It's getting worse.

I wipe the tears from my eyes as I steady my breathing, asking Zana to follow me back out of this hallway of painted pasts. I quietly work through the whiplash of emotions; from joy at the final confirmation of Tomoko's past life, to the sorrow of loss, and now the excitement of a renewed hunt. Once the last painting leaves my sight, I look down to the Mousey Mage; a niggling worry still working at the back of my brain.

"How are you holding up. After what happened, I mean."

She seems somewhat stunned by the question; but speaks calmly. "Well... I was scared. I thought it was really going to happen. I really thought I was about to die. But-"

Her pace slows, but the look on her face shift; from contemplation, to determination. "-I wasn't going let them win. Even if Anaz hadn't stepped in, I know you would have taken them all down, Monster."

My ears twitch, as a guilty pull in my stomach weighs me down. "I told you I wouldn't let anything like that happen. I failed you... I'm sorry."

I feel a pinch at my rear, as the cheeky Elf smiles up at me. "I'll forgive you, but only on one condition. You never did show me if it still the same size."

I'm not sure why, but Zana seems far more confident... maybe she's just comfortable around me?

A heat crosses my cheeks. "Oh... well, I can get behind that."

...

With the two new rooms in my Domain still being worked on, I decided to head another floor downward; the stairs heading deeper below deck being a short walk from the Domain Door. According to Citrinas, the second floor below would have been for a Dining Hall, a Mapping Room, and a Workers Quarters; The Workers having been her Golems, who had long since moved to her main ship.

The first stop was the Dining Hall, as having some fresh inspiration for my Domain seemed like a good idea. I was reworking nearly the entire thing, so I might as well try to find better reference material. Looking around at the old feasting grounds of the Chosen, I was annoyed to find a familiar bunch of blueish-flame lit lanterns; just like the Maiyo's kiss. It brought back a few memories; ones involving Siren Song...

The tables were actually affixed to the flooring, being made of yet more of the odd Pinkish-Orange Veil-Wood; were they dining with Ghosts? Either way, the chairs had something of particular interest. Where as we had been using simple benches and stools, these furnishings were far more comfortable to use. With arm rests, and a strange cushioning on the seat, which felt similar to the outer membrane of a Slime. Noting this, I leave for the Mapping Room.

Just down the hall, the door to the room I sought was already ajar, with Anaz poking around at various maps.

"!ti nmaD" She slams her fists down on the table before her, only to yelp and hold her hands together. "!wO"

"Anaz? What're you looking for?" I ask; receiving a playing card in return.

Stuck into the door frame above my head; like an arrow striking an apple.

Seeing her mistake, Anaz looks away quickly; pretending as if she hadn't just tried to split my skull like a walnut. Receiving no response for my question, I walk over to try and peek at the maps she was messing with. A quick look over her shoulder revealed a map of Southern Lunari; where I recognize the Fae Court of Lunari, and the Dwarven Hold of Hookshank from Cilla's geography lessons.

"Well?" I ask.

Not wanting a repeat question, the Stitched-One gives me a cautious look; unlike her Other, she seems rather untrusting. She waves her hand vaguely to the west of the Fae Courts.

Her face twists into a grimace, as she speaks slowly. "Ask... Ashes..."

Her voice was still distorted; indicating to me that she had spoken backwards... backwards. Nodding, I look over the room for more possible additions to the Domain, then leave. A tingling in my arms starts to creep into being, only to be faded into the background of my cognition as I walk into the Worker's Quarters. The room was entirely unimpressive, seeing as it was almost entirely empty. Besides general scraps of refuse on the floor; stray stones, pieces of wood, or metal scraps, there wasn't much of intrest at all.

The tingling suddenly worsens, pulling my attention down to my two limbs. The Chains vibrate on my arms, shuffling further and further away from my body. Confused, I try to pull at my weapons, only to be smacked square in the face for my efforts. The Chains pull themselves off my arms, piling on the floor, where they remained stationary.

"The Hells?" I mutter, reaching down for my weapons.

Only to see my scales; slogging off as they had when I evolved several nights prior.

"Oh Gods, not again! I just got this cloak!" I shout; checking my teeth with my tongue.

Those, thankfully, seemed to be remaining in place. My arms continued to quickly deteriorate, however; with nails, scales, and skin shedding rapidly. Unlike before, these lost vestiges turned into naught but smoke when impacting the floor. Confused, and quite a bit spooked, I sprint out of the Worker's Quarters. Bumping into Anaz on the way to the stairs, I trip, and land shoulder first onto the floor.

"Oof!" I move to pick myself up, only to find my hands had returned to their old appearance.

At least they aren't melted.