《Unlimited Isekai And Other Unfortunate Magic [Progression Litrpg]》 [-1-] Dead Twice Dave Walter had been a perfectly unremarkable IT employee. He had job security and a steady income, but was bitter and lonely, an example of the average, microscopic cog in the vast and bewildering corporate machinery of Serv0tec Inc. He was a gear that spun about aimlessly - not even connected to anything, often getting paid for doing absolutely nothing. His daily routine was a never-ending labyrinth of pointless business meetings about reallocating priorities, starting projects that never finished due to being reassigned, and pretending to satisfy clients who couldn''t be bothered to use Google. On this particular Wednesday, Dave was feeling particularly disgruntled. He had been stuck in a meeting nearly all morning in which his colleagues discussed the importance of prioritizing tasks. As if on cue, his manager poked his head into his cubicle. "Hey, D, could you grab everyone some coffee?" Dave felt a sense of mild irritation wash over him. His office manager''s idea of "office efficiency" involved wearing two watches for tracking two time zones and shortening everyone''s name to a single letter or two. He wondered if he would ever be able to reclaim his full name at this rate. It seemed quite a hopeless endeavor, so he chose not to argue and accepted the quest with a nod. As Dave stumbled into the elevator, the grating sound of elevator music assaulted his ears. He winced, wishing he had the superpower to control the musical choices of elevators. He spotted one of his overly chatty coworkers in the elevator and quickly averted his gaze, pretending to be engrossed in his phone. He knew all too well the agony of being trapped in an eternal loop of small talk with Karen. As the elevator doors opened, Dave bolted out of the building, eager to temporarily escape the blandness of corporate life. He flashed his ID badge at the security desk, feeling a small sense of satisfaction at the semblance of authority it granted him and strode toward the nearest Starbucks. Dave had been walking across the street on his way back, trying to balance an absurd amount of coffee cups in his hands, when he heard the screeching of tires and felt the crushing impact of a car. . . . An otherworldly, ethereal chorus resounded in his mind. As Dave''s eyes fluttered open, he saw a blurry figure looming over him, surrounded by a halo of radiant, brilliant light. "Congratulations!" a voice boomed in his head, "You''ve been reincarnated to Arx, hero! Welcome to your new life of adventure, magic, and dragons!" Dave struggled to focus on the figure in front of him. The image flickered and doubled like a film slide layered over itself. With a tremendous effort, Dave managed to mentally focus on one of the images and the double effect suddenly popped like a soap bubble encountering a child''s finger. The image of the haloed Goddess converged into a paramedic girl in a bloodstained orange vest. "Where are my dragons?" he slurred. The paramedic''s blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "Sorry to disappoint you, hero," she said, "but there are no dragons here." Dave''s heart sank. He had been hoping for a more exciting afterlife. But as he looked up at the paramedic, he couldn''t help but notice how pretty she was. Not in a perfect, ethereal way, but in a human, flawed way. She looked a tad exhausted, with locks of blonde hair escaping from a tightly bound bun, but all the tiredness seemed buried beneath a brilliant, wide smile. "You''ve been dead for three and a half minutes. That''s a lot of minutes. Probably enough to see dragons. You''re welcome, by the way," the paramedic stated. "Consider yourself lucky. It''s Wednesday!" Dave couldn''t help but roll his eyes. "What''s so lucky about Wednesday?" he groaned. "See, statistically fewer people die on a Wednesday, therefore you''re in luck to pick this day to get run over by a taxi. Get it? You don''t look convinced. You''re right! I just made that fact up to cheer you up." The paramedic''s smile widened. "I''m Laricianna by the way. Stupid name I know, I didn''t pick it. You can call me Lari. Remember to stay positive. Everything from here on is only going to be better! You can''t get any worse than being dead, see?" Lari just smiled and went back to her work. As Dave stared up at the ceiling of the ambulance, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of bitter irony. He had always wanted more excitement in his life, but he never imagined that it would come in the form of a car accident and a mangled body. "Well," he muttered to himself, "at least I can say that I died doing what I loved. Drinking coffee and ignoring traffic laws." Lari chortled overhead. Dave wondered if there was something wrong with her, nobody else found his horrible jokes amusing. . . . Lari or Dave''s hallucination, whichever it was, had been spot on - Dave had been reborn. But this wasn''t like the kind of rebirth experienced by some new-age yoga enthusiast after a few deep breaths and a green smoothie. This was the kind of rebirth that involved learning how to walk again, talk again, and a series of surgeries. Dave lost his job at Serv0tec, the one thing that used to give his life some semblance of purpose. He was now stuck with a disability pension. He spent most of his free time moping around, feeling sorry for himself, and calling Lari just to hear her voice. She was always there to give him the tough love he needed. "Don''t focus on regrets," she said. "Focus on the future. Focus on being productive, on learning new things. You got a new lease on life, don''t blow it or you''ll disappoint me." At first, Dave resisted. But as he slowly recovered both mentally and physically, Lari''s words began to sink in. He read an article about Google''s Lamda project and discovered the ¡°Attention Is All You Need¡± paper which captured his interest. Dave joined an online community of AI enthusiasts and started collaborating on an open-source large language model. Though challenging at first, he steadily improved his understanding of this new field, integrating LLMs with game engines. As he worked on the project, Dave began to feel a sense of purpose again. He was determined to make something of himself despite the setbacks he had faced. His friendship with Lari grew and blossomed, and he found himself looking forward to each new day. . . . Six long years had passed, and the code that he had poured his soul into made contributions to the greater goal of making open source AI assistants and limitless open world games. Alas, it was a bittersweet success that left him feeling empty inside, due to an unfortunate twist of fate. On a very dreary October morning, Dave found himself standing in front of Lari''s grave. The flowers he had brought with him seemed unable to express the depth of his grief. He finally understood why she had refused to date him, why she had kept him at arm''s length. She had been fighting a battle that was bigger than both of them, and in the end, cancer had claimed her life. He looked up at the sky, as if he could somehow find the answer to his pain there, but all he saw was an expanse of gray clouds. He knelt down in front of the grave, tears streaming down his face, and placed the flowers at the base of the headstone. Thunder cracked overhead, a rainstorm rolling across the sky. The rain poured, chasing people away from the cemetery. Dave found himself alone. He fumbled with the keys for a minute before finally managing to start his car. He drove aimlessly, away from the city. The road was a blur as pouring rain and his tears clouded his vision. He felt the weight of the world crashing down on him, mocking him, taunting him. What was the point of anything if his best friend was no longer there to share it with him? The road home was far worse than he had anticipated, and the slick asphalt snickered beneath his tires as he found himself drifting into the oncoming lane. There, a car loomed, blinding him. Dave attempted to swerve out of its path. His new, unforgiving trajectory flung him off the road, through the parapet. His car flew towards a proud and ancient six hundred year old sequoia, who had, over the course of its long life, acquired a certain amount of indifference towards the comings and goings of lesser beings. The tree withstood the vehicular onslaught with the sort of quiet dignity that can only be achieved by spending centuries minding one''s own business. The programmer, on the other hand, found himself decidedly less fortunate in this encounter.
