But there was still the matter she had to deal with, a matter she had not forgotten. "Skavi, are the others in the basement?" The question made the Skaven nod his head lightly in return to the statement, clarifying soon afterward. "Yes! Yes! Rats in basement! Led by Crio the Cruel! Crio ate too many seeds, became really violent, warmonger they call him! Killed adventurers and took their belongings!"
Esperia crouched down in front of the Skaven, a hand raised up toward him which made Skavi flinch for a moment when all of a sudden he noticed that she was affectionately petting his head. "Be a good boy and hide in here for a bit longer. Once I'm done I'll come and pick you up, and we'll see if I can't help you fulfill your dream of becoming a Scholar."
Skavi nodded his head a few times after which he stepped back toward the closet, and as he closed the door he whispered softly. "Be careful nice bat lady..."
Esperia rose back onto her feet, a smile on her lips. "The name is Esperia~" And with that said Esperia started to walk out of the storeroom, making her way toward the basement. It didn't take long for her to reach the staircase leading toward the basement, and further within Esperia could already heard the sound of the rats skittering within.
Without any warning Esperia opened the door, gun raised as she unloaded a shot at the nearest rat, which had just turned toward her in an attempt to lunge at her, yet the bullet cleanly pierced its skull.
Dashing toward their leader, the large Skaven clad in a leather cuirass and a iron helmet Esperia raised her gun and unleashed another round, yet this time to her surprise the nearby rats jumped into the space between her and their leader, clearly trying to shield him, despite the bullet detonating in a small explosion that consumed the two of them in a torrent of fire and lightning.
All of a sudden the Skaven took the opportunity to attempt to lunge through the corpses of his fallen brethnen, when Esperia suddenly heard a voice yelling from behind her.
"DON'T HURT NICE BAT LADY!!!"
To Esperia's surprise Skavi dashed in front of her, arms spread with what appeared to be a makeshift buckler in his arms, yet the sheer strength of the mutated rat overwhelmed the smaller one, knocking it backwards toward the door.
"Skavi..."
Esperia muttered, her eyes narrow in a glare of bloodlust. "Take a step backward, close the door and cover your ears till I come out, okay?"
There was something about the sheer pressure the girl's aura radiated that made Skavi nod his head feebly, stepping outside the room and closing the door just in time as Esperia spoke to the rat.
"You... attacked your own kin?" Crio hissed in response to the word. "Coward is no kin! Treacherous rat! Surface lover! Me kill Skavi, after me kills you!"
The Skaven lunged forward at Esperia, who swung her freed arm toward the Skaven's throat, her grip seemingly tightening as her body started to undergo some type of metamorposhis.
"You would kill your brother... for a different opinion?"
The Skaven flailed in her grasp as the black-haired woman from before had changed, instead now a giant bipedal bat-like creature towered over him, lifting him up by the throat.
"Mo-mo---" The skaven tried to speak, but the sheer pressure applied to his throat was crushing his windpipe as Esperia let out a bestial roar.
"I'll NEVER FORGIVE SUCH A CRIME!"
It was at least several minutes till Skavi, who was cowering in fear after hearing the noises inside, yet when the door opened it was not the monster he had imagined, but the black-haired lady who smiled kindly at him, even as her face and cleavage were stained with blood.
"Skavi, thank you for trying to save me~" The Skaven blinked in bewilderment as Esperia walked up to him, a hand gently helping the cowering creature upright as she guided him upstairs, just so that the little one wouldn't have to see the gory spectacle that was left in the basement.
"Let's go and report back to the owner of this store, and then I'll introduce you to him~ I'm sure he will be excited to meet you Skavi."
WC: 746
Total WC: +2000/2000