If there was something Esperia enjoyed the most, then it were the nights she could spend in comfort and peace. It was for that reason that when she had found the abandoned estate in the aftermath of the robbery that forced her to turn her first progeny among the victims, that she had chosen to stay there both to rest and give the girl some time to recover from her new ordeals.

While she was resting in a different room, Esperia had obviously chosen the best pillows in the household, and was cuddling on top of Valerie who was finally enjoying some well-deserved rest. The times she spend peacefully like this, while a bliss also often made her think a lot. Despite her playful demeanor she was a person who worried a lot about the more complicated matters of the world.

Take for example the public image that vampires had now. Monstrous blood-sucking abominations that either had to be put to the sword, or avoided if not possible. It was a perversion of the glorious past of Nebuchad, no doubt the legacy of the Nine had been forgotten in the wake of the betrayal by their progeny, and as such the twelve were ill-fit to restore it.

It was for that reason she had started to consider the restoration of the household of her mentor Nyx. It was for that reason she had taken on the mantle of house Zachaeus.

And yet even during those peaceful moments it seemed some would deign it their right to interrupt her peaceful moments. A sudden beating of wings stirred her from her rest, a small shroud of shadows emerging from the nearby window as a small bat floated up to the edge of the bed and whispered softly. "Boss lady~ there is someone approaching the estate~"

Esperia let out a soft yawn, lifting her head upwards as she heaved a soft sigh. "So much for an abandoned place to relax at~ Let's see what business this stranger has."

As the vampire made his way along the path, guided only by a dripping parchment that had served as a guide to the rumors he had heard, a pair of red eyes gleamed from above. Hanging upside down a pair of bats were gazing attentively toward the stranger, yet it was all of a sudden the bats started to speak... Fiorian?

"Such horrible weather... You don't let a dog outside, let even a bat during nights like this."

The first one commented, in particular the one on the left while the one on the right mused absently in return. "Then again, for one to have come this far into the woods, the estate was supposed to be abandoned... Maybe it's time we alert the boss?"

All of a sudden a feminine voice resounded through the air. "That won't be necessary" As the sound of small wings beating in the air accompanied the voice the sight of a bat descending toward the stranger became clear, and then a small torrent of shadows wrapped around the bat as her form returned into that of her human self.

"You don't seem like a lost adventurer, there is purpose in your eyes~ curiosity and determination? It seems you were searching for someone, and judging from where you are now, I can only presume it is either me or my wife, and the latter will be enjoying her sleep a bit longer so..."

She smiled briefly, her red eyes cast onto the stranger as she hummed softly. "What brings you so far away from your lands, wayward prince~"

"Red Raina?" Esperia mused softly, a hand reaching for her chin as she pondered for a moment. Could it be rumors got around about how savage she could be when stirred into her Precursor form? It was a possibility but one she didn't dwell on for too long. "There is only so much to be found in titles born from rumors~" Indeed, rumors often carried a large variety of things, from prestige and intimidation to the risk of having your greatest secret weapons exposed, so much was there to be found, and after a moment of consideration she hummed softly. "But please, call me Esperia~ Or if you wish to be formal, Esperia of house Zachaeus~"

The vampire watched with a calm smile as the stranger introduced himself, leading Esperia to be brought to a pause, her eyes betraying a hint of curiousity. "Morningstar? Isn't that-" She shook her head slightly, as if dispelling the thought. "Nevermind~"

When there came the matter of talking somewhere inside, Esperia shrugged her shoulders lightly, a smile emerging on her lips once more. "While I do not dislike the rain, I guess we can talk inside, I'm certain whoever this place belonged to no longer has the means to complain about trespassers~"

And with those words Esperia motioned toward the door of the nearby building. It was fortunately only a short walk till they reached it, and after pulling open the door she guided Khalfani into the spacious hallway.

"I hope you aren't thirsty, I'm afraid the owner of this place didn't share our kindred's cuisine, and as such you'll find it woefully lacking in the typical beverages~ At the very least no Crimson Lillies or Bloody Marries to be found~" She chuckled softly, a smirk on her lips as they reached what seemed to be the former owner's study, if the various bookshelves and collection of comfortable looking sofas were to be a suggestion.