Dave blinked, trying to focus. His head throbbed with a pounding ache, a reminder of his recent encounter with the sequoia. By all rights, he should have been a mere smear on the forest floor, yet here he was... inexplicably alive. Opening his eyes, Dave found himself surrounded by a sea of naked people stretching as far as he could see. Millions of confused and disoriented individuals filled his vision. Women shrieked and covered themselves, while men muttered and cursed. A cacophony of voices blended together in shared bewilderment. Dave couldn''t help but wonder how he''d ended up here. Was this some twisted version of the afterlife? Looking beyond the crowd, he noticed something odd about the sky - or rather, the lack of it. There was no horizon line, no clear delineation between earth and sky. Instead, the world seemed to curve upward in a dizzying kaleidoscope of landscape that just didn''t seem to end. Rivers, mountains, lakes, and continents formed a patchwork that defied comprehension. Storms swirled overhead, volcanoes belched smoke and ash, and oceans shimmered under a scorching sun. Glaciers gave way to vast deserts, while azure lakes dotted the terrain like jewels. The horizon continued to curve upward, with continents becoming mere specks in the distance. Parts of the terrain bore massive circular impacts. Dave''s mind raced to make sense of what he was seeing. This world appeared to be a hollow sphere, but on an unimaginably vast scale. The realization hit him: this had to be a Dyson sphere, a theoretical megastructure built around a star. "Bloody fantastic," he muttered sarcastically, his gaze returning to the increasingly agitated crowd. "I always wanted to be part of a giant nudist colony in the afterlife inside a Dyson sphere." "CONGRATULATIONS!" a loud, snarky male voice boomed, causing Dave''s eardrums to throb. "What?" Dave asked, feeling an unsettling sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. His comment was drowned out by the sounds of the crowd. The mass of naked, bewildered humanity stirred. "Your old lives have ended, and you have been reincarnated by my divine grace!" the deafening voice resumed, making Dave wince. The crowd stirred, a cacophony of millions trying to respond. "SILENCE!" The voice echoed across the landscape. Dave turned to see the source of the voice, as did millions around him. A rotund figure of a bald, bearded man in gold and black robes sat against the yellow sky of a distant desert. The clouds passed through him as if he were a hologram. "I AM THE GOLD DRAGON-GOD-EMPEROR," the figure bellowed. "I summoned you to aid me against villains who threaten my domain! You''ll have a chance to become heroes and citizens of my Empire. If you don''t wish to work for me, raise your right hand and I''ll free you from this responsibility. You have one hundred heartbeats to decide!" Dave kept his hand down, eyes fixed on the Emperor''s figure atop an inverted stone pyramid. One hundred heartbeats passed quickly. Dave looked at the ground beneath his feet, made of something white. He leaned closer, trying to figure out what it was. "Marvelous. For those who didn''t raise their hands, observe!" The Dragon Emperor''s eyes flared as he uttered: "Isekai!" Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of popping, followed by a chorus of screams. Dave turned to look at the old man standing next to him, who had raised his hand in response to the Emperor''s job offer. The man was no longer recognizable as a human being; he had been twisted and fused together with another body, creating a grotesque, surreal abomination. Two mouths were open wide in agony, four eyes bulging. Dave saw that all of those who had raised their hands suffered the same fate of being juxtaposed with another summoned body. They were choking and gasping for air, their faces turning blue as they collapsed to the ground. "This is how I deal with useless chaff," the Dragon Emperor declared. "Disobey me, and you''ll be liberated. Serve me well, and you''ll become part of the team!" Dave suddenly understood the answer to his query as he bent closer to the ground, heaving. He saw that he was standing on a carpet of bones, the remnants of countless genocides that had been compressed and compacted by millions of feet over the years into white sand. "Now, march towards my city," the Emperor commanded. "There, you''ll be given food and weapons!" He smiled, adding, "And remember, you can always choose to be free, to walk away! Go ahead, I''ll be watching." Dave felt numb as he began trudging towards the city with the others, knowing that anyone who tried to escape would be killed instantly by the ''isekai'' spell which summoned people... into people in a blink of an eye. A great yellow-white city loomed on the horizon as Dave and the naked, thinned-out but still massive crowd shambled towards it. With each step, they stepped over and onto the corpses of the millions of the "liberated". Dave''s unease grew as the walls made from white blocks stretched away from him for miles in every direction. Gigantic white pyramids loomed above the walls, their golden caps glittering in the sunlight. It was a grotesque, ludicrous sight, and Dave couldn''t help but gulp at the enormity of it all. He saw distant, tiny people, working away at the walls and the buildings. White walls. White pyramids. White like the ground beneath his feet. Bones. The city was constructed entirely out of bones. Bones of the people that had been summoned here by the millions, perhaps even billions, after they died on Earth. In a few hours, Dave stumbled through the gates of the bone-white city, exhausted from the long march. The crowd dispersed into a maze of entrances. Dave found himself in a queue leading to "GATE 76" in bold, English letters. Eventually, Dave reached a white counter inside a vast hall. The desk attendant, dressed in clothes sewn from human skin and adorned with bone jewelry, looked like a horror movie villain. "Name?" the skull-mask attendant asked in a bored British accent. "Dav... David Wallsberry," Dave fibbed. "Welcome to the Gold Dragon Empire," the attendant said dryly. "Everything here is made from people, by people. You''re one of us now, Mr. Wallsberry." He handed Dave a black, hexagonal-textured bracelet, instructing him to put on the bracelet and say "CONNECT TO THE SYSTEM." When Dave complied, a blue holographic window appeared on the bracelet.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Follow the prompts, get assessed for magical affinity, complete a quest, murder some people and get a magic skill," the attendant explained casually. "It''ll all be there. Only you can see your system prompts." Dave nodded wearily, overwhelmed by the bizarre new world he''d been thrust into. Despite everything, a small part of him clung to hope - hope that he might find Lari if she too was reincarnated here, or maybe figure out a way to bend this world''s rules to his advantage.
[SCANNING SOUL... PLEASE WAIT]
The blue window blinked.
[SOUL INTEGRATION IN PROGRESS...]
Dave felt a strange, tickling sensation in his chest as the blue window flickered. He wondered what was happening inside him. "Your first mission will be to head back out the gate and carve gold out of the dead," the desk attendant added, handing Dave a short bone knife. Dave accepted the knife with a trembling hand. "The knife is made from compressed human bones. Tougher than regular human bones," the man explained. "Bring back one thousand gold tooth crowns. No rules. Feel free to kill as many people as you want, it''ll increase the chances of you getting a rare skill. We only accept strong heroes here."
[GOD-EMPEROR''S CITADEL D-114, GATE 76 - QUEST: Bring back one thousand gold teeth to gain access to Citadel D-114.] [Accept: Y/N?]
The blue window changed. Dave struggled to find words as the desk attendant handed him a belt and a pouch clearly made from human skin. "This is enough food and water for the day." Dave''s stomach turned at the sight, suspecting what the contents might be made from. "Good luck," the attendant said, pointing back towards the field of corpses. "Next!" As Dave rushed outside, nausea hit him. He clutched his bone knife tightly, feeling lost. He had no idea how to do magic or fight. Around him, some half-merged people were still alive, groaning pitifully. Others armed with bone knives were already harvesting teeth from the dead or dying. Gangs were forming, and fights breaking out over the gold crowns. "Show me your teeth, you look rich!" A muscular man yelled, kicking an old man on the ground. "This is hell," Dave thought. "I died and went straight to hell." He retreated to the gate where overly muscular skull-masked guards stood in relative quiet. Suddenly, a menu appeared on his wrist:
[TABULATING CREDIT RATING...]
[CORE SKILL ASSIGNED: PHANTOMANCY!]
[Evaluating Overall Stats. Displaying Overall Stats.]
