however, has never given up, and this was good enough for now. It's not perfect, and that made her sigh. She would rather have them helped before herself. But, some things are inevitable.
"So in conclusion to this grey area of authority. Signed into this pact. You are going to bring down the head of this empire that is peddling the demons, drugs, and the leading cause of wrongful convictions in 19 cases. His your grandson's father, so you have a personal motive to be into this." A lot of talking out of a sharp man in a tight office suit. Thin wire pair of glasses that don't actually seem to help him read but are a matter of look to the stern style. The grey modern layering haircut has a fringe that plays into this charm, looking written off the grey print ink pages of some office novella.
"What exactly do we have information wise about the whole thing?" Her grandpa is seated forwards with being focused. He has been struggling most of the meeting just getting over the wavering nature of how time skews between living and visiting. The information gets a little lost in between and hints at the question he made.
"There too many pacts crossing to work out which demon or heel layer the backer is. For that matter, there seems to be a Christian angel order to stop us from prying further into his business. This is a human that is using a demons grant to screw things. But for one reason or another, there isn't any legality to stop him through our system." The specks are flicked up, and a glance is shot at her back. She noticed the concern of her being not a part of this or that she lacked the show to care that she did. It would more likely be the show of dissatisfaction that she is even part of this and shouldn't be a part of the business between the living agents and the undertakers. She isn't innocent, but there isn't any known reason for why she is part of this, according to the undertakers in the living room.
"How is he doing?" Her grandpa added but her way.
"Uncomfortable with the conditions. He hates the man but has no escape from his so-called legal guardian. His not done anything that breaks laws to be under the same punishment as that... guy." She held back speaking curse words. Even cursing behind a back is enough to alert the cautious, "The man is swindling demons, angels, and any sigil path walk he can. It wouldn't surprise me if he had a little blackmail over some higher up angels or a demigod." She knocked the back door gentle, and the dogs returned to their realms. The cats sass their way hidden. A pretend bird stops sharpening its mouth across a branch and stomps itself to hide into a nest, "My brother had to live independently in being watched like a hawk by some true higher demon partner. Corruption slowly under a soft glow." She gives her tea a swirl, makes it steam again as if reheated somehow. She admires to make sure nothing looked unordinary before turning herself to face them. She clearly wasn't valued by the undertakers. Her words are taken as unimportant. She had given these men each a deep study and pity sigh.
"I don't need your pity." The only other lady here, a tight fit in the same version of the tight suit that glasses guy sports. She has plenty of carve the flaunt and bust to pop buttons. She's snappy rude, even her court gestures are royal speak - to insult in a way that can't be translated by peasants.
"Why exactly did you pity us?" It's a long answer that even she can't be bother to waste time on. It's always this kingdom of undertakers who worked her commands as a tome keeper. It's this kingdom that gives a damn about things beyond what there is. But its always them who bare terrible fates. She can't help seeing the creatures on their shoulders and the dreamers that cling to undertakers that don't functionally dream.
"You wouldn't know what hit you until it slaps you across the face. But even then, I know someone who doesn't even do that. It doesn't bow well to your interests." She muttered gentle to herself. She suspected that if they cared, they would have heard her. But no. They just faced her grandpa in expectations. It only made her roll eyes. She summoned out the tomes, having a quick page check. Unlike the tomes of this universe, it has turned soulless and without sentient. Her tomes were fluttering, turning its own pages, and she treated each page in revenance. Once she had satisfied some soul she overhear just now, the tomes floated at her side. It recounted its own pages and closed thuds in making the undertakers make double take towards her. She smiled in a veiled business grin. The book slipped away to her shadow protection.
"You're a tome keeper?" The lass hissed.
"Oh, you poor soul." Her mask huffed, but she didn't move her human lips in speaking. Damned is always misjudged, even if that was human sarcasm.
