It was cold outside when I'd heard her first calls to me. Despite my entombment I could still feel cold, still knew what it meant to ache and to want. That's why instantly I knew how much she yearned for what I could offer her in that first plea. Oh the sweet desperation in her voice.

When I felt her call out to me the scent of mortal hope was both instant and thick in the air. She was frail, weak, maybe moments from death, yet still delivered a delicious feeling of want only mortals could offer. It had been years since I'd tasted such a thing.

"Are- are you here? The woman in town said you'd be here..." her voice came through shaky and uncertain, echoing off of the tomb walls.

"Why yes, yes I am dear." I continued. "What is it I can do for you?"

Before her further reply I heard a sound like a shower of tiny rocks on stone, then a pause in the noise and another power waft out into the room, bringing a sharp and bitter taste with it. I tested its strength, pushing forward but hitting a strong wall, then pulling back into my coffer. I had felt such binds before. Salt. A circle of salt. Not perfectly drawn, yet still it seemed the little girl was smarter than I'd given credit for.

"Well, well. It seems location was not all the woman in town told you of. I'm assuming you know my name too then?"

She paused, out of fear or ignorance I could not tell. The girl wreaked of too many feelings to discern one from another. A ball of humanities strongest emotions all leaking out of one host.

"Yes, it's Balte-"

"Ah ah! Thats enough. Any more and I believe it will be quite painful for both of us. So you know my name. I believe it's only fair I know yours then, tiny morsel."

"I am only here to make a request. I'll tell you my name then."

In stronger men I had to "seal the deal". Call out to them and snake my way through their ears and into their minds until they broke. But for her? It seemed luckily an offer would be enough. Anyone willing to make a deal with me was desperate enough not to care of the consequences, either that or too stupid to think of them. And she didn't strike me as stupid. Weak? Yes. Emotional? As all humans are. But not stupid. Her aura said otherwise.

"What is it you want then girl? Be quick as your pathetic charm wears thin." where I spoke lightly before, as if a polite host drawing a guest to the mantle, now I projected my will, booming through her head like a thousand echoes. Yet she did not falter.

"I will be your vessel... but in exchange, I want death. The king he takes more by the day and we cannot manage. My parents they-" out of her many battling emotions sadness took over for a moment. "-they did not make it. I want him to be gone, he needs to be gone." I could feel her sadness encase the room as her tears touched the floor.

I considered her request. A simply request, maybe not to her, maybe not to any mortal, but a man is a man. They bleed the same. They hurt the same. They die the same. In my thousands of years I had never known these facts not to be true. When you wrung their souls dry besides the flicker of firelight they all eventually begged. It was just a fact. But a spark of brilliance crossed my mind.

"Alright morsel. I will fulfill your request, I will give you the power to undo what the tyrant had done, though I will do you one better. Bring me back bodies to turn of those you slaughter and in return I will bring back those you've lost for each. Mother, father, anyone else you'd wish."

"Olivia Flease" she replied without pause.

Well then Olivia. Balteese is at your service. And you at mine.