Name: Dave Walter
Age: 33
Species & Subtype: Human
Core Affinity: Phantomancer
Level: 0
Anima: 86/86
Anima Stamina: 0.1/0.1
Mana: 0.1/0.1
Mana regen: 0.1m/hr
Strength: 0
Agility: 0
Dexterity: 0
Vitality: 0
Charisma: 0
Magic: 0
Foresight: 0
Intelligence: 0
Wisdom: 0
Skills: Phantom Sight
"Say what? A skill? Phantom-what now?" Dave muttered, looking down. "Why am I all zeroes?" One of the guards nearby harrumphed, somehow having overheard him. "You got a skill already? Lucky you!" Dave squinted at the muscular man in a skull mask. "Your stats are zero because you haven''t killed enough people," the guard added. "What?" Dave asked. "How do you think I got this job?" the guard asked. "Lots of stabbing. Best make good use of that knife! The more people you put out of their misery, the more your own stats will grow." Dave simply stared. "End someone with more muscles than you and you get the tiniest bit of their strength. End someone prettier than you and you increase your charisma," the skull-masked man explained. "So the only way to get stronger is to... kill someone?" Dave gulped. "Pretty much," the guard shrugged. "Be glad that you were summoned by the Dragon God-Emperor and not some other loser that''d send you out hunting dragons on your first day. Plenty of half-dead, fused fools outside to finish off to get stronger, see?" "I will get stronger by stabbing someone who''s already dying?" Dave asked. "Yes," the guard nodded. "Uhm... and what happens after I get a thousand gold crowns?" The skull-masked man tapped a black collar with a red circle on his neck. ? "You''ll be rewarded with an obedience collar just like this," the guard said. "It''ll keep you extra-focused on your job, see?" It seemed that the only way forward was death or collecting teeth and getting collared into servitude. "How do I use my skill?" Dave swallowed nervously. ¡°Just say ''activate skill name'',¡± the guard suggested. ¡°It might help you avoid getting stabbed. Or not." "Activate Phantom Sight?" Dave whispered, trying not to think about muscle gains through murder. The world became bathed in murky gloom as if someone turned the knob on the dimmer that controlled the local sun. A million sparkling silver dots suddenly overlaid themselves atop of reality. Dave reached out to the nearest star embedded in the wall and touched it with his hand. It vibrated in his hand with a dying scream, a flicker of memory of a person that had perished here. After about a second of twilight-view, the skill winked out, seemingly running out of power. Dave sighed. A second wasn¡¯t very much. The likelihood of getting stabbed by some other knife-wielding man was far too high while it was daylight out. He needed time to process, to plan, to use his skill more effectively. Looking around, he cautiously wandered outside of the gate until he spotted a small, uneven alcove in the city wall a few meters above ground. Perfect. He quickly climbed up the wall of compressed bones and squeezed himself into the tight space, grateful for the safety it provided. As the sun slowly dimmed, Dave watched the frenzied activity outside slowly die down, testing the limits of his skill. Phantom Sight worked for a second and took ten minutes to reload. The dead were seemingly everywhere, especially within the bones that made up the wall he was occupying. Dave extended his fingers out and grabbed the wall, activating Phantom Sight once again. He watched as sparks suddenly began to flow from the wall into his fingers.
[Phantomancy LV 0 skill unlocked - Phantom Absorption]
Another message flickered above his black bracelet. Dave relaxed ever so slightly. It appeared that he could just sit in the wall all day and absorb power from it without going anywhere. Slowly, but surely, with every passing hour he absorbed the dead from the wall. As he did, the length of Phantom-sight seemed to increase while the reload time seemed to decrease. In a few more hours, the view of the corpse-laden wasteland gradually faded into an inky blackness. The sounds of struggle and despair grew quieter. None of his other stats changed except for:
Anima: 86/86 + [2.1482]
Anima Stamina: 0.1/0.1 + [1.8426]
Mana: 0.1/0.1 + [0.0096]
Mana Regen: 0.1/0.1 + [0.0029]
Which seemed to tick up by a fraction of a percentile as he absorbed tiniest, dim stars from the wall of bones. In the pitch-black night, Dave took a deep breath and whispered, "Activate Phantom Sight." The darkness gave way to a ghostly landscape, illuminated by ethereal threads and spectral forms. The living appeared as dim, spark-wreathed human figures as they were covered in dust made from the bones, stumbling blindly in the dark, still searching for gold teeth. The wall and the ground was painted in very dim silver sparks too, made up from countless ground down souls. But it was the recently deceased that truly caught Dave''s attention. They shone brightly in his magical vision, like brilliant ghostly trees rooted in the corpses that littered the ground. Carefully, Dave climbed out of the alcove, reaching the ground. He moved with deliberate slowness, placing each foot with utmost care to avoid making noise. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm. As he approached the first corpse, Dave hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch it. The instant his fingers made contact, brilliant motes of spectral light began to flow from the body into his hands. His stats ticked up far faster from a recently deceased. Encouraged by this discovery, Dave continued his grim work. He moved from body to body, each touch drawing more of the ghostly energy into himself. He wasn''t sure how it might help him, but he knew that he was growing stronger, somehow increasing the power of his own soul with each absorption. Guided by his spectral vision, Dave continued his silent harvest of the fallen, hoping that each absorbed light might bring him one step closer to understanding and perhaps escaping this terrifying new reality. . . .
[Phantomancy LV 0 skill unlocked - Postmortem Parleyer]
The menu suddenly flashed over Dave''s hand. As Dave touched the next body, a flood of knowledge rushed into his mind. Suddenly, he knew everything about quilting - the intricate patterns, the careful stitching, the art of piecing together fabric into beautiful designs. But before he could fully process this information, it was gone, fading away like a dream. Intrigued, he moved to another corpse, activating his new skill. This time, culinary expertise filled his thoughts. He understood the delicate balance of flavors, the precise timing needed for perfect dishes, the secrets of a world-class chef. Yet, just like before, the knowledge vanished after a few minutes, leaving him with only a vague recollection of what he''d briefly learned. Dave began to move more purposefully across the field of corpses. He absorbed the bright sparks through his hands and feet, feeling the energy course through him. As he continued, his body began to glow from within, like a living constellation of stars, each point of light representing a fragment of someone''s life and knowledge. As he traversed the grim landscape, Dave''s eyes became drawn to an unusually bright soul. It emanated from the fused bodies of a fit-looking man and a larger woman. Curious, he approached and made contact with the man''s hand. Instantly, Dave was overwhelmed by the clarity and rationality of the memories that flooded his mind. Unlike the jumbled, emotional recollections from other bodies, these thoughts were organized, precise, and analytical. He realized he was experiencing the memories of a detective. Vivid scenes flashed before his eyes: smoke-filled alleys where informants whispered secrets, rain-soaked streets where clues lay hidden in plain sight, a dimly lit office where pieces of complex puzzles finally fell into place. The detective''s life had been a constant pursuit of truth, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a keen eye for detail. Dave found himself oddly comforted by the detective''s rational presence and pulled all of the shining threads from within the man into his hands.
[Level 1 Phantomancy Skill Unlocked: Wraith Wingman. You are now able to hold 1 distinctive imprint of the departed within yourself and call upon its knowledge and skills for aid.]
The menu on his wrist declared. "Interesting," Dave thought. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a violin in his head, soft and somber. "I''m going to call you Sherlock," he thought at the violin. "Can you understand me?" The bittersweet ebb of violin strings answered his call seemingly saying ''yes'' that Dave somehow understood.
[Level 1 Wraith Wingman slotted: Sherlock]
The menu commented. With the symphony of the violin strings spurring him on, Dave strode forward reaching out to every shimmering spirit tree in his path. As he touched the imprints of the dead, vivid memories of random professions blazed forth in his mind like a meteor shower. An embittered cobbler, a hapless fishmonger, a dim-witted cleric, a tax accountant, a cheerful kindergarten teacher, a motivated soccer coach, a tired housewife, a landscaper, a tour guide, a taxi driver... all were illuminated in the brief, bizarre vignettes that passed behind Dave''s eyes in a dizzying procession. Some of the jobs were as simple as a professional reader, others were quirky and complex such as a STEM researcher. The violin strings hummed with a strange, deeper energy, each note seemingly helping him sort out the memories of the departed. He closed his eyes, listening to the chorus of voices that sang to him with a surreal blend of infinite possibilities of other lives. "More," he whispered, reaching out to another spectral tree.
[Phantomancy level 2 reached]
The bracelet flashed on his hand. David ignored it, preoccupied with consuming the dead. A sea of memories and personalities cascaded through him like a fountain of light, each one a chevron in the tapestry of various lives. He felt an electric sense of awakening, as if his mind had tapped into a vast network, a web of knowledge and potential. The essence of the dead swirled within him like a tempest, a symphony of voices whispering to him from beyond the veil, like waves of stars beating against the shore of his being. The night wore on and Dave continued his voracious pursuit of all the unlife he could absorb. His strides grew surer. "I''ll show that fat sky-bastard," he thought of the God-Emperor that brought him to this hell. As if to answer his thoughts, the wind blew bone dust through the desolate landscape, painting it in a shawl of stars that too sought vengeance for their deaths.
