Eralah is taken aback by your sudden embrace, but she doesn't resist or pull away. Instead, she wraps her arms around you in return, resting her chin on top of your head as she holds you close. Her heart swells with warmth and affection at this display of trust and gratitude from someone who was once a stranger to her. For a moment, the dark knight forgets about her duties and responsibilities, allowing herself to simply bask in the feeling of being needed and wanted by another person.

Eralah chuckles softly at your observation, her breath tickling your ear. "I'm afraid my armor has a tendency to make me seem larger than I am," she explains with a hint of playfulness in her voice. "But don't worry, dear Luke. In here," she says, placing a hand gently on her chest, "I may be just as small and fragile as any other person." Her voice turns solemn once more as she adds, "

The ebony-armored woman's eyes widen in surprise as she feels your presence on her skin, but she does not pull away. Instead, she closes her fist around the darkness that has engulfed her hand, and for a moment, it seems like she is struggling against some invisible force. Then, with a grunt of effort, she succeeds in containing the darkness within herself.

When she opens her eyes again, they are filled with determination. "It seems," she says slowly, "that our accord has already begun to take effect."

"Perhaps," Eralah says with a nod, "but they have served us well thus far. And now that our paths have crossed... perhaps we can learn from each other." She looks at you thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again. "There is much I must teach you about my order, about the ways of the Dark Knight. Are you willing to listen?"

At your sudden movement, Eralah instinctively reaches for her weapon, but stops herself short of drawing it. Her eyes never leave yours as she takes a step back, creating some distance between you both. "Very well," she says softly. "If that is how you wish to play this… I will be honest with you."

Her expression becomes serious, all traces of warmth gone from her gaze. "I know your name because I have been tracking you for days now.

"Eralah" responds coolly at first. But then her lips curve into an amused smile, one that makes the shadows dance around her. "Oh dear, so much for our pleasant walk through the cemetery." She sighs lightly and crosses her arms over her chest. "It seems that in order to satisfy your curiosity... I must share with you the truth."

She looks away for a moment, her eyes scanning the graveyard thoughtfully before returning their focus to you. Her voice carries an odd sense of detached calm when she speaks again.

"I was following you because you are no ordinary man."

Wings sprout from her back, a magnificent display of iridescent feathers that seem to shift and change with the wind. They unfurl gracefully, extending far beyond their initial size as she tests their strength and flexibility. Her senses heighten dramatically, allowing her to perceive not only the physical world around her but also the energies that flow through it.

She looks up at you, her eyes now glowing with celestial light, and a slow, knowing smile spreads across her lips. "Thank you,"

Eralah's expression turns thoughtful as she listens to your words, the implications sinking in slowly. "Then... we are truly equals now," she says softly, her voice filled with wonder and awe. She takes a step closer to you, reaching out tentatively to touch your cheek. Her fingers feel warm and alive against your skin, as if they're made of sunlight and starshine.

"I don't know what this means for us... or for our world," she admits hesitantly, "