"There is some waifu juice, but I'm afraid that my clingy nature will forbid one from enjoying that type of meal~"

An off-handed joke followed as she took a seat on the sofa, gesturing at the one on the opposite side to serve as Khalfani's seat as Esperia continued. "But what brings you all the way to this place Khalfani? I'm honestly surprised you found me, I didn't tell anyone in Fiore about my journey, and was only planning to stay here for a few days before moving homewards..."

In all honesty, she was genuinely curious about what had led the vampire to seek her out, especially all the way here into the middle of nowhere within Stella. Surely there must had been a reason, or perhaps it was merely a visit of pleasantries? Nah, she doubted there was 'that' amount of coincidence, which meant she better prepared to hear what the wayward prince had to say today.

Esperia couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. "I can see why the other houses want me out of the picture~ There are not many who remember the treachery of the twelve, nor are there many willing to oppose them. It's a tragic state of mind: To turn a blind eye to the slights of others as long as they don't affect you or those dear to you."

Yet when Khalfani explained one of the two reasons he had come to seek her out, Esperia's gaze sharpened into a thoughtful frown. "To reverse vampirism?" She brought a hand to her chin, pondering softly. "It is not impossible, for most vampires to have their state reversed." She paused for a moment, giving him a moment to consider before she continued. "To understand the means to reverse the state of vampirism, it is important to understand the nature of it first. First and foremost: Vampires are of different origins, as you know each vampire is turned rather than born~ In crude terms you can consider vampirism an affliction, similar to an illness which means in most cases it can be cured."

She paused, shaking her head lightly as she continued. "However, there is a slight complexity in the nature of vampirism. While I said most vampires can have their vampirism reversed, there is the lingering fact that it also depends on the individual. There are some vampires who originate from lines close to Cain, the God-King of Nebuchad and the father of all vampires, he is the one who turned the first generation of vampires, the Nine."

She lowered her hand back onto her lap and smiled briefly. "The rest are known history lessons, but the matter I'm trying to explain is that those who are closely tied to that legacy are known as Precursor Vampires, they possess additional powers and gifts tied to their vampirism, but in return their vampirism is no longer a matter of just the body, even the soul has been afflicted. For those individuals it becomes a lot more difficult to be cured of their vampirism. Some might say it even requires a miracle, and I don't peddle in miracles~"

She nodded her head slightly, looking at Khalfani. "So the short of it is that by means of alchemy I can create the needed substances to cure you of your vampirism, but you'll likely suffer some side effects for a while. For example most vampires can't digest food, so your body has to adapt to those newfound functions of your organs~"

She pondered for a bit, a soft hum escaping her lips. "But I'm surprised to hear such a request, most either take pride in their vampirism or consider the idea of a cure outlandish. Of course there are also a fair few who curse their vampirism. In my case curiosity drives me to seek out answers to questions I might have~ I did try the cure myself, but considering I'm a Precursor Vampire it didn't work on me... It did help me refine the flavor so I don't have to worry about a patient puking it up~"

Esperia shook her head lightly in return to the question of whether she would help out the vampire our not. "If I can help someone, I usually make it a habit of at least trying, and the choice about whether to remain a vampire or not is still yours to make."

Still, on the matter of why Esperia had revealed herself in the way she did when it came to vampire society, the vampiress her cheerful demeanor seemed to fade a little. "I guess it is because I instinctively seek to improve life for others. Even before I got turned I had the habit of meddling where I shouldn't meddle, I just can't sit idle when I see wrongdoings happening, and the current nature of vampire society is full of it."

She sighed briefly before continuing. "Despite all their power and influence, the twelve are content to sit idle and ignore the issues, all in favor of focusing on their petty arguments among the fellow houses and their game of politics. But for me that is not an option. I have a family to take care of, and I wish to raise them peacefully which means I need to improve the overall state of the public image the world has of vampires. At least I don't wish to take a walk in a city with my wife and children while having to avoid wooden stakes or overly eager vampire hunters."

She smiled briefly after her jest upon which she spoke. "One might wonder, for all the power at my disposal, why don't I just use force? It is certainly an option, but it doesn't change the fact that such a conflict would provoke the other houses into dragging innocent bystanders into it."