[Phantomancy level 3 reached]
A message flashed on his wrist. "I have to keep going," Dave thought to himself, feeling delirious from tiredness, hunger and thirst. "Have to keep getting stronger if I am to survive." He realized that somewhere along his path of collecting ghosts, he had already chugged the questionable water from the flesh-pouch. A loud snarling noise suddenly interrupted his journey. It was far too loud to be human. Dave spun and spotted a monstrous thing looming over the corpses in the darkness, painted in sparks of the dust made from the dead. It was an awful, grotesque mixture of a giant bat and a dragon. The beast was feasting on the corpses, spark-painted blood dripping from its maw. With his heart thundering, Dave raised the bone knife above his chest, his eyes focused intently on the creature. The thing let out an ear-piercing screech and suddenly lunged at him, a hurricane of wings and claws. He slashed at the abomination, but he was too slow. His Phantomancy did nothing to help him. The monstrous beast grabbed Dave with its talons lifting him off the ground. Dave felt his body being crushed by the creature''s massive claws, the wind rushing past him. The snarling beast seemed to be¡­ laughing? "What''s so funny?" he snarled, flailing but not breaking free. The creature simply continued to laugh like a hyena, a wild, savage sound that echoed across the field of the dead. Dave''s stomach churned as he was hoisted higher and higher into the sky by the monster, his knife useless as his hands were crushed to his body. The beast that held him emitted an awful aroma, even worse than the field of the dead. "Just my luck," he thought. "I get reincarnated only to be eaten by a giant smelly bat." He struggled in the bat''s grip for what felt like hours. He had no idea where the beast was taking him, but it probably didn''t bode well for him. Soon, daylight began to light up the landscape. Dave saw jagged mountains below him and gulped. As the bat''s mad laughter once again filled his ears, Dave suddenly heard a new sound - a low, ominous hum. The beast seemed to pause, its grip loosening as it looked around, as if searching for the source of the sound. Something massive struck the oversized bat in mid air. Dave yelped as two monstrous, dark, blurry things fought and spun in the sky. He took the given opportunity, twisting his body and struggling free of the creature''s grasp. When his arm became free, he stabbed at the claw that held him again and again. Suddenly, he was free of the large talons. He then discovered that he was plummeting down, his knife clutched tightly in his fist. The entire world spun, lit by the pink morning light piercing through the clouds. Dave tried to reorient himself, tried to spread his hands and feet as far as possible, to increase his chances of survival. The violin within him sang, pushing him to do something, something important that he had to do to survive. Acting almost on instinct, Dave mentally pushed all of the stars he had absorbed from the dead into reinforcing and strengthening his own body. With a sickening thud, he slammed into the snow-covered ground, his bones jarring from the impact. [-2-] Shandria Dave awoke to the relentless sun beating down on his face while his back stung from the snow that engulfed it. He groaned as he peeled his eyes open. White flurries fluttered down, tangling up in his eyebrows. His vision swam as he slowly rotated and staggered to his knees, his head and body pounding with pain. He discovered himself on a side of a mountain. Slightly below him, the view revealed a rich, emerald expanse of fields that seemed to stretch on forever, punctuated by the towering blue and white peaks of glacier mountains. He stood up and took a hesitant step forward, his knees shaking. As he moved, he felt that a lot of things inside him were wrong. It seemed that he couldn''t walk straight, only able to take the tiniest steps forward. He wondered how far the night hunter took him. Tall mountains blocked most of the view behind him, most likely the domain of the Dragon God-Emperor lay beyond their jagged peaks. "It''s certainly pretty," Dave commented at the glacier mountains. "But where am I?" He scanned the horizon, searching for any signs of...anything, really. But all he could see was the endless vista of mountains and wild fields. Dave hefted his knife and trudged onward down the slope, hissing and groaning, taking in the sights and sounds of this idyllic land. After about twenty minutes of limping, he reached the bottom of the glacier and the land beneath his bare feet became moss-covered rocks and grass. He felt a gnawing sense of thirst creeping up within him, awful dryness that parched his tongue. With a groan Dave knelt down, noticing the morning dew glistening on the grass blades. He carefully gathered the droplets, licking them off his fingers and palm. The cool moisture provided some relief, but he knew it wouldn''t be enough to sustain him for long especially if he moved with such glacial slowness. Dave closed his eyes and focused on the presence of Sherlock within him. "Alright, Sherlock," he thought, "What do I do?" The violin song moved to dance over his black bracelet. "Right," Dave nodded. "Stats?" The blue menu flashed into existence over his wrist.
Name: Dave Walter
Age: 33
Species & Subtype: Human
Core Affinity: Phantomancer
Level: 3
Anima: 86/86 + [29.4735]
Anima Stamina: 3/3 + [19.6094]
Mana: 3/3 + [0.1636]
Mana Regen: 3 m/hr + [0.0182]
Strength: 0 + [29.4735]
Agility: 0
Dexterity: 0
Vitality: 0
Charisma: 0
Magic: 0
Foresight: 0
Intelligence: 0
Wisdom: 0
LV 3 Skills: Phantom Sight
Phantom Absorption
Postmortem Parleyer
Wraith Wingman: Sherlock
"Huh," Dave said as he read over the text. "So I guess I can move the absorbed souls of the dead into different stats or something?" The violin sang in confirmation. Mentally focusing on the [+ 29.4735] he relocated it from Strength to Agility. Suddenly, his entire body filled with unbearable pain and he collapsed onto his knees with a cry as if the Strength that was propping him upright had vanished. "Shit, shit, shit," Dave heaved, moving [29.4735] back into Strength. "Okay bad idea," he said. "Maybe I''ll just move a bit of it to... Agility? The violin in his soul agreed. Focusing, Dave was able to push a single digit into Agility. He felt slightly lighter on his feet, but the pain in his broken body increased by a fraction. He relocated the [1] from Agility to Dexterity next. The lightness vanished and he felt something in his hands now. He wiggled each of his fingers, squinting at them. "Guess Dexterity helps with hand control or something," he commented. He relocated the [1] into Vitality. The pain in his body decreased by a fraction. "Huh," Dave said. "Seems like Strength reinforces my muscles and bones and Vitality... heals me? Right. Lets try to fix things..." Point by point, he relocated numbers from Strength into Vitality. Falling back onto his knees, he felt like he was being healed from within, but the process was much too slow and he could not move while it was happening. Too many of his bones and muscles were damaged. Dave picked a mossy spot, crawled to it, lay on his back and closed his eyes relocating everything into Vitality. The pain of broken bones, bruises, cuts and torn ligaments overwhelmed him, but started to gradually decrease minute by minute. Dave lay there for what seemed like several hours, gritting his teeth and wincing until he felt alive enough to move again. He used the time to move a few points into Charisma, Magic, Intelligence, Foresight and Wisdom, learning what each of them helped with. Magic added a single point to mana. Charisma made him think of jokes faster. Wisdom sharpened his thoughts and made it easier to think even when his head was throbbing from the pain. Foresight didn''t seem to do anything at all and Intelligence helped him mentally multiply large numbers in his head. Having any of these didn''t help him heal or walk though, so he shoved the [1] back into Vitality, waiting for his body to heal itself. In a few more hours he was able to get up with a groan. "Where should we head next?" He asked Sherlock, feeling haunted by thirst and hunger. The soft, melancholic notes of a violin filled his mind, painting a picture of his surroundings. The melody swelled, directing his attention towards a particular direction, where the mountains seemed less imposing. Sherlock had noticed something there while Dave was plummeting through the clouds. "Thanks," Dave said. Inhaling the crisp air, Dave ventured down the mountain side as quickly as his busted up body allowed it. Recalling his boy scout days, he sought solace in his past memories of rural life in the Midwest, a place which contained no God-Emperors or giant bat monsters. Rocks and spiky weeds stabbed into his feet with awful sharpness so he had to relocate [5] points into Strength from Vitality, which hardened his skin enough not to get cut up by the rough terrain. After two more hours of limp-walking he spotted a waterfall coming down the mountain. He headed towards it. "Well, I''ll be," he murmured. "This is what you were leading me to?" The violin answered with a cheerful melody, confirming that indeed it was. The water was very cold. Nevertheless, he stepped close to the waterfall to get himself clean and to sate his thirst. He had lost the flesh belt and pouch somewhere during his batty misadventure, but at least he still had his trusty bone knife. As he prepared to leave, Sherlock''s violin resonated once again, seemingly pointed at the waterfall. "Look behind the waterfall, huh?" Dave asked. "Fine." He winced as the frigid water stung his skin, the icy embrace jolting his senses as it washed away the bone dust and dried blood. He shivered involuntarily, an odd giggle rising in his throat as he considered the absurdity of his situation: a reincarnated programmer-turned-survivalist, searching behind waterfalls for mysterious prizes. The waterfall and river current was too strong for him to push through on his own so he relocated all of the points into Strength. Thus reinforced, Dave plowed through the curtain of water, his teeth chattering from the cold. Blinking away the droplets clinging to his eyelashes, he found himself in a dimly lit cavern. The sound of the waterfall echoed off the damp walls, creating an eerie ambiance. Cautiously, he ventured deeper into the cave, his eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness. The wet stalactites glistened above him, their crystalline forms creating ghostly shadows in the faint light that filtered through the water. As he rounded a bend, Dave''s breath caught in his throat. There, propped against the cave wall, was the corpse of a man. The body was withered and mummified. Despite the macabre sight, Dave couldn''t help but feel a twinge of relief - the corpse was clothed. With trembling hands, he approached the body. "Sorry about this," he muttered as he began to remove the clothing from the corpse. The fabric was surprisingly well-preserved, if a bit musty, featuring a few holes. As he dressed himself in the dead man''s clothes, Dave noticed a black bracelet with the peculiar hexagonal texture on the corpse''s wrist. He carefully removed it and slipped it onto his own wrist, next to the one he''d received at the citadel of bones. A small hexagon-shaped token was connected to the black bracelet displaying the man''s face and the words [LV 14 Iron: Harkoni] with the red [-11S, 9Co] below. A small iron plate was attached to it too.
