— So, it would appear that your son, Rabastan Lestrange, and his friend have conspired to sabotage the entire faculty to the point of ignoring Ormar Drake's students, Bellatrix Black and Sylvia, the heiress of the Greengrass family? Have I misconstrued the situation in any way? — Marvolo appeared outwardly calm, but his inner self was like a coiled snake, and his apparent tranquility was nothing more than a facade. As long as the serpent did not deem it opportune to strike or launch an attack that would yield results, it would remain outwardly benign and utterly disinterested in the proceedings. However, within, Gaunt's heart was ablaze with fury!
— Yes, my lord. I only became aware of this information today. — Lord Travis refrained from mentioning that he had learned of his son's incompetence from his business associate, Lord Parkinson, who had been apprised of the matter by his daughter in Ravenclaw.
And this is all in anticipation of the forthcoming matchmaking negotiations between the daughters of Cygnus Black and the heirs of the Malfoy and Lestrange families. It is certain that the intention to pair Narcissa Black with Lucius Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy family, was known to all parties involved. However, following Bellatrix's appointment as his personal apprentice, her suitability as a prospective bride has become questionable. Nonetheless, there remains the possibility of pairing Andromeda with Rodolphus Lestrange. Preliminary numerological calculations suggest a high probability of producing healthy and robust offspring from this union.
Your foolish friend and his equally foolish companion have taken it upon themselves to disrupt the relations between the Black and Greengrass families, as well as those of my inner circle, due to their children's public expressions of disdain towards Professor Drake's students. To make matters worse, they have also hindered my efforts to approach the esteemed professor.. How should I react to your son causing me difficulties, Lord Malfoy? And Lord Lestrange as well? — Marvolo thought to himself, without waiting for a response from the sweating and anxious Lord Travis, who was the focus of Marvolo's embodied anger towards Jaki.
"Crucio!" he exclaimed.
Abraxas, remove that degenerate from here and ensure he does not perish tonight. I may have overreacted.
And this "may have" lasted for Lord Travis for just under ten minutes, which felt like an endless twenty-four hours to him.
In response to his Lord's request, Malfoy sent a mental message, asking one of his house elves to move Travis to a chair and use magic to prevent him from falling back down as he recovered.
"How can one do anything worthwhile when surrounded by imbeciles?" Marvolo gazed at Malfoy with a dull stare. "Now, tell me, Abraxas, why did your son ally himself with that juvenile scoundrel James Travis and participate in the whole affair, disregarding the heiress who has been leading the neutral faction for three generations and the sister-in-law of his potential future bride?"
Once again, Marvolo, a man known for his long-standing emotional instability, began to get worked up. The second Horcrux had already proven fatal to him.
After you, my lord, began to bestow your favour upon Lord Travis in every way possible, he began to imagine himself as your right-hand man and your heir, as the eldest child of your associates at Hogwarts. He appointed himself the tacit leader of the younger generation among the Slytherins.
Since his father is your most trusted associate, all the children of other supporters of your faction should at least pay attention to him. However, my heir, Lucius, is still only a first-year, so what can he do against the word of the Headmaster of Slytherin and the son of your most trusted supporter?
"You are a slippery one, Abraxas," Marvolo hissed. "Not once in my recollection have you ever demonstrated the willingness to assume responsibility like a true aristocrat. You always seek to evade difficult situations and shift the blame away from yourself. Now you attempt to shift the blame onto me.
All of this has arisen from a misplaced bet; a man who was entrusted with the utmost confidence failed to uphold it, and his son is just like his father. This is the first time, Lord Malfoy, that you have erred in my regard, and I will forgive you this time. But remember well: such games with me will come at a high cost!
At the final words, Marvolo Gaunt struck Lord Malfoy with mental force, and although Abraxas possessed magical defenses, they did not shield him from the onslaught. He fell from his seat with a splitting headache. Words came to him through a haze as he lay on the floor at his master's feet.
Once again, you would allow yourself to attempt to make me responsible for your failures, and I will then destroy you in the process!
Abraxas was writhing in agony, but more profoundly, he felt betrayed by the realization that he had long ago placed his fate in the wrong hands. He had taken pride in his ability to find a gem in the midst of the dross. Yet now, he cursed the day he had first set his sights on the Slytherin first-year, whom he had mistakenly believed to be displaying a façade of nobility and sophistication, only to later patronize and introduce him to nearly all the heirs of Slytherin and Ravenclaw lineages, where Tom could showcase his intellect and charisma, garnering the support of several future leaders of the House of Lords and pillars of English society.