"You want to follow your ranks allowances. I can only spectate and gaurd your back, grandpa." She finally brought her undertaker voice out and woth the correct hand tones to indicate respect to her elder, "I know the names of all the demons, but each is to twisted into this mess. Each is going to lose something in this game they play. The glass wall is fragile, but it will shatter plenty. How you wish to go about this is down to you." She twisted in being sly, and the seems a tone of pale in the seated silent gentleman beside her grandpa. She posed in snickering but waved in making a refreshment at offer to the poor man.
"Starved as we may, your cake offer only seems to sour the outcome if you meddle." The glasses hissed in sharp downward stare to a cocky girl.
"Lovely." She slightly sharpens the smile with a side tilt. The tension crackles in his eyes, but for her, she is enjoying his effort to be stupid.
"I would suggest to stop antagonising each other. I don't think such an outcome of being against each other is wise." The royal gentleman makes his command, and the glasses stand down.
"I mean no harmful intentions. The cursed folks love playing on your fear and nerves. The more negative you are, the closer such types love to crawl. My advice to put yourself in advantage sounds counterproductive. But a good mood keeps folks like me from playing these nerves. I can't harm you, but to make you suffer brings satisfaction. If you were to even be physically harmed, they would be brought to ashes swiftly." She keeps that smile, but it definitely held a twist that didn't look comfortable. In fact, her human face held a light plain straight expression while her mask smile lengthened thiner, "The society of shadows has strict laws. But those of nobility like myself can twist some words." She had managed a snicker, "If you think I hate you or meant harm, you will have already felt my presence a long time ago. You would have looked into my eyes and shivered. You can't erase the feeling of the malice from a tortured sort like me." She eased, "So take my little act as a neutral position. If I love you dearly, you will never even know of my abilities."
Her grandpa clicked his tongue in frustration, as that was exactly right. She hid her real power from even him. He can't even figure out what depth of scale to abilities she has among the spiritual. That she hides even the smallest of things.
"I have a question." The royal gentleman poses, and she nods that it should be fine, "How would you feel in taking a temporary partner each?" She nods to this, and her grandpa does follow softly too, "Question you should have a list of potential people." The glasses are pled down, fingers dance in pages. Removing it with kneel to the royals side.
"There is a record keeper assistant position for you." It was the lass that slipped this job description to Eliza. Another threw similar partners and jobs placed beside this, fanned like cards.
"I think with everything you have and what I do know so far. You should try this." Her grandpa passed her one of his from a pile they choose for him. He took the best of her pile in exchange. She doesn't formally accept it until after she absorbed the details and fine lines. The pages oth both position folded to paper ring. Once on a finger, it will materialise as a plain silver or steel ring. She has little faith in the job or the partner to it. Her ring stays as paper around her human finger. Demon hunter job, it's the layer of hell that the target human has control of demons over. Once she thought things over, she pulled a feather from her shadow storage which now altered into a crow message carrier. She gives it a nod and and it flew fast and she now puts hands behind her. A soft smile to those that seem horrified that she can summon a death carrier at ease.
The point of this is something higher ranker hunter do to avoid queues or being in public crowds. Eliza does this to avoid her living status being tangled among the sensitive spirit folks. She has allies of the damned who will handle finding some prime hunting requests that suited her for that area.But also, the shadows of the damned have always returned her kindness. She has always secretly helped those deserving and they have given her sound advice about everything. It is how especially she kept her afterlife status as a higher ranking, give she respected highly among even hidden types and those that are stuck between curtains of reality. This small action is a tip off that she isn't some little girl, while the book show could be faked and seeing her play of shadow isn't unique.
"The young are more adpt to fight the front while it's about time for someone like me to take the paperwork." Her grandpa directly voiced to his temporary partner out loud. Having a conversation of his own. It seems he has someone that he can get along with. That makes her smile to see him happy.
"You not at all concerned about yourself?" She heard, and going by the thread of fate. A normally invisible string that connects undertaker partners. Yet for her this red thread is fragile and loose. A harsh tug would threaten to break such a bond. But the basic telepathic link and some emotional linking can be felt, even in the weakest of threads.
