Some games were not easy to play and some brought with that a very high risk, one Lacie used to be willing to take if it brought her in the end what she wanted. Perhaps she had sometimes played this game far too eager and she was now lost in a mind game that she didn't understand anymore and thus didn't actually play. A pawn in a web she had created herself for someone else entirely. It was rather pathetic, but there was a little bit of a bright side as she believed that there were options, giving her the ability to fix what she had done, the mess she might have created and at least get what she wants.

It was only a question of how and when, she needed the help she could get and when it was offered, she had turned it down without getting further information. Again rather pathetic. She hummed a song, not really a text that she knew or had done before, that would be a too dangerous move to do now in Crocus. She didn't want to be seen as a bad person, she never did, but she suddenly realized that she didn't seem like a nice person at all. She was holding on to a letter, it was actually not a letter but a fragment of the diary of her mother that she had stolen from the headquarters of the Rune Knights, back in Era. She had read the page over and over again as it contained the words: I think I was wrong, I think it's Lacie..

Everyone in the end would betray her.

The main streets of Crocus were not entirely friendly places for one such as Odin to traverse. His skeletal form made it difficult for his presence to go unnoticed, and no one seemed to view the Lich as a good guy. The moment he was seen, he was pegged as an enemy, likely one of Grimoire Heart that had attacked the capital within the last few days. None of them thought any further into it, which was irritating because Odin had a great excuse for why he was likely not affiliated with either the guild to which he truly belonged or the knights he had fought against mere days ago. For you see, Odin was not one to hide from who he was, that was obvious by where he was right now: walking through the main streets of the capital city of Fiore, the headquarters for both the royal family and the church, neither of which were too keen on Liches or undead in any form. And yet, if Odin had fought in the war that had just ended, if he had been there and partook in the killing that had occurred, why was it none of them knew? The sheer fact that they weren't sure about his presence in the war confirmed to them that he wasn't an enemy, as he wasn't one to blend in with a crowd. Of course, he had completed his mission without ever being detected, so the argument fell apart there, but it was fun to consider.

As he walked through the streets, however, a familiar face came into his view, one he couldn't tell if it was friend or foe. She was either Lacie Eventide, someone who had pledged their soul to Odin to assassinate someone she wanted dead, or she was Alice Baskerville, the woman Odin was to kill. He knew they were similar in appearance, but he had been told Alice was a member of the Rune Knights, and so was likely to wear armour as she paraded through the streets. That made this more likely to be the former, but Odin couldn't be sure, so for now he'd allow their paths to cross, and see what happened from there.

There weren't many people at the streets where Lacie was and that was a pretty sight for her, if only she would notice at first glance. Strangers weren't important to her, of course they were all a sort of hidden people that could maybe mean something to her, but that depended on if she was in the mood and felt the time and need to get this game, what she called it in her mind, would continue to play or leave it be in a way that was already happening.

She hummed, nothing interesting, just a melody in her mind, no idea if it was a song or verse she had known before as she wasn't paying attention to it. She crumbled the paper in her hand and folded it out again to read it again, it was a stupid play to see and in the end it looked like she was not doing anything but that in the end, she was thinking way too much about other things that weren't visible for the eyes of the people passing. She felt a strange thing, someone looking at her perhaps and she looked up, it wasn't a human, that was obviously very clear and she was actually a bit scared about the being and even though she wanted to bravely ask; can I help you? No words came out of her mouth.

As expected Lacie, for that's who this woman was, did not simply walk past Odin, but very few people would if they saw his empty eyes bearing down upon them. As she looked up, and Odin saw her eyes, he knew it was his ally, not his enemy. He recognised the sadness, the emptiness in those eyes, something he effectively personified now that he had become a shell. His physical, fleshy form had left him, and he was now an emptiness, a being of power but devoid of that which made him human. He knew this was Lacie, and there were few enough people around that he could converse with her easily enough. After all, she didn't know his new face, nor did she know that their contract could easily be cancelled if she so wished it.

"I may no longer be a demon, but your soul is still mine if you wish to see her dead."