[Shandria Adventurers Guild - Quest: Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Bring 50+ Prismatic Beetles to the Dvaliss Smithy for a silver.]
Dave read the words on the plate. He searched the man''s bag next. The bag, unfortunately, was slightly rotted through and empty. The boots were a bit too small for Dave''s feet, but he squeezed into them anyway, grateful for any protection of footwear. Once dressed, Dave took a deep breath and activated his Phantomancy skill, reaching out to absorb the essence of the dead man. The spectral violin suggested another point relocation and Dave pushed all of his gathered souls into Magic, which amplified the duration of spiritual absorption. As the spectral energy of the dead man flowed into him, fragments of memories and knowledge flickered through his mind. Being attacked by flying bugs. Losing his iron knife, getting horribly cut up, running and hiding behind the waterfall. Passing out from blood loss. Regretting signing up as an adventurer. "Where''d you come from?" Dave thought. A name: Shandria. A city. Images of bustling streets, market stalls, and towering structures flashed before his eyes. A map, a route, a journey. Five hours of walking from this very cave. As the vision faded, Dave felt a sense of purpose settling over him. He had a destination now, a goal to work towards. With renewed focus, he gathered himself and prepared to leave the cavern. Casting one last glance at the now-undressed corpse, Dave murmured a quiet "thank you" before relocating everything to Strength and stepping back through the waterfall. The sun seemed to be brighter, warming his soaked, raggedy outfit as Dave oriented himself based on the memories he''d absorbed. Thankfully having over 28 points in Strength made him less susceptible to the cold, pushing back hypothermia. The cloak and the boots were still a bit wet and Dave continued to shiver until the sun baked him completely dry. The landscape stretched out all around him, a verdant tapestry of wildflowers swaying like an idyllic symphony upon the breeze. The wind whispered secret messages through the tall grass, while enormous dragonflies, jeweled aerobats of this realm, danced amidst the meadows. Dave suddenly heard a resounding, metallic hum, and found himself facing a swarm of glistening bugs, their prismatic exoskeletons clashing garishly in the idyllic backdrop. The technicolor armored insects closed in like a living metallic patchwork quilt, their cacophony an assault on both sense and sensibility. He couldn''t help but think that to see these creatures born of a nightmare realized in this otherwise pastoral field was an act of some absurd deviant that combined tinfoil and insects into one awful package. Nevertheless, he raised his knife and assumed a defensive posture. "Sherlock," he muttered, his weapon glinting, "some assistance would be great." The violin produced a melody for him resembling the Mortal Kombat Theme Song. Dave quickly divided the souls inside himself between Strength and Agility just as the bugs reached him. Time seemed to slow ever so slightly thanks to the extra Agility pumping blood through his heart at an accelerated rate. He lunged at the nearest metallic insect, driving his knife through its gleaming exoskeleton at an accelerated speed. The sensation was, he mused, akin to impaling a finely-crafted art installation. Like a pixelated plague, the remaining bugs swarmed around him, nipping at his body. Dave''s knife danced tirelessly, each calculated stroke met with a sickening crunch. Without the dead souls keeping his body reinforced and accelerating his response time he would definitely succumb to the colorful swarm. Finally, as the last bug died to Dave''s rhythmic strokes, an eerie silence settled over the meadow. Dave panted as he wiped the colorful goo and innards from the knife and shoved all of his points into Vitality. He surveyed the carnage with a disbelieving grimace before snorting, "Welp, that was about as graceful as a drunken ostrich on ice skates." He sheathed his knife with a grumble, taking heed of the numerous shallow wounds that dotted his skin. The metal claws of the bugs added a few new holes to his already extra-raggedy outfit. "Of all the ways to go, being taken out by a bunch of Technicolor bugs in a field of flowers would be extra embarrassing," he muttered. With a sigh, he dusted himself off, looking at the dead insects, wondering if he was on their home turf and if they were another bewildering anomaly of this world. Did the bugs have souls? To test this theory, Dave reached out to the nearest bug and activated Phantomancy, switching everything to Magic. A flood of disjointed images and sensations washed over him. He saw the world through their life-sense, felt the vibrations of countless legs skittering across rocky terrain, and experienced the collective consciousness of the swarm zooming through the trees. Suddenly, it all came into focus. He understood their origin - a shimmering, iridescent mountain lake nestled high in the peaks he had seen earlier. The bugs were drawn to it, born from metal hives hanging above azure water. Dave shuddered as he realized how close he had been to their nesting grounds. "So that''s where you little colorful nightmares come from," he muttered, glancing back towards the mountains. "No wonder that poor fellow behind the waterfall didn''t make it, he must have encountered a far larger swarm." Armed with this new knowledge, Dave adjusted his course, giving the mountain lake a wide berth. He knew that venturing any closer would likely result in encountering more of these deadly swarms, and in his current condition, he doubted he could survive another attack. Wincing from the numerous cuts that adorned his body, Dave pressed on. The bug bites stung fiercely, and he could feel warm blood seeping through his tattered clothes. He tried to ignore the pain, focusing instead on putting one foot in front of the other and shoving everything into Vitality once again. As the local sun began to slowly dim in the sky, painting the landscape in hues of orange and pink, Dave finally caught sight of his destination. In the distance, silhouetted against green hills he could make out the unmistakable outline of a city. Shandria. A somewhat suspicious ring of very thick, very dark clouds spun in a perfect circle around the city. Since this cloud also existed in the memories of the dead adventurer, Dave wasn''t too spooked. "Ah," he said tiredly, "just the town I was looking for." Approaching the city, he appreciated its aesthetic blend of antiquity and architectural oddness likely caused by use of magic during its construction. "Well," he thought as he neared the ramparts, "let''s see if they''ll welcome a friendly Phantomancer with open arms... or unleash another colorful calamity." The violin played a calm song. Sherlock didn''t see the town as threatening. "You''re right Sherlock, at least these walls aren''t built of the dead," he thought back. Admiring the town''s rustic charm, Dave optimistically ambled towards the front gate, his grimy cloak billowing with every step. Sardonic observations aside, he couldn''t deny the allure of the warm glow that emanated from within. As he eased into the crowd milling outside the town gates, he found himself amidst a motley ensemble of fantastical beings. There were catgirls and foxgirls