PS: Sorry, Tianzi was halfway through writing yesterday when a recruitment message suddenly arrived from Super Earth's Ministry of Truth. I became a Helldiver to fight for Super Earth, so I missed a day. That counts as force majeure.
Eilistraee taking the initiative to help Aaron had exceeded his expectations. Clearly, the Dark Maiden had a very strong will of her own. Even without any direct conflict between them, Cyric's actions had infuriated Eilistraee, and she insisted on making him taste her wrath.
The good news was that Aaron could now be certain Eilistraee truly had pinned all her hopes on him. The Dark Maiden unquestionably considered Aaron one of her own.
The bad news was that this goddess was prone to acting impulsively or going her own way. If she felt she should do something, she would do it.
She really was no match for Lolth.
"Lyla and I knew each other." Eilistraee did not realize how many chaotic thoughts had flashed through Aaron's mind. Noticing the crown in his hand, the Dark Maiden sighed softly. "Lyla was... rather flighty. She frequently changed her form and alignment, wanting to shroud the land in mist and conceal everything beneath illusions. Aside from her very poor relationship with Oghma, she had no enemies, but she had no friends either. Nobody even knew she had fallen."
"Cyric tricked Lyla into entering Pandemonium." Aaron held the Phantom Goddess's crown. "There, Cyric killed Lyla with Godsbane and took her crown."
"Is Cyric dead?" Eilistraee noticed that after the black fire had been devoured, the Prince of Lies had vanished completely. She gathered her damaged silver hair, restoring its bright luster, and blinked her large, innocent eyes like a curious child.
"No. With my current strength, I can't kill a greater deity in a single