Knowing that those words would easily grab her attention, Odin began to walk past her, towards a nearby pub. While it was probably more apt that they go to a cafe to discuss their business, there were much fewer cafes that would allow someone like Odin into them. Pubs, on the other hand, were much more hospitable.

Her mouth was a little agasp, she had never been very aware of the other races, she had figured the woman she had seen in the streets, with bright crimson hair had been a vampire, but that was something you wouldn't notice very quickly when you didn't pay attention, this.. this was very clear. Her eyes turned a bit bigger at the surprise when the person spoke to her, could you call this a person still? "Lucifer?" she whispered, did Malice find him? Well she didn't know her so Lacie looked away shortly to think this and shook her head, "Well I still do." But.. what were the consequenses if she really lost her soul, had she gotten it back in the mean time and believed she still lost it?

It didn't matter, she would not change her original plan. She jumped up from the bench, crumbling the note in her hand and putting it in her pocket. "There is only one question: what if I kill her before you do? What happens with my soul? I mean I don't doubt you have a better rate of success than I, but I can't sit still and do nothing." She felt her slayer magic immediately resonate as she said that, she would first have to get to learn how to control that. She quickly followed as Lucifer walked away from her, she needed the answers anyway. She had checked but there was no one around them that would eavesdrop on the conversation. But they walked away, or well he started and she followed.

As expected, Lacie recognised Odin as the man in possession of her soul. Obviously, she didn't recognise him from his face, or even by his voice, but by his words, and what he said. She answered him promptly, stating that she still very much wanted her sister dead, which was all that Odin really needed to know. Having lost his demonic powers, Odin had also lost the contract that had given him dominion of the girl's soul, but that didn't change much. Despite now having new powers, he was still able to reap the souls of others, now in a much stronger way. He was dead, and could control both life and death. He had the power over souls anew, and could use that power once more on Lacie, with the same deal that she had made with Lucifer. After all, it required one death, that was not a terrible price for power.

Before they left for the pub, however, Odin was given much to think about, as Lacie asked what would happen if Alice was killed by Lacie's hands, or perhaps just by natural causes. What would happen to the soul of the girl if Odin didn't fulfil his end of the bargain, or if someone beat him to it, as Lacie expressed her own interested in wanting to try and kill her sister. Stopping just around the corner from the location he intended to go to, Odin turned to look at the girl, amused at what she had said but noting that she didn seem slightly stronger than before.

"I told you, spend your time gathering information for me. If you wish to try your luck and kill your sister, go ahead. If you die, I lose dominion over your soul. If Alice dies by another's hand, the deal is void and you get your soul back. But ask yourself this, do you think you have the strength to kill her? If you think you can, then you have no need for me and I can go into that pub and get a drink. However, if you can't, then we have a deal to make."

Nothing had changed much since she met this.. man? in Hargeon. She had shifted magic, had become no longer a healer but that didn't mean that anything changed, she didn't have the ability to work with her power, her dragon slayer spells were so foreign to her and the concept of fighting, no matter how much she wanted Alice dead, was still not her thing. It made it surely that Lucifer would have a higher chance but this time she couldn't blindly jump into a deal that might change her life sooner than later. In a good way but it could easy be in a bad way.

Lucifer his words seemed to be so easy, the choices to make were easy but at least she got to hear the answer, "I have been working on that." she said albeit not very convinced but she had been trying to get more information, play Rune Knights and pretend to be her sister and the like. "I don't believe I can do much by myself but that doesn't make me sit down and do nothing." Apart from gathering information that was, she needed to catch up with Michelle and get her to help her with the Dragon Slayer spells that she needed to train and get stronger and everything. Perhaps that is what she actually needed, someone to go for the same goal so she would have to hurry, but that didn't change that she was incapable to do that one thing she had wanted to do for about a year now. Or well amost, when did she meet Alice in Era? Did it even matter.

She followed Lucifer to the pub to seal this deal again, perhaps more official, she had no idea how it worked and it didn't cross her mind that it needed to be done again, especially since it seemed things were changing in case she was able to get her soul back in some circumstances.