with gem-like eyes and sinuous tails, punctuating their vivid expressions with flicks and sways. Humans of all sorts and colors and shapes intermingled with birdkin boasting resplendent plumage. Antlered men were carrying what looked like a giant, black and white striped worm, violet blood dripping behind them. Unconventional carts in all sorts of shapes and giant beasts pulling them commanded Dave''s attention as he got closer to the entrance into the city. The cart standing nearest to the gate was a snail of truly monstrous proportions, the size of a two story house. An old wizard was on a seat perched at the front of the snail''s pearlescent shell, clad in emerald robes. "And here I thought a snail''s pace was a figure of speech," Dave though, staring at the bizarre cart standing right in front of the city''s gates. The old man looked decidedly unimpressed with Dave. He yawned as he lazily held the reins leading to the giant gastropod. Some kind of a small creature sat next to the wizard atop of a brass vase, its body glittering with violet sparks from within. The creature was somehow both solid crystal and fluid, undulating in the sunlight ever so slightly, as if it was just painted into existence with thick brushstrokes. Dave drew his eyes from the gastropod-wizard and his pet and noted that everyone heading into town seemed to give him a wide berth, probably not wanting to mingle with someone so bloody and filthy. Feeling inspired, he relocated [23] points into Charisma, keeping the rest in Strength to stay upright. "Lo, weary traveler! Fancy a latte?" a dark foxgirl suddenly declared from a round window in the snail''s shell. Dave turned to the phantasmagorical cart. The unexpected offer of a latte completely derailed his train of thought sideways off a metaphorical cliff of mental cohesion. A large sign made from colorful letters caught his eye as he tried to process the words of the fox-person. Assuredly he was not asleep. The foxgirl talking to him was indeed quite real. "Cambria Snail Cafe," the sign above her read, in bold, swirling, slightly glowing script. Inhaling the tantalizing aroma wafting from the round window, Dave marveled at the notion that foxgirls, giant snails, wizards, cartoony-looking solid-liquid critters and lattes could somehow coexist harmoniously in this peculiar location without the universe collapsing in on itself from excessive whimsy. "How much would a latte cost?" Dave finally asked. "Three coppers," the girl shot back, her dark tail swishing. "Do you take metal bugs as payment?" He asked, showing the kitsune barista one of his kills. "We don''t take bug carcasses as payment,¡± the wizard interjected. ¡°Only Shandria currency or mana transfers." "Shandria currency?" Dave muttered. "You are in the City of Shandria proper, adventurer," the wizard said. "I suggest you trade those bugs to a blacksmith for some local coin." "What are... mana transfers?" Dave asked. "World currency," the wizard said, waving a hexagonal token on his bracelet. "I see," Dave nodded. "Also," the wizard added, "you could ask to undertake a quest within the town, and upon completion, be rewarded with Shandrian currency." Dave rubbed his chin, considering the wizard''s proposal. "Right... questing. What''s next, saving the kingdom by slaying a fire breathing dragon - all before dinner?" "That''s how adventurers work, yes," the foxgirl beamed, her ocean-blue eyes drilling into his head. "Gotcha," Dave said. His stomach growled. He looked back at the wizard. "You wouldn''t happen to know a good place to eat around here, would you?" "Visit the blacksmith first, boy," the wizard advised. "Have a bath and dinner at a tavern after. You smell like death." "Oh pshh, Murdoc, lighten up," the foxgirl said, turning back to Dave. "Listen, I''ll give you a free latte and a close-to-expiry snail cake if you tell me where you''re from. I don''t recognize your face." Dave blinked, taken slightly aback by the foxgirl''s generosity but glad that the Charisma magic was working on her. "That''s... awfully kind of you," he said, eyeing the cakes on display. "I''m from... urm... Let''s just say I''m new in town and still trying to figure out which way is up in this bizarre world." The foxgirl leaned out of her round window, her fluffy, dark ears twitching with interest. "Ooh, a mysterious stranger! How exciting! I''m Cedez Astra! So, tell me, did you perhaps fall from the sky? Or emerge from a magical portal? Come on, the cake offer requires more detail as payment. Entertain me!" "That free cake is coming out of your salary," the wizard commented. The foxgirl stuck her tongue out at him, seemingly not bothered. Dave couldn''t help but smile at their warm exchange. "Actually, I was dropped here by a giant bat after being reincarnated by a rather unpleasant-looking God-Emperor. You know, just your average Wednesday." "Ohhh, you''re one of the summoned! How exciting! Much more interesting than serving lattes and hanging out with grumpy wizards all day." She shot a playful glance at Murdoc, who merely harrumphed in response. "Well, if you think being summoned by a megalomaniacal God-Emperor is exciting, wait until you hear about the field of corpses and the bone city. It''s like a twisted amusement park, minus all the amusement," Charisma-laden words flowed out of Dave''s mouth. The foxgirl snorted, covering her mouth with a leather glove. "Ooh, tell me more! Was there a gift shop at least? I hear some necromancers have quite the flair for skull-themed merchandising." "I''m afraid the only souvenirs were trauma and this stylish bone knife," Dave replied, patting his weapon. "Though I suppose the constant fear of death does add a certain... je ne sais quoi to the experience." The foxgirl leaned further out of her window, nearly tumbling out in her enthusiasm. "And this giant bat? Was it friendly? Did it offer you frequent flyer miles?" Dave snorted, momentarily feeling like he was back in the office, chatting with a coworker. "Oh, absolutely. We''re best buddies now. We exchange Christmas cards and everything. The postage is killer, though." Cedez giggled. "So, Mr. Summoned, what''s your grand plan now? Defeat the evil God-Emperor? Save the local princess from boredom? Open a rival snail caf¨¦?" "Well, I was thinking of starting small. Maybe get some money for these bugs," Dave replied with a wry smile. "Ah yes, the prismatic beetles!" Cedez nodded, sliding a cake and a latte over to Dave. "I suggest the smithy on the hillside at the edge of town." "The smithy on the hillside?" Dave asked, accepting the food and drink. "Yepperoni," Cedez winked. Dave squinted at Cedez as he ate his snail cake and quickly drowned it with the latte. The cake was surprisingly tasty, with a texture reminiscent of a dense sponge cake and a hint of... was that mint? The foxgirl''s eyes sparkled mischievously. "You know, there''s an ancient legend that says if you can claim a dragon''s heart as your first quest in a new land, you''ll be blessed with unimaginable riches and power. In fact, why don''t I give you a quest now, hero?" Before Dave could say anything, Cedez placed her hand on top of his. The pattern of blue gems woven into her glove sparkled with silver strings, like a fractal that was folding into itself.
[Cambria Snail Cafe Quest: Slay the dragon, free the princess. Reward: An extra special latte!] [Accept: Y/N?]
