"Right," Nora grinned from her kneeling position. "Let me introduce you!"

She looked over her shoulder and snapped her fingers. "Come!" she barked, and Erik could feel she used a connection to some sigil.

He followed Nora’s eyes and found a door that suddenly swung open. From some glimpses of the other side, he guessed it was a small bedroom, but his main attention was quickly drawn by the naked woman crawling through the doorway.

She moved slowly and deliberately... likely related to the gear placed on her head. She was blindfolded, gagged, and deafened. Erik could feel the power of sigils radiating from both the blindfold and a pair of earbuds, likely ensuring her senses all remained useless in the face of her abilities as what he quickly determined to be a second-rank vampire.

He assumed the earbuds either still allowed Nora’s voice through—as he’d used on Emma not too long ago—or she’d simply been ordered to enter when she felt the door opening. Although considering the accuracy with which she moved in their direction, the former seemed more likely.

As Erik’s eyes flew across her body, he couldn’t help but smile appreciatively. She was pretty. Though age was becoming harder to judge, her appearance was that of someone in their early twenties. She possessed a prominent hourglass figure, with full, round, and perky tits that would be a perfect fit for Erik’s large hands.

Her hair was just over shoulder length, and a very dark blond, currently styled in two pig tails starting at the top of her head. She looked to be of medium-height, probably about a head shorter than Erik, but a little taller compared to Naeku.

As he was appreciating her appearance, however, the person next to him was having a very different reaction.

"A-Aster?!" Naeku cried out in shock. After a moment of stunned silence, she now looked at the crawling woman with wide eyes, seemingly struggling with the urge to rush towards her. Yet, Aster didn’t react, as she likely couldn’t hear her.

"Aster...?" Erik muttered, thoughtfully scratching his short beard. "That name sounds familiar... Oh! I remember now..."

It suddenly came to him. Though he’d not met this woman before personally, he’d witnessed Elora’s memories of the time when Edda had gravely wounded him. Aster was the vampire who met them near the gates of Enkare Nkai while they carried his unconscious body. It was her change in hairstyle—and current situation—that didn’t immediately allow him to recognise her.

As Aster crawled closer and Naeku’s shock started wearing off, she could no longer resist the urge to step forward. Yet, Erik clasped a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Naeku," he frowned. "I’ve no doubt Aster is here by her own choice, in which case she might not appreciate it if you suddenly restore her senses."

He glanced at Nora and raised an eyebrow. "Correct?"

"Of course!" she nodded with a sly grin as she glanced at Naeku, unable to hide her slight sense of glee and superiority at having put Naeku’s friend in this position. "In fact, Aster was the one who came to us on the very first day we announced the trials and what they would lead to."

Erik noticed a slight tremble passing through Aster’s body as she crawled closer, proving her ability to hear Nora, but likely neither him nor Naeku.

Naeku didn’t struggle against Erik’s grip, but did look at Nora with shocked disbelief. "T-That’s impossible! She-She has a fiancée! They were going to get married after the war was over!"

Suddenly, she flinched a little. A guilty look appeared on her face. "Which... Which I’m only now remembering... Gods, when was the last time I even spoke to her? I think it was just before entering seclusion...? I-I remember thinking she seemed off, but... I had so many other things on my mind at the time..."

By now, Aster had reached them, stopping just beside Nora and kneeling there with her head bowed and hands in her lap.

"Perhaps it would be best if she explained the situation herself," Nora smiled, then glanced authoritatively at Aster. "You are in the presence of our Wolf-Sire and one of his wives. Do not embarrass yourself, Aster."

Another nervous tremble passed through her body, but she did nod slowly. Naeku flinched again, weirded out by the sight of her friend being so meek and obedient. In her memory, Aster had always been a fighter.

"Good," Nora nodded sternly. "You can remove your gag and earbuds."

As Aster raised her hands to do as ordered, Nora turned to Erik. "I would prefer if she kept her blindfold on, Master. She’s not seen you since starting the trials, and it will make her first view of you after becoming a finger that much more powerful. But of course, the choice is yours, Master."

Erik waved his hand to indicate it was fine and kept his focus on Naeku and Aster.

With a plop, the ball gag parted from Aster’s lips. She then placed it on her lap, and the two earbuds soon followed. She looked straight ahead, probably unsure where everyone was exactly, but clearly nervous. She looked like she was going to say something, but then didn’t.

"Aster...?" Naeku muttered after a moment of silence. Her fingers fondled nervously, finding some comfort in the arm Erik had wrapped around her waist.

A soft sigh passed Aster’s lips, followed by a sad smile as she looked in the direction of Naeku’s voice. "Hey, princess. Fancy meeting you here..."

"D-Don’t give me that!" Naeku cried out in frustration. "Tell me what happened! Why are you here, preparing to... to..."

Aster’s smile became a little more serene as she finished Naeku’s words. "...to give my mind and body over to the Wolf-Sire...? To bathe myself in His will and become his faithful instrument?" Her words were filled with a conviction—or perhaps a need?—that surprised both Erik and Naeku.

"I-I guess?!" Naeku answered helplessly, with some indignation as she spread her arms.

"..." Aster remained silent for a moment, seemingly struggling with something. Then, slowly, she answered with a whisper. "Dawit died in the final battle against the hunters, princess..."

Instantly, Naeku’s eyes widened in shock. "W-What?! B-But last time we met, you said he was busy! W-Why didn’t you tell me?!"

Another moment of silence, then she shrugged sadly. "I guess... I didn’t feel like I could."