Lacie was frustrated, Odin could understand that. Frustrated that she didn't have the power to kill her sister, frustrated that she had to rely on someone like Odin to do it for her, frustrated that she was too weak. It was a feeling Odin knew far too well, he had practically embodied it for a time, constantly failing in his missions: failing to get stronger or do what was asked of him. He had been this way when with Lucifer, and it was the reason why he had given up the demon. Not having power, or not having enough power, it was a terrible feeling, as it made the owner think that they could have no impact on the world, and do nothing with the powers they did have. Of course, if Lacie could kill her sister she would happily do it herself, as it was a personal thing that she truly wanted to make happen. If Odin felt like she had the strength, he'd allow her to go about her business and live her life. But she didn't have the power, she wasn't strong enough to kill her sister, which was why she, reluctantly, had to rely on someone else to do it. Luckily for her, Odin had no such qualms when it came to killing or being weak, his frustration had left him.

"If you wish for me to once more make a pledge to you, and if you are willing to bet your soul on it, then you must say it. I need your complete consent before I do it, that hasn't changed."

Odin began to walk down an alley, just behind the pub where they would not be disturbed, and where he would have enough space to do what he had to do.

As she needed to redo her vow on giving her soul to this .. man? She was os lost in her frustration of weakness and not having any power, so she should actually be working on this, the sooner she got the world for herself and she could think about the world that would be hers, no Alice, no Kon that would bother her. She had no idea what would happen to her sister's boyfriend, she absolutely didn't care but he would probably be sad about it for a while and go on probably. Did her sister ever made an impression on people like that? She grinned shortly at herself but that smile immediately disappeared as she thought about the consequences again. But that would be alright, she would be soon just who she was, she had not missed her soul, she didn't need it.

She followed Lucifer because she didn't want anything to change, she would give her consent again, not that she had any idea how it would go, last time she had just thrown any caution in the wind and for a second she wondered if she had done it wrong, that's probably why the ritual had to be done again. They stood sortly in the alley and she looked around, no one would come here right? "So did I do it wrong last time? How do I do it right?" She said her assumption out loud, of course because of this wrong ritual nothing happened yet to Alice. She should give him the bits of information she had though but that would come a bit later.

The girl, Lacie, gave her consent as the two walked towards the alleyway, but then asked the question of why it hadn't worked last time, which had two possible meanings. Perhaps Odin was lucky and she was asking why it had to be redone simply because she hadn't understood that Odin had newfound powers that required a different activation, but it was unlikely that she meant that. No, Lacie was asking if she had done anything wrong last time, and why it hadn't worked because, despite the pact having been formed correctly the previous time under Lucifer's guidance, Odin had not come into any contact with, thus nor had he killed, the girl Alice. Lacie was effectively asking why Odin had failed in the duty he had sworn for his own soul, one he had to fulfil no matter the cost.

"Pledging your soul is kind of like a normal deal, although you're paying in advance. The reason why your sister is not yet dead is simply because I lost your soul shortly after gaining it, and didn't come into contact with Alice before becoming what you see now. This time, however, I will follow through."

With that said, Odin spread his arms, and the shadows in the alleyway flared with a strange sentience. Tendrils of darkness began rising, each one latching onto Lacie's limbs. She was held against one wall of the alley, a tendril holding her arms and her legs in a cross. Odin began to speak, "Lacie Eventide, do you pledge your soul to me with the promise of your sister's destruction?"

So it had more reasons than just herself? It was him, changing into what he had become now. Well yeah that thing was clear that he was different and if she wasn't trying to be so god damn brave, she would be shaking like a leaf. But she tried her very best to not show that and only nodded at his explanation, she had not been in contact with many creatures that were different than humans, she had met Chelvaric twice, as a neko and as an elf. Which was a long story apparently but she couldn't remember and she wasn't interested. When she met Alice, she was a neko as well. But the last time she saw her, she wasn't a neko.

She tried to not let out a yelp or a cry out of fear as the tendrils of darkness grabbed a hold of her. Even the light Dragon Slayer couldn't change a single thing about that. Her eyes showed every little evidence of being deadly afraid but the words he spoke made sense that it would be Alice that would be destroyed not her, it wasn't a trap, she was going to survive this and with this lacrima fixed, she would be able to live on, "Yes. Yes I pledge my soul to you."