Dave stared at the glowing text hovering above his wrist, his mind stuttering to a halt. "Are you seriously asking me to slay a dragon? Me? The guy who just stumbled into town looking like he almost lost a fight to a bunch of bugs?" He demanded. "Oh, come on! Where''s your sense of adventure? This could be your big break!" The girl laughed. "My sense of adventure is currently on vacation, possibly permanently. Besides, I''m pretty sure my ''big break'' would be quite literal if I faced a dragon right now," Dave crossed his arms. "But think of the princess! The glory! The... um... rewards!" "A latte?" Dave asked tiredly. "The quality of the latte will depend on the quality of the slaying, obviously," Cedez grinned. "Impress me enough and I... could even give you a handshake." Murdoc rolled his eyes. "Children, please. Some of us are trying to maintain a shred of dignity here." "Are you messing with me?" Dave squinted at Cedez. "Is this some kind of a joke?" "Oh, I mess with everyone, darling," the foxgirl laughed. "You''re the one who brought up slaying dragons." "Riiiiiight," Dave said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why not throw in a unicorn sidekick and a quest to find the holy grail while we''re at it?" Murdoc spoke up. "Don''t encourage him, Cedez." "Pffft," Cedez waved dismissively. "Our summoned friend here looks like he could handle a little heat." Dave, too tired to argue and slightly delirious from too many recent near-death experiences, simply blinked at the foxgirl. "Just a simple, lighthearted, open ended quest," Cedez clapped her hands gleefully. "Or dark-hearted, if you choose the path of a villain. That''s really up to you!" "Meaning what?" Dave asked. Cedez tapped her chin. "''Slay the dragon'' in this context, doesn''t necessarily mean you have to kill it. And ''free the princess'' doesn''t have to involve a literal rescue." "Uh-huh?" Dave outputted. "Maybe the dragon just needs a good conversation. Or a massage. Or... you know," she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe the princess needs freeing from her boring royal duties. Or from her stuffy clothes. Or from a slave collar. Or maybe she''s been cursed to turn into a hideous dragon monster at night and she just wants someone to cure her dire-some condition? See? Open ended." "Who is the princess in this scenario?" Dave asked. "The princess is whoever you nominate to be your princess, my Charismatic darling," Cedez smirked with sharp chompers. "Shandria is your oyster! Crack it open and enjoy the salty flavors!" "Boy, let me give you some advice. In this world, not every quest needs to be accepted, and not every princess needs saving," the wizard commented. "I''m just expanding his horizons!" Cedez protested. "Besides, think of the stories he could tell afterward. ''How I Wooed a Dragon: A Summoned Hero''s Tale.'' It could be Shandrian romance bestseller! Eh, eh?" She turned back to Dave with a sly grin. "Sometimes, the smartest thing to do is to walk away," Murdoc added, lighting a gray pipe. Dave nodded, feeling a surge of appreciation for the wizard''s pragmatism. "Thank you, voice of reason. I think I''ll take that advice and maybe start with something a bit less... fiery. Like finding a place to sleep that isn''t a dragon''s stomach." Cedez pouted, her ears drooping slightly. "Oh, you''re no fun. But fine, have it your way. The smithy on the hillside is still your best bet. Just... maybe don''t mention the dragon-slaying thing when you get there." Dave raised an eyebrow. "Why is that? Is this smith particularly sensitive about dragons?" "Yeeeeeees," Cedez answered with a shifty look of silver-blue eyes. Dave opened his mouth to demand greater clarity. Cedez clapped her hands. "Listen, you better get to the smithy before nightfall." "Why?" Dave asked. "Terrible things happen at night," Cedez replied cryptically. "What?" Dave blinked. "First they take your arms. Then legs," the foxgirl replied with a far too casual tone. "Then, the rest of you gets chopped up into adorkable meat cubes." The girl in the window of the Snail cafe smiled jovially with sharp fox chompers as the hair on the back of Dave''s neck suddenly stood up. [-3-] Blacksmith As Dave stared at Cedez''s sharp-toothed smile, Sherlock''s violin began to play a discordant melody in his head. The notes seemed to highlight various oddities about the foxgirl that he had previously overlooked. As the violin''s melody grew more insistent, Dave relocated all of his points from Charisma into Wisdom staring at the foxgirl. There was something distinctively off about her. Dave slowly moved his Wisdom-sharpened gaze across her figure, noting arrays of blue gemstones draped across her black leather collar, chest and black leather gloves. How the hell did she know about frequent flyer miles in a world of magic and dragons? The concept seemed oddly out of place in this otherwise medieval-looking setting. Dave''s mind went over her modern speech patterns, her knowledge of marketing and merchandising, and talking about getting chopped up at night with a big smile. A chill ran down Dave''s spine as the violin''s notes became more urgent, almost frantic. Something wasn''t right here, and Sherlock was agreeing with this assessment. Dave swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Thank you for the cake and latte. It was... enlightening." He slotted all of his points into Strength and started to back away from the snail caf¨¦, his eyes darting between Cedez and Murdoc. "I should probably head to the gates now." Cedez''s tail swished playfully. "Of course, Dave. Don''t be a stranger now! Come buy a latte once you''ve settled in my lovely town!" As Dave retreated, he could feel Cedez''s brilliantly blue eyes following him. The violin in his head continued its agitated melody, urging him to move faster. Did he even tell her his name? How did she know his name? He quickened his pace, weaving through the queue of fantastical beings, his heart pounding in his chest. The gates of Shandria loomed ahead, promising safety ¨C or at least, a different kind of danger than the somewhat unsettling foxgirl behind him. As he arrived at the impressive Adventurers Gate decorated with carvings of men and women armed with swords and bows fighting monsters, he cleared his throat, and launched into his introduction, switching most of his points into Charisma. "Good evening," Dave said with fake charismatic cheerfulness. "I have acquired exotic metallic specimens in the wilds, which I have been advised your smiths would pay top coin for." The disinterested guards exchanged a glance before letting the portcullis up to allow him entry. "Step forward to the counter and clearly state your name," the guard said. "Do note that any attempts to sway our minds with Charisma magic will result in denial of entry." Dave gulped, glancing at the drawing of what looked like a nine-eyed beast with a crown on the guard''s winged helmet. He quickly moved most of his points back into Wisdom and walked to the counter, noting that some kind of a sparkly snake-thing with big eyes was wrapped around the left side of the man''s helmet, stretching its head to his right ear. He opened his mouth to say a fake name when the violin in his soul sang a warning. At the same time increased Wisdom helped draw his eyes to an odd, small, cute, gray creature sitting on the table of the guard''s booth, staring at him. "What is that creature?" He asked looking at what he presumed was the guard''s pet. "Kitlix Veritix," the guard replied briskly. "Lying will result in denial of entry." "And that thing on your helmet?" He pointed at the violet critter on the guard''s helmet. "Kitlix Infix," the guard replied without further elaboration. "Some kind of lie-detector and information-gathering creatures?" Dave thought, Wisdom helping him guess what the critters did. "Thanks, Sherlock." He cleared his throat and tentatively took a step forward. "My name is Dave," he said. "I have metal-bug scraps to trade." Dave opened his bag, showing off the dead metal bugs. The Kitlix Veritix suddenly rushed from the booth up Dave''s body and settled on his shoulder, pale, silver eyes staring at him. Dave gulped. The liquid-solid critter barely felt like anything, was almost weightless. The guard glanced at the Veritix who''s entire body suddenly became painted with sprinkles of green stardust, large eyes and crystals on its tail and spine turning green. "Are you a criminal? Do you intend to cause trouble in Shandria?" The next question came. "Trouble?" Dave replied, feeling somewhat perturbed by the strange if somewhat cute Veritix intently staring at him from his shoulder. "No. I''m not a criminal.¡± ¡°Unless, of course, one can count my disobedience of the laws of cosmic reality by being bloody reincarnated in this ridiculous place,¡± he thought to himself. The Kitlix Veritix remained green. "State your primary skill," the guard pressed. "I''m a¡­ programmer," Dave replied briskly. The guard sighed, clearly unimpressed as the magenta-cyan snake-critter wrapped around his helmet hissed something into his ear. "I''m afraid that won''t do," the guard said. "My Infix tells me that you''re a mage. What is your core magic skill?" "Listening to bugs," Dave replied, squinting at the skill-identifying snake that stared at him from the guard''s helmet. "You''re not a necromancer?" The guard asked. "A necromancer?" Dave blinked, feeling somewhat nervous as the Veritix sparkled on his shoulder with green gems, wide green eyes never leaving his face. "Are you planning to raise the dead?" The guard asked. "We don''t take kindly to necromancers around these parts. Know that there are no graveyards in Shandria, nor morgues or prisons. Any attempts to raise the recently deceased will result your immediate execution by the law of her Divine Shadow." "Raise the dead? Execution? Divine Shadow?" Dave thought, the corners of his mouth sagging. "I have no intention nor the skills to create zombies, vampires or any other sort of other physical undead. I have no desire to build an army of the dead or whatever," he said. The first guard gave him a suspicious look as his Infix peered at Dave with big, cyan-tinted eyes. "Ah, yes," the second guard said as his helmet-critter hissed