In those days, when Riddle was taking his first tentative steps towards power, Abraxas was filled with pride, for Tom appeared to be living up to his high expectations. The young man was magically robust and rapidly progressing in his magical studies, eagerly learning new skills. Who could have imagined that one day, the very same orphaned boy would have the audacity to humiliate him, leaving him defenceless? Oh, Mark, what a fool I was! Why did Morder allow Tom to do this to me?
Afterwards, he underwent tests for mental influence and blood impurity, and no external interference was detected. Yet, he could not believe that he had been so foolish as to allow a half-blood to brand him with a magical tattoo, which, as it turned out, was indeed a tattoo. He had been enslaved, and it was enough to make him want to scream, but he was forced to maintain his mask at all times, even in front of others, so as not to reveal his true emotions to those around him who would surely exploit such information if they learned of his open contempt for Gont.. He had an heir whom he would train for the rigours of the future and equip Lucius with the instruments necessary to mete out retribution upon his kind's adversaries. And thus he no longer regarded his erstwhile protégé in any other light.
"Rookwood, how about our business in the Department of Mysteries?" Tom redirected his attention from Malfoy to his informant in the most secretive division of the Ministry of Magic.
"I have successfully established contact with a member of the Control and Surveillance Division. I will attempt to recruit them soon. You cannot go wrong here, my lord. If I am discovered as an agent, I must immediately leave the country."
"Do not disappoint me. Also, what about the artefacts we have placed in America? Are they prepared for use?" Abraxas had overall responsibility for the operation, while Rookwood oversaw the technical aspect, specifically the artefacts.
"Yes, my lord, we await only your command," Augustus inclined his head in deference to his superior. He was perhaps the sole remnant of the erstwhile Walpurgis knights who now bore the moniker Death Eater; however, this new appellation was reserved for their inner circle, as it had not yet attained the status of public dread, and Augustus felt no compulsion to avert his gaze when he encountered Marvolo's.
"I personally oversaw the deployment of the artifacts, ensuring that each and every one has been meticulously inspected, leaving no room for error."
A faint, almost imperceptible trace of anticipation played on Tom's lips in the form of a smile, for he was eager to execute a blood sacrifice in his own name and finally claim the title that was so dear to his ego, along with the promise of an unbreakable bond with the darkness.
"By the way, Abraxas," Gonth said, addressing the elder wizard, "what about the Blacks? I'm still waiting for a response from either Orion or Walburga, but they're both silent."
Gonth turned to Malfoy, as if he had just not given the man a mental exorcism, while Abraxas remained more or less composed and ready to resume his role as a loyal servant.
"In response to my inquiry about their well-being and their prolonged absence from the Crabbe social event, I received an invitation to a reception hosted by the Black family this weekend," Malfoy responded, sitting back in his seat, his face betraying no hint of his inner disdain. His mind was still buzzing with pain.
"So that's it. Rookwood, did you receive an invitation from the Blacks as well?" Marvolo asked, his voice laced with a growl. "They didn't think to extend an invitation to me, did they?"
Abraxas and Rookwood reached a mutual understanding: there would be an extraordinary scandal at this soirée, for Gont, who had long viewed himself as the unsanctioned monarch of magical Britain, regarded it as an intolerable affront that he had not been extended an invitation to attend as his «crowned» self.
******
"Greetings, esteemed Kenmei," said the kitsune Mei in a reverential bow, addressing the elderly tanuki Tanuki, who sat before her on a pair of giant cushions as large as a couple of elephants. Tanuki's hair was long and almost completely gray, and one of his eyes was slightly open, gazing at the daughter of his longtime friend.
"Hello, girl. I'm glad to see you remember me and find the time to visit. My children, once they leave home, never come to see me. I bid farewell to the last one three centuries ago," said Tanuki, rising from his reclining position and sitting in the seiza posture. After shaking out his smoking pipe, he refilled it.
"I sense that something momentous has transpired in your life recently, and you have sought my counsel. Am I correct?"
