"I'll make a deal with you. You help my friend, and I'll bring you more of these. But let's talk terms - how long will it take you to fix their un-healing wound?"

Jay, as distrustful as he should be, believed this swamp woman would probably heal a part of Asra's wound, and then keep Jay gathering these odd little amber spheres for much longer than he ought to.

And, she seemed annoyed by the question as she angrily grunted.

"Let me see the wound first." She called.

Jay snapped his fingers, and Red brought Asra closer, closer than Jay was standing. In Red's arms, Asra was about five yards away from the swamp woman.

It was close enough for the woman to use dangerous magic, but Jay didn't mind, as he wasn't the one in Red's arms.

Besides, Asra could use her vampiric compulsion to control the woman, but as she got closer, she didnt.

Asra had been listening, and held her leg up to show the woman.

Jay noticed the small detail. So, it seems that Asra can only use it on one person? He thought.

The flame wound was a small patch on the back of her lower leg. Only a lick of flame had brushed past her skin, but because of the foreign, otherworldly mana, it was enough to cause excruciating pain.

"Hmm… a few weeks."

Jay scoffed, "A few weeks…"

She's lying again. Jay passed Sweeper his needle of hunger.

(Use the side which makes them feel full.) Jay winked.

The skeleton took the needle, dashed over and pricked the woman's ankle, drawing some blood.

The woman didn't even react to the needle. She probably thought it was just another swamp bug getting an easy meal, and was used to random stings and feeding probes.

"A few weeks, huh?" Jay called.

"Yes." She lied again.

Sweeper brought the bloody needle back, and before he even brought it close to his nose he smelt a stench which even made the swamp smell like a perfumed palace.

"Don't lie to me again." Jay said, his face still twisted in disgust, "This is your only warning."

The woman's eyes widened as her brows furrowed. Her lies, her deception, was all she had left to bargain with.

"A few days." She grunted bitterly.

"Good. And how many of these do you need to heal her?"

"None."

Jay grinned broadly, but he didn't let the woman see.

So she needs none? This fucking liar… but I suppose I am somewhat of a liar myself. Neither of them know my real name after all.

"So, you want these as payment?"

"Yes… I want.. I need every single one of them."

"Why?"

"It's not for you to know."

"What?"

"You won't understand. Just get me as many as you can, or you'll regret it some day."

Jay couldn't smell any rancid smell of blood. She was telling the truth.

While he didn't want to believe her cunning words, he had to.

The blood didn't lie. Angela's Library