Ishmerai nods back, a strange sort of resolution on her face. "The Shadows are not exactly the best of hosts."

"That," says Yvette, "is quite the understatement."

"Well yes, but I refuse to list their crimes since they delight so in their fear."

She taps her chin. "And on that point, I will state that I have personally killed over seven thousand of them."

Blink.

"... I'm totally okay with that! Can I help and steal their lifespans? I can steal their lifespans!"

"That would be wonderful! It would be poetic to put their lives to better use."

"It was a major reason as to why I took the Augment," says Yvette, pleased. "Since they seemed universally evil."

"To be frank, they only get worse as they become more powerful. I'll be glad of the extra help against them."

Nod. "Are they just - endlessly created somewhere, or...?"

"The greatest of their number are able to create more - they take bones from the people they kill, and turn them into the hearts of new shadows. But where the masters come from - I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the supposed 'dark tower' at the center of the city."

"Dark tower? ... I assume it is a tower that is dark and uncreatively named, but I mean. I barely know anything about this place yet."

"Supposedly there's a skyscraper in the city center that shows up only at midnight. I've never seen it, but others I've met have sworn that it's real and filled with Shadows. My current theory is that you need to have some ability - some kind of supernatural sight. If it was just random, I'd probably have gotten lucky by now."

Yvette nods, looking thoughtful.

Ishmerai lets the silence be for a moment.

"... Is there anything I need to know about my - er, our? - new parents?"

"They're decent enough people, and fortunately rather preoccupied with their own problems. Your bodyguard is likely to be a bigger issue."

"Ah. Yes. Good point. I picked the blood demon bodyguard. Any advice?"

"I can't help you much there, unfortunately. I've never met him before today."

"... Okay. I suppose I'll figure it out. Do you know anything about how to crack cryptography, or break into login accounts on this world's version of computers?"

"Unfortunately, that's not my area of expertise - but I could use my cards for it, if it's to unlock something of yours from your new past."

"Oh. Right. That is an option. ... How do I use the cards, I also have them, but I didn't spend any of last night trying to figure out how to use them."

"They're sort of... sideways from your right hand. If you concentrate, you should be able to feel them there and reach for them."

Yvette concentrates! Or attempts to. She reaches sideways from her right hand...

And a sudden weight drops squarely into her palm, cold and angular like a block of metal. It stings to hold.

She winces a bit, but inspects them.

"... Now what?"

"Think of what you need from your past, and lay them out on the table. The cards will do the rest. Whatever you do, don't stop halfway through: you won't be able to try again until next midnight."