The grey-maned Tanuki, who was well over fifteen hundred years of age, had seen much during his lifetime. Long ago, he had been the very embodiment of mischief, leading his fellow Tanuki in raids on human warehouses and mischief-making. In brief, it had been ages since those days of youthful carelessness.
Now, having earned the title of "Kenmei," which had long since replaced his given name, and with his true identity erased from the memories of most, the aged Tanuki had become the unacknowledged leader of all Fae in China.. It is to this individual that other leaders of communities populated by members of the magical community seek counsel, and one such leader was Mei, who served as the head of the Chinese kitsune ayakashi and was a protégé of the esteemed Kenmei. It was to this place that she was brought as a young girl by the last surviving members of the Kitsune, who assisted her in escaping from Japan and relocating to the continent.
"Yes, honourable Kenmei," she said. "I have found my soul mate. Due to his circumstances, I am no longer able to fulfill my responsibilities as a member of the Celestial Council of Elders."
Upon hearing mention of a partner, the elderly man's eyes grew contemplative. "How so? The old Tanabata has never erred..." he mused under his breath, but then he quickly dismissed his thoughts and turned back to his student.
"What of the Weaver's prediction for you? Have you taken a leap of faith and tested the veracity of her prophecy?" the tanuki, having replaced the fox as the father figure, attempted to reason with Mei in a melancholic tone.
"She foretold that I would find happiness only with Nurarihyon," Mei replied, attempting to suppress a broad and joyous smile, which was not lost on the old man's keen observation.
"Tell me that my senses and my eyes do not deceive me, and that you appear content because you have found your destined mate. Is the elder still alive?" Kenmei inquired, noting that Mei made no attempt to conceal her evident happiness. In a single puff, he consumed all the tobacco that he had just packed into his pipe.
He is the very embodiment of Nurarihyon, possessing all the attributes traditionally associated with him. Although I was but a young girl and my memory of his physical appearance is hazy, the sense of being in his presence remains undeniable. My departure from the council is due to the fact that my chosen one has turned out to be the ruler of the Western realm, and once I enter his Hyakki Yako, it will be impossible for me to uphold the oath I took when I joined the ranks of the Chinese council.
But if he is still alive, why has he not come forward? Even if he suffered severe injuries, he should have recovered fully by now. It is beyond my comprehension! He was not one to forgive, so it is only logical that he would come to Japan to seek retribution against the traitors, the Tanuki mused, his tone tinged with a touch of resentment at what he perceived as his deceased friend's actions.
— And so he was punished, once and for all, altering the ruling dynasty, and from that day forward, Nippon was not ruled by the direct descendants of Amaterasu. All those leading families who had instigated the cleansing of the islands from the Ayakashi were left only on the pages of history.
Yaromir Rurikovich, ruler of the Russian Empire and Japan, whose warriors had annihilated all the most remorseless and meticulous ayakashi-haters, was a vassal to Nurarihyon.
— Tell me, Kenmei, are there many ayakashi that can materialize sake? I once saw something similar when Svyatozar — that's how he refers to himself nowadays, as if in derision — created a sake blessed by Amaterasu's grace! How is this even possible? Only someone deeply connected to the essence of this drink, imbued with its spirit, could accomplish such a feat. Yet, imagining someone of such intelligence gaining access to Amaterasu's storehouse is difficult. But he did, and who else could it have been but Nurarihyon?
— You're not talking about Svyatozar Zmiev, are you? I've heard some fascinating rumors about that sorcerer, but I never considered him and Nurarihyon to be one and the same.
"Him. And teacher, I would like to offer you and all of China, which you now personify, a piece of valuable advice. Under no circumstances should you ever engage in conflict with the Russian Empire or, by extension, Japan. For after all, should there be a dire threat to either of these nations, Svyatozar would come to their rescue with his command."
"And what? Are they so powerful?" Kenmei did not mean to provoke Nurarihyu into a quarrel, but he could not help but pose this question.
— How many are endowed with the fortitude and erudition to match the stature of an Archmage?
The Ruling Council comprises twelve minds, you included, as well as five minds who preside over two clans and three sects. These individuals are all hermits who rarely venture into the realm of society. They choose to devote their time to seclusion, immersing themselves in the pursuit of magical studies, experimentation, and detachment from the tumultuous and transient world.