'Why fear my oldest friend? The bag of bones has taught me all so much and is highly respect... title of his craft.' She thought even her own thoughts back carefully, "I hope the guild master of the area is a smart cookie. If they know better, I will not have to be so rude." She posed in sort of mocking a chuckle, "But I hope the food crisis I heard about is over."
"Sorry, food crisis? What source told you such a thing?" The lass slamming hand down and has a best impression of a fool among them. Eliza doesn't even give the lass a look, not even a jolt for her slamming the coffee table just then.
"Little Master." One of her crows has returned, it lowered to speak and she lowered to be its equal. Passing a metal blank coin for its information. It offered its many feathers. Its all the typical bounty and that she sees there a reward for just reporting in then to hunt them. This is how a corrupt Lord will stop hinter killing bounties, but paying a price of making it earning easy money to spy over these thugs. All the big fish with bounties have higher tracking fee that its worth to hand a head in. She brought one her candles out and snap her fingers lighting it. By the shadow of this blue flame, hidden information was visible for her. The shadow marks of how many angry damned want these folks. She softly nods to such interesting details. she had even slaps someone hand for going to touch the candle. Recoiled the person in shock.
"Touch my candle and I will make your life a nightmare." She didn't even speak human, nor did her mask need to translate such nightmare language.
"So are you with your grandma's lot?" Her grandpa asking.
"I would rather burn in the sun." She clicked her tongue in adjustment to speaking human and living speaking English, "They are a group of blind and clueless. Best leave them stupid." She lifted a particular paper, "Hey bird, this one. Since was that guy that stupid to get on the wrong side of the system?" The bird peers at the paper.
"No my little lady. That bounty was issued directly by the lord demon." It bowed and she waved over the candle, this changes the density of the air it burns and turned the flame green. She hovers over it with checking. She frowns not impressed, "I have been directly ask by someone if you are still setting stall. One of your regulars wishes you make a stay. Particularly for your undertaker warding candles."
"Those aren't for sale anymore. At least not in that realm. They can't offer anything to sweeten me up. You know how I take to death threats. You also know my ideas around those who harm those I love." She looked mad at the bird and it shuffled uncomfortable at her displeasure. She soften and pets its head, "I am not mad at you. But you understand my stance. I am only in a temporary position for this gig. The sale of my fancy candles takes a while to restore supply to make them. As of this moment, I have nothing but the books ans the few bits I left between its pages." It nods, "Worms will be back on big sale soon. I have a lot of old friends. They need a reminder that I can't stay dead." It perks woth tail wags. She puts out the candle collecting the papers together. They turned as feathers and are softly returned to the crow. She allows the bird a ride at her shoulder.
"That was a lot. A but to much for me to follow in a weak bind we have." The undertaker tied to her looked ready to collapse, "She very fast and hard to read. I can't even handle the bare minimum without feeling sick."
"You undertakers don't even know how you play in her claws." The crow screeched, and follows a loud chattering as if laughing at them.
"They don't dream, thus they will not know the worlds you fly. You mustn't be so rude." She cleans away the drinking cups and the refreshments that weren't touched.
"Are you like a high titled huntress or tied to some sort society?" The royal following in her Grandpa's concern.
"I guess you could see it that I can be. But in politics, not at all. I follow no faith in the way humans should, but this doesn't stop me respecting the gods in the mircales. I have the blood of both Seer and Fallown. Cursed of both sides carries. My sight, hearing and touch is as unique as my soul. I have done well to hide myself. I have preferred to not be hassled." She left it at this, moving to carry away the cups. Hearing them discussing that it clear she isn't anyones side. That she's only in a temporary partner to them. She has even respected courtesy towards royalty and not actively made direct issue. She makes the only Seer who was off radar and has no reasons to be watched. Although this was a mistake, as without supervision has lead to her being this secretive and highly positioned in unknown ways.
"The queen of shadows?" She heard in her return back.