Esperia shifted in her seat slightly, deciding to ask Khalfani a question of her own. "Do you know why some people are so opposed to the notion of conflict? Take for example the leadership of Blue Pegasus, they are more than powerful enough to take action, and yet they don't. It is because at its heart, a war has no winners. Sure a violent approach might succeed in carrying out the change they wish for. Take for example the elimination of dark guilds within Fiore. But then at what cost does this victory come? Property damage, casualties on either sides, and worse it drags the local civilians into the mess as well."

She shook her head lightly as she continued. "That on its own is a reason why I decided not to take a violent approach myself when it comes to either vampire society, or my dissatisfaction with certain factions in Fiore."

Her lips curved up slightly as she continued. "But does this mean we should ignore the issue? Far from it, by my declaration I provoked a reaction from the other houses without the need to maim or kill anyone~ There are other ways to win conflicts than to do so with an iron fist. Even something tasteless like intimidation and fear can make the other houses reconsider their stance when it comes to the issues their society faces, and I hope that by the presence of the household of one of the nine, they will at least try to restore our society to the way it used to be during the glorious days of Nebuchad."

She paused for a bit. "Of course, should one deign it necessary to launch an offense on me, then I won't hesitate to retaliate with the savagery that a Precursor is known to show in battle, for that is merely self-defense. But the point is Khalfani that..."

She sat upright and finished her sentence.

"Wars always bring more suffering than they deliver spoils, so to make that first move, would be to be prepared to take on that responsibility."

Esperia's lips curved up into the hints of a smile as he commented about how surprised he was at the difference between her attitude and the rumors that had appeared about her. "Despite what many might think, being a vampire doesn't mean one has to change from how they used to be. Rather, it are the new possibilities and powers that one gains from it that often corrupts the individuals into becoming the savage fiends one often fears."

Esperia nodded her head firmly as she continued. "With great power, comes an even greater responsibility, it are words held quite close to my heart."

Yet as Khalfani continued to explain that there were always threats waiting to rise and bring terror to all they held dear, that the conflict might had already begun and they were simply used to living among it, enduring the slights it brought with it Esperia remained quiet, listening to every word of the young vampire.

When he commented about reacting in a more violent manner, and that it didn't mean one would always lose more than one would gain, the idea that one had nothing left to lose and that it didn't always ruin lives led Esperia to shake her head. "War should always remain a final option, when all other avenues have been explored and all paths walked upon, in the end there is one thing a war always, inevitably brings."

Hearing the panther's thoughts led Esperia to ponder out loud. "Is there truly something like a war where one can only gain? The cycle of hatred will inevitably target you and your kin, and then the only option left is to ensure there are none for the cycle to continue."

Shifting lightly the vampire commented coldly. "But that isn't a war, it is genocide, and at that point there is not a single cause that can justify such a act.

As Khalfani revealed the second reason for desiring this meeting Esperia went quiet for a bit, her eyes cast onto the vampire. "A noble cause, and one I can support..." Yet as her pause lingered she continued with the hints of sorrow in her voice. "Should you have picked your allies better. The name Morningstar carries a lot of weight with it Khalfani, unfortunately a weight often associated with less pleasant things. I am not a stranger to the man that carries the name, and the slights he and his kin indirectly did toward me and my kin. The perversion of my hometown is still a slight I have not forgotten."

She shook her head lightly as she continued. "I do not mind advising you, but do note that all my wisdom does not necessarily mean that I have the experience to back it up. Certainly I seen and experienced a lot, but I still find myself lacking at times."

She chuckled softly as she sat upright and addressed the man once more. "But note that should your allies lead you astray, and you ignore my advice, I will not hesitate to aid those that seek to stop you. Odin Morningstar is a dangerous man, one with charisma and influence for sure, but he will not hesitate to exploit your ambitions, perverse them and at the end, when all is said and done watch the world burn."

Esperia paused, heaving a sigh as she continued. "You might wonder how I know this, and for that I shall enlighten you to the source of most of my wisdom: I possess a gift, an ability that allows me to tap into the knowledge and wisdom of countless... One could say I have access to the knowledge of the world itself. And that is why I am so wary around Odin. Certainly, one should not judge a book by its cover, but some books should be best left unopened~"