Tanuki nodded with a sense of complacency at every turn of his words. The Ruling Council represented a formidable force. Now united by mutual vows of support and assistance for the benefit of the Celestial Empire, China had become a mighty entity. In Asia, their influence could be matched only by India, perhaps Russia, and Japan. However, since Indian magicians maintained even greater isolation than their Chinese counterparts, they saw no need for external engagement, rendering any suggestion of a potential conflict between China and India a futile notion.. There was no cause for conflict between them in the mundane world, as they had nothing in common, and their separate enclaves lay at unknown distances from one another in the magical realm. Japan was the only source of concern, having already taken a significant portion of China with its conquest of Manchuria under the auspices of the Russian Empire.
Following a brief interlude during which Tanuki smoked a pipe and Mei poured tea, she resumed her narrative. "You must be aware that the final stronghold of the Kitsune, the were-fox fae, which had secluded itself in its domain at the base of one of the Guilin Mountains on the border with Vietnam, has been recently destroyed," she said. The old man's eyes narrowed as Tanuki grew more content after mentioning the resolution of one of Asia's longstanding problems. The Kitsune then proceeded to share with Kenmei the details of events she had personally witnessed.
It is hardly necessary to draw your attention to this, Honourable Kenmei, but the people of the Celestial Empire are not to be credited for eliminating the threat of carnivorous werewolves. These creatures vanished from both worlds due to the efforts of witches.
You should be aware of a new breed of faeries that now serve the Catholic Church. Above all, it is their suzerain Svyatozar Zmiev that commands them, and his name is Nurarihyon. All of them pledge their allegiance to him in Hyakki Yako. Svyatozar himself led an expedition to China, accompanied by two hundred witches — archmages who had attained mastery in multiple magical disciplines.
"Two hundred?!" The old Tanuki's eyes widened at the mention of the number of witches' archimages, and his pipe hovered before his open mouth where he had just brought it to take another puff. "How...?" The old man's face was a picture of bewilderment, resembling a beached fish opening and closing his mouth in a futile attempt to breathe air. The Tanuki was so astonished and disheartened that he was speechless.
He was one of those few who understood the true significance of the power wielded by archmages, but even he struggled to comprehend the full extent of destruction that could be unleashed by so many witches possessing such immense collective power. With the right training, even a single archmage could be a planetary catastrophe, but two hundred?
Throughout this entire period, I accompanied the expedition led by Svyatozar. During this time, the archmages were not even attempting to conceal anything from me, as I was the sole outsider present. From their conversations, I learned that these two hundred archmages constituted a minuscule fraction of the mage community under Svyatozar's command, with a total number exceeding two thousand.
To secure the right to join the expedition to Kitsune, there were fierce battles among the archmages, involving not only the clarification of relationships within the group but also intricate intrigue involving wives, mothers, and other relatives who wielded influence over the decisions of those aspiring to participate in this "exciting adventure." These words were spoken by a witch who also joined us on this journey. To them, this expedition was merely a leisurely pursuit of a non-threatening creature, followed by a delightful picnic amidst nature's beauty in the company of their friends.
The mention of the two thousand Archmages caused a ripple in the Tanuki's fur.
"I shall be a part of his household this week, yet until vows are exchanged between us, it was my duty, as I see it, to apprise you. You have taken my father's place, and had it not been for your support, I might well have found myself consigned to the harem of some local clan leader, some of whom now serve on China's governing council.
You have imparted to me much of what an honourable ayakashi ought to know. What you have shared with me now is but the least of my debt to you for your kindness and guidance. At the conclusion of her discourse, Mei adopted a dogeza, bowing low, her head nearly touching the floor.
"Thank you, fox-kin. With your admonition, I was the prudent one who provoked the confrontation, and I would certainly never have acted against Nura, yet I am grateful for the information you provided. Knowing that the drunken libertine still lives fills my heart with delight. Rise, please, and allow me to congratulate you on your impending nuptials."
As Mei rose to her feet, a small chest appeared before her, its simplicity belied by its content. Rather, the contents themselves were complex, for with her heightened senses, she could not peer beyond the chest's walls and lid into its depths. They were a perfect shield, concealing what lay within.
"This is a gift from your mother and I," Mei was told. "Open it."
May did so, and a flower of extraordinary beauty and intricate form came into view. The bud and branches that emerged from it gave the flower the appearance of a bull's head. While its optical appearance varied from bright red to brown in some areas, its energetic essence shone with the heavy energy of life and prana, embodying masculinity in its very structure.
