“Everything is present!”

The cry of a young girl’s voice could be heard echoing from the treasure room. As typical, Layla accounted for nearly everything in this sacred and accursed room; gems, artifacts, jewelry, dolls and anything that the lord sought for and gather in one place. The coins that scattered about and made into mountains were the only thing she hadn’t attempted to count and collect. Nay, it would have been far too much work and she wasn’t the sort to do anything if she didn’t have to.

A pair of his other servants were there as well, hidden beneath robes of ebony and crimson to assist her as she laid not a hand onto these things. But rather she did her job with her bo staff. There were plenty of things here that could do a wondrous range of curses upon them, ranging from illness to death itself to entrapping their souls. There was no telling what would happen to her if she had accidentally let so much as a finger touch one. It was also why she trended carefully while she walked.

While she was grateful to the lord for selecting her for this honor, at the same time she was curious as to the sort of person that could possible try their luck to steal from a deity, let alone to try to steal cursed items from one. Slipping away from the thought of it, Layla turned on her heels and started to leave; the men quickly followed suit before the door was shut but strangely not locked. Whoever would wish thievery was welcomed to do so, but at their own risk.

Besides she would not be too far off as she skipped about to see what else had to be done for Xunatar. “Remember boys, if someone comes for the treasure, alert me”, she said in a sing-a-long tone. “Yes, Lady Layla”, they responded as they remained in the parlor.

The floating islands were an amazing site to withhold but that was not why she was heir. She was hear to see what had been calling her for it was a strong call like the ones another dragons hoard gave. She landed on one of he outer islands a few feet from one of the many portals. She walked to it and stopped for she did not like them or the places they had brought her in the past. She closed her eyes and stepped threw the portal.

On the other side she opened her eyes to see an open door. She fallowed the call threw the door and started down the hall. She was unaffected by the door shutting behind her as she walked. At the first split she stopped and looked down each of the halls tell she knew witch one held the thing calling her. She took the way that led to the right that held the strongest filling from the call. She used this trick for each of the splits teal she ran in to a dead end.

She stopped as the dead end came in to view.

She was confused for the calling was still leading her down this hall yet there was nothing there. She walked to the end and tried to turn but she was a bit two big to do so. She focused and turned to her human form and continued back down the hall. The calling switched directions as she did and she noticed the pictures were different than they were before. She trusted the calling and could care less about the illusions.

Layla continued to skip about in her disguise of a young girl through the citadel until she came across a familiar voice that echoed into her mind. "Lord Xunatar?" Her playing about came to a grinding halt. Unless there was something that was occurring in the moment, usually he would have left her be to her own devices. "What is it, my lord?"

"There is a guest present in the Hallways. Make sure you keep them company until I am able to receive them."

Typically it was out of her profession to entertain those that had the gull to come to the Cradle, but she would oblige to his whim. "Very well. I will meet with them at the parlors." Her head was soon relieved from his mental connection and she ventured back to the main room. Still, he hadn't told her that she couldn't play around with whoever was visiting and it if there was one thing she was good at besides keeping records of the treasure, it was playing around with others. The white haired girl slipped back to where she had left the two hooded guards. Nearby was a lavish couch and she leaped onto it and snuggled against one of its pillows. It wouldn't take long, she believed before their guest would arrive. She was actually quite thrilled with seeing them; it had been awhile since they had received people about here. Their reason for coming wasn't too much of an importance for her, at least for now. 

Vinsue had been walking for a bit before she came to a long corridor. She slowed to a stop as she saw the three sets of double doors. She looked at the seal on the doors and smiled they were known to guard vast treasures. All three door sets were the same she had discovered as she stepped back.

She looked at each door trying to figure out which had the strongest call. All had the same result the call completely stopped. She opened the door in the center and stepped through before shutting it back. She looked around not knowing what to expect and a bit saddened to see no treasures. Seeing someone on the couch she stopped. “Hello?” 

The wait seemed a tad longer than she had realized it to be and soon she could feel her boredom shifting to tiredness. Sleep was threatening to drift over her as her eyes grew heavy. If the visitor was going to take their time getting to this point, then she would rest until then she suppose. But Layla fought against it and considered that they might have been stumped by the three sets of doors towards the end of the cruel corridors. But even if that were the case, there was only some much time that would pass from the failed attempts before they made their way to the parlors. The girl rose up slightly and shrank herself up on the couch. A high yawn came out from her mouth before she heard the doors open and someone came through them. A young pretty woman was among them and immediately both men turned towards her direction and Layla looked onto her with amusement.

"Welcome to the Cradle!", she spoke as she slipped off the couch and headed towards her, skipping a bit before coming to a stop within feet of her. "What is your name and why are you here? Is it to see the master of this grounds? Heaven knows only the more infernal of people came to see Xunatar personally, but the girl didn't seem like she was that sort. Then again, one couldn't tell by looks, especially when she had to remember the type of person the Lord of Lies was. "Or perhaps you are interested in something else?" Her head turned to towards the door leading to the treasure room.

"Are you one that prefers trinkets and such? You may go into that room and look to your heart's content if you'd like. He is rather busy at the moment anyway."