Ah, music to my ears

The single thought went through the Lich's mind as he heard the words of the girl. A dark power not from this world began to envelop them, swirling blackness covering the area around him and Lacie. To anyone looking into the alley, the two had disappeared, now being in a completely different plane of existence. All around them was simply darkness, nothing more. They were in a plane of nothingness, seeing only each other and nothing beyond. The darkness around Odin began to coalesce in both of his hands, forming two shapes, each with different powers, and each with a different purpose. The first became a hook, with a long, almost infinite chain that disappeared into the darkness behind Odin, the metal chain taut and unmoving as the green, curved hook -the same colour as the ethereal energy that swirled around Odin at all times- was held in the mans' hand. In his other hand, the chain reached its final point, and a lantern formed. The lantern was made of bone and glass, but through the glass one could see the green energy once more, this time however in the form of wraiths and spirits. Ghost of those that had wronged Odin in the past, who's souls he had stolen and kept for his own amusement. This was where his power came from, and these were his weapons.

Bringing his right arm back, Odin threw forward the hook, which went straight and true towards the midsection of Lacie, who was still held by the dark tendrils. The hook went through her, not causing any physical damage but hurting her in a way she wouldn't be able to explain, before Odin grabbed onto the chain, and pulled back, causing the hook to fly back through towards Odin's hand once more. On the hook itself, one could see an ethereal hazel spirit, the colour of her eyes, which took on the form of Lacie briefly before becoming a small flame. Odin brought the lantern to meet the hook, at which point the hazel soul of Lacie Eventide turned the green colour of Odin's power, before being sucked in through the lantern. With the ritual completed, both the hook and the lantern dissolved into the darkness, and the darkness surrounding them ceased to be, returning them both to the alleyway where they had previously been.

"It is done."

What happened next was rather scary, and she was sure she was going to have nightmares of this day but she would do everything within her mind capicity to push it away and think about the consequences, she would have no longer an issue with Alice after this, it would only take days, perhaps a couple of weeks or a month but not too long, right? Lucifer was a very capable.. man? But the hook and the glass and bone cage made it a little more scary than it already had been. She was selling her soul and she could see spirits in that glass cage, only believing hers would be added to that, would she notice that every day or not?

She couldn't help but let out a gasp as the hook went through her. She didn't actually feel anything, no pain at the very least, much panic thank you very much. However it started to hurt when the hook was pulled and she couldn't describe it, it literally felt as if something was pulled out of her, a vein, an eye, her heart or in this case; her soul. She stared at the hazel coloured spirit and her mouth simply fell open and she felt more panic washing over her, it was already too late though. She swallowed and closed her mouth, biting on her lower lip as the form of herself turned into a little flame and was turning green and disappearing into the cage, the latern. She felt very empty at that point, the pain already gone, the panic only rising. What had she done? The first time felt sure less painful and she had been less in a state of panic.

She felt her legs shaking but not yet collapsing because she leaned against the wall, "Wonderful." She said with a soft voice as she couldn't find the strength to talk, "I look forward to the news. Now if you will excuse me. I think I need to lay down." Which surely sounded weak, but they already made that conclusion about her anyway and thus she tried to get as much strength to leave the alley and head back to the place where she was staying. Surely hoping she wouldn't bump into a smart Rune Knight.

As expected given the circumstances, once that ritual was complete Lacie was drained of any and all stamina, barely able to stand, let alone speak after what had transpired. Odin couldn't understand what it was that she would feel, as he had never undergone the ritual in the same way. Yes, it was true that his soul was not within his body, and that it had been stored inside another object, but that had been willing. Odin had not had his soul ripped our of his body and placed in a prison, he had removed it himself and placed inside an object, and it was not surrounded by other trapped souls, so he could only imagine the toll it had taken on Lacie. Deciding she had to lay down, the orange haired girl left Odin alone in the alleyway, and before long he ventured into the pub just around the corner from his location, all the while thinking about how interesting it was that he now held such dominion over people. Before, as Lucifer, he had made pacts with people, but that meant little as it was the demon forming the contract, not Odin. In this regard, he was the one in control, he was the one with the soul, and it was his job to complete his mission, only question was where to start.

But, before that, drinks.

-Exit-