"I am not her but she does send me any interesting stuff that need specialist help." She interrupted them, "I have many a time, according to my books, helped many a death god. The blades they partners of will also vouch such a thing. A past monarch of the Dragonfly kingdom had wrote his personal recommendation to my sigil information." She posed openly with a shurg, "No one hires someone that gone missing with time reverts. I doubt anyone thinks I am even existing anymore. But my reach of things hasn't changed. I haven't forgotten myself." She crossed arms, "I should go give a few of my favourite folks a little poke. A few enemies to make sure that are still suffering. I mustn't forget to give my love to my favourite mythical allies." She tilts in deep thinking over a lot of stuff and eased since it's getting ahead of herself.
"What service do you even provide?" The royal asked in not being impressed.
"I repair souls. I help them find voice and restore any wishes to have a name written. I had repaired so many a soul, most god eaters are the working progress of such things. The poor broken ones. They are who I shelter. I am the one they go to when you don't know the language a soul speaks. I am the light and darkness, a shroud when all is terror. They say I am a twisted soul with lacking humanity. I don't blame them for such assumptions. Repairing souls doesn't entail breaking many a law. Bending them to make a better outcome for the lost." The lass is the first to laugh at Eliza as this does sound like nonsense.
"Does this make you some sort of puppet to the mysterious lady of the abyss?" The royal asked with a snappy command for the lass to stop insulting.
"Well that depends what part of the void of darkness you looking through. Inside this space, that's someone else's responsibility. I am the one outside this space, I am on holiday. So you can't really use my nickname to summon me. You want to try to look into the abyss of the unknown outside of time and space. I will stand beside you, asking what you think you find in the void thay has not even nothing." She tilts and just then removed her damned mask, which looked like she pulled her skin of her face off. She reshaped her mask at her hands while there is silence.
"I didn't know that there was different types of darkness." The royal sounded doubted of her explaining. She bite back herself in almost growling at the idiots. She can't fault them for seeing her as some little human girl.
"How dare you!" She has a fast flex at capturing Loki from attacking anyone. She pets the crazed thing to contain itself again, she slips stare of how pissed the crow on her shoulder is too.
"We can't condemn those who don't know the laws, little souls. We must leave them to their ignorance. We mustn't break the laws that keep this universe boundaries. No matter how hard you may hold my love and respect, they do not know how it feels to loose what you have. They are not aware so much. Not even the very boundaries of the sight. We can not curse them to see what we do. Nor take responsibility for thier inappropriate behaviour." She puts loki down, "Now you will go clean up the corpses you left back in hell this instant!" She snapped at the mock bird, "You will apologise and help carry those corpses with the hell corpse collector." She glares and there isn't a second wasted in the swift exit from the mock bird, "I don't need another cog ranker sending me mail about some idiot mess." She huffed.
"I take it that you command over the god eaters." The royal changed his posture for sure in this, likely that being nearly asked by such talons would do that to anyone sensible.
"A drop of a vast ocean." She waved it off, "My pets aren't so common as god eaters. They aren't in recorded guild records nor are they existence of this universe. They are here because I allowed them. Nothing so far impossible to understand. My relationship doesn't have a dictionary term. You lot say they are my pets. Some had claimed I am the mother of them. You don't want to know the rest."
They aren't sitting comfortably anymore. None one was stupid enough to not pay mind of how clawing the air this room has became. there is some who can not withstand her presence, now that she was mad enough to not hide it so much. Her grandpa being human can only sense the cold darkness that cling close to her. He doesn't feel the vast judgement and power weighing in her proximity. The topic of trying to dig information about her and whatever she has going on fell apart. Those with stuff to do take leave and those that needed to stay, take refugee in a private room off from the living room.
"I had to stand on my own strengths to be where I am. The societies I am connected to seek my aide, but I don't actually belong or be properly accepted for them. I am human, no matter what shape I take in travelling." She tells her grandpa once they were semi alone enough. He accepted this answer. It's clear she wasn't for the fallown cult or the Seer tome house. Just as he wasn't for either side. He even commends her in his own way of pride to see her being strong. She may carry cold darkness but she wears this like armour against those that don't understand her. These undertakers would do more harm then good if she trusted them full blindly.