The small girl gestured to the hooded men to step away from the door; there was no need for them to guard it. The items within that chamber would be fine on their own. They obeyed and left the two by themselves "Come now, I insist."

Vinsue stopped as she heard the place was called the Cradle. she thought this place seemed like one she had read about and know knew why. it was the house of the god of demons. She was hoping it would be that of some well decorated dragon or one of lesser ability not some god much less that one. "I'm Vinsue and I did not mean to tread on the master's ground." she looked to see what the lady looked at and almost shook her head. She immediately wanted to leave but she had came to see the treasure. "Shure he will not mind." she asked then looked back at the doors. She slowly started walking towards the door. 

“Oh nonsense. The lord just loves company. Do not fret about that.” She waved off Vinsue’s concerns- all were welcomed to come see Xunatar, though by the end of it, most came to regret it. The child gazed at her with a gleaming look before turning around and headed towards the door. She pushed it up and allowed for her to peek inside the room and see the bountiful array of items and valuables that filled it.

Of course, everything that existed here held nothing but bad fortune for anyone that dare laid their hands onto it. It explained why there were no guards or locks to keep them here. It was all apart of one of the lord’s traps to test the mettle of his visitors. To see whether they can overcome the temptation of so much as to touch them, let alone steal them.

The only reason why Layla was charged with watching over them was merely keep track of them. She couldn’t very well stop those with darker motives; she wasn’t much of a fighter. Her fingers ruffled through her thick locks of white and stood to the side as she kept a keen eye on the woman. “No, he shouldn’t wouldn’t mind”, she spoke softly, though a sinister grin started to form across her face in secret. “This things here are one of a kind, though many had once held some of them. Others weren’t seen for centuries, lost in time and out of the sight of mortals until he had found them.” 

Don't fret about it. was she kidding every story she had heard about this place ended up crazy as far as she knew. Yet she smiled and relaxed a bit more for show than she actually was. Yea she was tall and could hold her own in a fight but that was against mortals who crossed her wrong or wanted truble, not against a god. Seeing the shining light that only gems and gold could make she walked up to the door to see the source.

What harm could seeing the treasure be she thought to herself. if the master of the grounds would not mind then she saw no reason to not see it. She was too intrigued by the treasure to notice the girls grin. she stepped through the door. She looked over the mountains of shiny things as she mouth dropped at the size of the collection. She quickly closed her mouth knowing she was being watched. She looked at how the light turned her white skin a golden color. 

"Wow" was all she could say as she looked around. she liked the looks and it took all she had to not touch but given permission she would. 

He had been patiently watching, despite having told his keeper that he was busy previously. Even his own clergy weren't safe from his lies, but how could one blame them when he woven his deceptions so perfectly around their mortal minds? Instead he chose to watch from afar, invisible to all the players around him as he first studied the woman that came to visit the grounds. She seemed to be a lot more than what her appearance seemed, but he didn't know why he felt himself intrigued. As always, Layla knew how to follow orders well, which was one of the reasons he had chosen her out of a slew of demons to work with him.

As promised, not a single hair was harmed on their guest's head, but he could see that the kitsune wanted to play around with the girl in another matter. He wasn't too keen on letting her close to his treasures, but if she was to try and obtain one, then so be it. 

Xunatar had yet to test his limits when it came to these cursed items. Perhaps he would fare better because of his immortality, but he was clever enough not to tempt fate. Instead, there were better ways of doing so and he was looking squarely at the woman before he materialized into room behind her. A hood cloaked figure of white with black stripes stood there; nothing save for his blue shining could be seen from the recesses of the hood and his bare feet lead him nearer to her. "My dear girl is correct. Much time and effort, patience and care has been taken into growing out this…collection of wonders."

His head turned from one side to another and back as though he was inspecting his riches before drawing those eyes onto Vinsue. "I am the Lord of the Cradle, Xunatar. I certainly hope that you have been enjoying your stay so far. Though I'd be cautious with these things before you…" He wasn't going to tell her why, and secretly he was hoping that she was to let temptation override any sense, any instinct that would be screaming otherwise to just leave well enough alone. 

Vinsue almost jumped at the unexpected voice and quickly turned. She bowed her head and straightened up as she heard him give his introduction. "I can see. It is quite a collection you have gathered. perhaps that was why it called me so." She said looking at Xunatar. Him being one of those called by the tree she would not be surprised if he knew why she was here and what she was like the last one she had met. then again the last god was the keeper of keys and knowledge so it may have been one of his special powers. "I'm Vinsue. and something hear had called me."

She turned and looked at the treasures most of which were amazing but as for the call they were silent. The call was once again strong and she followed it. The Guy did say be careful which meant go ahead just do not break anything, or at least that's how she took it to mean. slowly she walked and looked tell she found what had been calling her. of all the stuff in this collection it was a necklace that had called her. It looked simple like a nobles locket of gold with a strange symbol carved into it.

 She bent down and grabbed hold of it to take a closer look and stood up. "This." she started to say before half throwing half dropping it with a scream and stepping away from it. Something was wrong with her but she did not know what yet. "What in hell was that." she said looking back at Xunatar.