To answer the question that has been haunting you: this flower will allow you to bring forth a son, an heir to the one you have chosen. Your mother desired to give her beloved a son and you a sibling, but she was not granted the time. Together with Kumija, we extracted it, and for this purpose, we descended into the Pandemonium — a dark plane where ayakashis are birthed and reborn in the afterlife, in the convergence of the Earthly and Magical realms, once they have attained a certain level of power in their lifetimes. The Pandemonium itself is a satellite realm orbiting around the nexus connecting the Earthly world and the Negative Dimension. Thus, it is rightfully yours and yours alone.
"Thank you! Thank you!" was Tanuki's response, and like she had regressed to her childhood, the fox-like girl clung to his neck, squealing with joy like a child and burying her face in his fur. She was no longer a child, but the scene remained unchanged, and she still clung to him with her legs dangling above his furry chest.
"That's enough, you little rascal," Kenmei said with fatherly affection, gently picking her up by the back and returning her to the stone floor of the cave, where he had established his lair centuries ago and continued to reside.
"I am so, so grateful to you!" May exclaimed, still struggling to contain her emotions. "You have no idea how much it means to me, to finally be able to bring a child into the world for my husband!"
The inability to bear children was a deeply personal issue for ayakashi kitsune, especially for those who had fallen deeply in love and were unable to fulfill their dreams of having a family. It was a painful reality for many of them.
"Heh… of course I understand," the old man replied, his voice filled with a hint of sadness. He quickly shook off his melancholy and returned to the present moment. "I hope you will invite me to your wedding ceremony. You know I don't like leaving my lair, but I must attend your celebration. And I long to see Noura."
"Of course, of course!" May responded with a smile. "Tomorrow, I will be at Svyatozar's house, and he will officially accept me as his third wife." She had already spoken with Svyatozar's elder wife, and they had reached an agreement. Now, it was time to share the news with their beloved.
"Oh, my… How innocent you are," the elderly Tanuki said in a mocking tone after hearing what Mei had just said. "If Svyatozar is Nurarihyu's old friend, then… although if he doesn't show any signs or expressions… well, that's up to him."
After a brief internal dialogue, Kenmei turned his gaze back to his student and said, "You seem like a mature young woman, but sometimes your innocence is truly astounding."
Kenmei had known Nurarihyōn for more than a millennium, and throughout that time, the connoisseur of feminine beauty and fine sake had successfully evaded any entanglement that might burden him or bind him to anything, be it a reasonable arrangement, a place, or even an event. Nurarihyōn valued his independence and freedom from obligations to others. Tanuki was unaware of the exact age of his senior companion, but when in the early 6th century AD, as an inexperienced youth, he had been caught by Nurarihyōn's tail as he attempted to steal what he believed to be a sleeping traveller's provisions from their pack, Nurarihyōn was already one of Japan's most esteemed and revered yōkai, yet he lacked a personal Hyakki Yakō. He was unwilling to assume even such a responsibility. It was simpler for him to remain solitary. Therefore, Kenmei found it difficult to believe that Nurarihyōn, the true Nuru, would be deceived and, without his awareness or consent, be arranged to marry.
Mei spent approximately one hour in the company of her «foster father», during which time she imparted to him the latest news of the world and the latest events. However, it was time for her to bid farewell, and with a final kiss upon Kenmei's furred cheek, the kitsune promised him that as soon as a date had been agreed upon, she would send the tanuki an invitation to the wedding.
"Heh... who would have thought that the old libertine was still alive and had not even deigned to inform his oldest friend!" the tanuki murmured indignantly, as the feeling of the kitsune's presence dissipated and she departed through the portal towards Beijing. Mei had matters of business to attend in the capital, for she had resigned her seat on the council in favor of a deserving individual to be selected by those who remained in power.
Tanuki took another drag on his pipe, still overcome with emotion at the news of Nura's survival, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. When it dispersed, he beheld a young man attired as a true samurai, wearing hakama, a kimono tied with an obi, a haori, and tabi and geta on his feet. The scene was completed by the katana lying nearby and a small table before the uninvited guest, upon which stood several bottles of sake and an empty bowl. A second bowl was held by the presumptuous man who had appeared unbidden and disregarded the menacing glare of Tanuki, whose anger was palpable.
