Instead, she raised a brow, how could he be controlling skeletons? Skeletons that were a much higher level than him?

She closed her eyes for a moment letting out a sigh, as she was not about to be finished off and killed, and while an intruding human in her territory was not a welcome sight, it was better than the alternative.

Meanwhile this human was only level four, and had the nerve to question her.

"What do you want?" She glared at Jay.

"I already told you. My friend needs help. The fires attacked her with an unknown fire, can you fix it?"

"No. The damage is permanent." She spat.

Fuck. Well it sucks to be Asra… I guess I'll have to ditch her since she will just be a hindrance… though she has been kind enough, so maybe I'll get a skeleton to carry her home… if she can offer me something valuable, Jay thought.

The swamp woman grunted and pushed her head up slightly, "Well? Are you going to leave now?"

Jay glanced at Blue, and the skeleton knew what Jay wanted. It grabbed the back of her head and pushed it back into the ground.

"What do you know about the lights in the fog? And is the fog your doing?"

"Nothing, and no." She huffed.

How could she not know? I don't even need to use my liar's blood skill to smell such obvious bullshit, Jay thought.

< [Deceiver's Scent] >

[Blood carries the stench of lies]

She just doesn't want to help me… I wonder if these little amber balls will change her mind?

Jay still had the amber sphere that the skeletons had brought him, but he didn't need to risk bringing it closer to show her.

(Sweeper.) Jay ordered his skeleton near, giving it a few commands.

The skeleton dashed over and carefully grabbed the translucent sphere from Jay, delicately holding it in the tips of its bone fingers.

Sweeper took the sphere over to the woman, and Blue let her head up slightly so she could see.

Sweeper held it before her eyes. Even in the dark fog the amber sphere had a subtle shine to it, like it was tempting her with a gleaming wink.

Jay didn't say anything as he watched her mouth open wide. He thought she looked confused, but waited for her to speak. He wanted her to admit her lies as much as he wanted her to help Asra, but for some people, the former was much harder than the latter.

The harmless amber sphere seemed to make the woman as excited as she was deranged; she was licking her lips with widened eyes.

"That's mine!" she yelled, breathing faster as her eyes stuck to it, pushing her head up and trying to push off the skeletons again.

(Sweeper, bring it back. But bring it back slowly.) Jay smiled cunningly.

"Wait! I can help your friend, just give me that!" she called, fighting against Blue's skeletal hand on the back of her skull.

She sounds so desparate… Jay thought, seeing her pleading.

"I thought you couldn't help? Also, I think you know where I got this from…" Jay lied.

He didn't know where the skeletons plucked this tiny sphere from, but he guessed it was loot from one of the lights.

The woman puffed, "I'll help. I just need more of those… bring me those and I'll fix her."

The sentient leaves she controlled slowly began to move, but instead of returning to the woman or the skeletons, they went back to her rotting house, filling in the holes in the walls once more. Angela's Library