"Calm down, you impudent creature. You are getting too agitated," the stranger said, sensing the aura of yōki emanating from the Tanuki. He continued to provoke and tease the Tanuki with his words. "You dare to snort at me? Have you not recognized me? Has your vision deteriorated so much that you cannot see my kamon?" The stranger's words were tinged with a hint of mockery.
Despite the fact that the appearance of this young man was completely unfamiliar to Kenmei, there was something painfully familiar about his manner of speaking, the way he addressed Kenmei, and the complete lack of any sensation from the guest who appeared to be invisible to Kenmei's perception. As he scrutinized the stranger's kimono, Kenmei noticed the emblem on it, which was familiar to him. It was the emblem of an old friend, or rather, a foster father who had taken a liking to Nura's mischievous and playful ayakashi puppy and had taken him under his wing, teaching him the ways of life.
"Noora?!" he exclaimed, his heart racing with a mixture of joy and disbelief. After being told for over an hour that his dear friend was alive, the sight of him in the flesh was like a splash of ice-cold water in his face.
"And who else would dare address me in such a manner?" he mused. "Is that my preferred brand of tobacco on your lips? How about, 'How can you, a foreigner, smoke this filth brought to us from abroad?'"
"It's truly you, Noora," he said, his voice filled with emotion. And then, in the depths of that vast cave, there was a roar — not from a raccoon but from a wild bear, awoken from its slumber, who had not left its den for more than half a century. Kenmei rose from his seat, picked up Svyatozar, and, mindful of his size, attempted to embrace his father without causing harm.
"You are nothing but a child," Nurarihyun said, half-sitting, half-reclining on the cushion he had vacated only moments before, having already taken up residence in Kenmei's smoking den, where he now proceeded to extract the tobacco that Nurarihyun so revered. "I find greater pleasure in the embrace of young and beautiful maidens than in the company of a stoic, grey-haired oaf who reeks of damp wool and tobacco."
The individual who had the audacity to address the aged Tanuki in such a manner was none other than Svyatozar, who, having obtained the desired quantity of tobacco, summoned his kisera, a traditional Japanese smoking pipe. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this pipe was fashioned from his own tusk, augmented with the bones of Dagon's spawn, one of Tepesh's fangs, and the chitin of deities vanquished during his exploration of the subterranean city. The bowl of this extraordinary pipe was crafted from adamantium, making it an artifact of legendary status..At that moment, he was carried away by an idea, which he had not anticipated when making the decision to create a smoking pipe. He used legendary materials for its manufacture, which prompted him to devise another masterpiece after its creation. He was concerned about protecting it, so that it would not fall into the wrong hands.
In game terms, smoking through this pipe, even ordinary straw, gave a buff +500% enlightenment, regardless of the user's current level, at least five times his consciousness became cleaner, more precise and workable. But you can only use it sometimes. It was like a Trojan horse. It cut into some inter-world information exchange platforms and used its computing power for its needs. At most, I could use it not longer than seven hours; it was with attraction to its computing power of all two and a half thousand of my clones, as well as the egregore of the One, and for this time, I became omniscient and omnipresent, like the very God about whom it is said in the sacred writings, I could hear precisely to each individual believer their pleas addressed to the Creator and with my attention I covered everyone and everyone. The sensations experienced are, undoubtedly, indescribable, yet once immersed in them, it becomes a challenge to regain one's composure and maintain one's identity after the conclusion of the experience.
Having undergone a profound journey through the faith and beliefs of my flock, I was subjected to a vast flow of energy that transcended from the mental plane to encompassing all other dimensions, including vitality and prana. In the East and Asia, as well as in the Islamic world, sacrifices were offered in honor of the Creator, where unprepared and fragile minds could be reshaped by the aspirations of the faithful, aligning their expectations with the essence of divine guidance.
"What? Where? How did you do that?!" Kenmei bellowed in anger, and now he resembled nothing like the sedate and silver-haired sage he had appeared to Mei recently. The Tanuki now looked like an affronted boy who had been teased once again by his father with no malice, certain he would not allow it to happen again. But once more, the ancient Tanuki found himself unable to shield himself from Nura's influence and was at the mercy of her illusion.
As I took a satisfying puff, I reflected on this. It is not a healthy habit, for I need the pipe to feel godlike. I must learn to be a god without props!