something into his ear. "Your level''s much too low for such." "Right, thanks for noticing," Dave said. "Now can I please enter so that I can trade these metallic bugs for some food and room? I¡¯m quite bruised and exhausted and I would really prefer not to pass out in your lovely gate." "How did you get bruised?" The second guard demanded. "A giant bat dropped me from the sky and then I was attacked by metal bugs," Dave explained. "Were you born on Arx or were you summoned here?" The first guard cut in. "Summoned," Dave replied. "By?" "A fat man that called himself the Golden Dragon God-Emperor," Dave answered, starting to sweat. "When?"This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "Yesterday," Dave confessed. "How many people have you murdered?" The second guard asked. "None," Dave replied. Both of the guards relaxed slightly. "Have you ever stolen anything?" The first guard asked. Dave let out a deep sigh. "The last thing I stole was a cookie from my grandmother when I was six and I got chided for it for an hour. I promise not to steal anything from anyone in town," he said. "Can I go now, or do you need my blood type and shoe size as well?" The Veritix turned slightly red, eyes clouding up to brown. The guards visibly tensed up. "I, urm," Dave gulped. "I took these clothes from an adventurer who perished in the wilds. Sorry, does that count as stealing? He was dead for a very long time. This is his bracelet." He showed the 2nd dark bracelet on his wrist with the hexagonal token and the iron plate with the dead man''s Quest on it. The guards looked at each other and then back to Dave. "That''s fine," the first one said. "Items found in the wild are free to claim by law of her Divine Shadow." "So I can go into town then?" "Yes," the guard said, finally waving Dave through. "Just go to the nearest blacksmith and sell your bugs. Don''t cause trouble." "No trouble," Dave nodded tiredly as the truth-sensing Veritix jumped off him back onto the guard''s desk. Some other kind of cyan-colored Kitlix emerged from a wooden drawer that the first guard opened. It rapidly spun its sinuous, almost fluid, sparkling body around a metal medallion that the first guard presented to it. "Here''s your Adventurers Gate pass, Dave," the first guard said. "Show it to us and tap it on this hexagram at the gate, unless you want to be interviewed again." The guard handed him a metal medallion as the Kitlix rushed back inside the open drawer. Dave spun the medallion in his hand, noticing that his bewildered-looking face was somehow imprinted on it as a small, shiny portrait burned into the metal with the words:
[LV 3: Dave]
"Clip it to your System bracelet," the guard said. "Do not lose it. It is your ID in Shandria." Dave quickly unlocked his bracelet and clipped the identification medallion to it. Then, as the portcullis ahead of him opened, he shuffled past the gate and into the bustling streets. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer scale of this place as he looked left and right. The town looked a lot bigger inside the gate, perhaps it was somehow altered by magic. "Now, just need to find that blacksmith," he muttered to himself. Dave made his way through the crowded market, dodging carts and narrowly avoiding getting trampled by a stampeding group of birdkin. He felt like a lost child, suddenly thrown into a circus with no guidance or direction. The air tingled with the buzz of mages peddling their wares. Arcane amulets and motes of magic danced around in a kaleidoscopic whirl. Looming towers leaned at jaunty angles as if they were caught imparting particularly salacious gossip to one another. The Kitlix critters seemed to be everywhere too, napping inside of lanterns, looking at Dave with big, colorful eyes from round windows, or simply sitting on people''s shoulders, adding to the whimsical otherness of the city''s interior. "And to think, programming a smart fridge language model to recognize expired milk was a big deal back home," he muttered staring at a whole basket of wiggling, colorful Kitlix that were being sold by one of the merchants. He ambled through the bustling streets, gawking at everything odd. Turning Phantom Sight on revealed that the streets of Shandria were entirely free of ghosts. His stomach rumbled, reminding him of his need to obtain money, so he asked the nearest wizard directions to the smithy on the hillside. "Ah, that smithy is down main street, that-a-way over the yonder hill. Head to the end of town cliffside. It''s in an old lighthouse building," the wrinkled man replied with a smirk, shaking his pink, pearlescent and absurdly wide hat. A silver Kitlix tilted its head at Dave from the wizard''s shoulder, his scruffy face reflected in the critter''s big, curious eyes. Dave nodded, as he thanked the elderly wizard for his assistance and briskly walked through the throng of magical folk heading towards the hill the old man had pointed out. Having conquered far too many stairs with the aid of extra points in Strength, he finally reached the top. His gaze settled on a rather peculiar blacksmithy, its turreted silhouette having endured the erosion of time and weather. It looked like a semi-crumbling ruin of an old tower that was half-transformed into a functional establishment. The chimney puffed tendrils of smoke. Rhythmic hammering emanated from within. Unexpectedly breathtaking, the cliffside stretched into the cloudy abyss. There was no water in its depths as far as Dave could see. "A repurposed lighthouse with no ocean in sight. How... quaint,¡± he commented. He made his way towards the blacksmithy with a soft smile. He could not help himself, he liked repurposed, old buildings. As Dave approached the blacksmithy''s entrance, he marveled at the picturesque scene. The flowing clouds cast dappled rays of light on the elegant flower fields that surrounded the building. Dave ducked through the low doorway of the blacksmithy, and immediately found himself in a coughing fit. The air inside was unbearably hot, akin to being trapped in a Finnish sauna that had been cranked up a few notches too high. Ashes and sparks pirouetted through the shimmering air, performing a delicate dance of heat and light. Dave swallowed his introduction as he froze in place. He had fully expected to see a heavy dwarf or perhaps a muscular, beardly man manning the forge. Instead, his gaze fell upon a slender, female hourglass figure backlit by the mesmerizing dance of the flames. Iridescent scales glittered like a thousand tiny stars. An apron, seemingly made from the very carcasses of the metal bugs Dave had battled, adorned her lithe form, the scales of her tail undulating back and forth as she vigorously hammered something on the anvil. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Dave drank in the sight before him, his senses overwhelmed by the symphony of heat, light, and the surreal vision of this otherworldly blacksmith that looked like a mixture between a... dragon and a girl. Red hair made up from gemstone-like strands glittered atop her head cascading down her shoulders like a ruby waterfall. Somehow the questionable foxgirl was right on target with her jokes, and Dave found himself utterly unprepared for this realization. Dave felt his cheeks flush, and not just from the sweltering temperature. He was acutely aware of how ridiculous he must look ¨C disheveled, covered in blood and bug guts, and gaping like a fish out of water. Yet he couldn''t tear his eyes away from the girl who reached a clawed hand directly into the fire, humming an odd, beautiful melody. After a few minutes she finally stopped hammering and crossed her arms staring at the fire, a soft smile crossing her lips. There was something utterly alien and yet insanely familiar in her smile, like a song or a painting he''s forgotten decades ago and only now was able to remember. "H-hello," Dave said finally. "Yes?" the dragoness rotated. Her expression instantly soured when she saw him. Dave cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "Yes, um, sorry for interrupting your work. I have some Prismatic Beetles here to trade for Shandrian currency." The girl scowled, revealing sharp teeth that glinted menacingly in the forge''s glow. Dave felt a distinctive sense of being very unwelcome. "What is up with her?" He thought to Sherlock. The violin in his soul began to play a sad melody. Dave quickly slotted twenty points into Wisdom. "Slave," his mind arrived at the answer in a flash as Dave''s eyes spotted a dark metal collar on the girl''s neck featuring a triangular, slightly glowing red gemstone in its center. Its design was similar to the collars worn by the guards at the Citadel of bones. The dragoness''s voice was cold. "What do you want?" she growled, her eyes flaring up in annoyance. "Currency?" Dave repeated, trying to maintain his composure. "You humans are all the same," the dragoness snarled at him. Dave''s jaw tensed, he shuffled his feet and instinctively took a step back, unsure if he was about to be set on fire or flattened with a hammer. He cleared his throat again and tried his best to sound confident. "Look, I don''t want any trouble. I-" "I don''t care for conversation, just trade and leave," the dragoness snapped, the fire behind giving off a menacing look to her figure. She marched off into a corner and dug through it making lots of noise of metal banging against metal. "Pour the bugs on the tray," the grumpy blacksmith returned and slammed a metal tray onto a barrel standing in front of him. Dave emptied the bag of metallic bugs onto the tray. The dragoness scrutinized the bugs, turning them over with her clawed hands. "These are very low quality... I''ll give you two coppers for them," she said briskly. The color of her scales slowly changed from dark violet to green as she spoke as if they were made from mood rings. "She''s undercutting you," the violin seemed to suggest. "Negotiate." Dave suppressed a sigh. Haggling wasn''t his forte, but he knew he had to try. Two coppers couldn''t even buy him a latte from the snail cart. He rubbed his sweaty palms together, noting that a dark red, sleek something stirred within the forge, big eyes staring at him out of the fire. It was probably another Kitlix, he figured, one that was keeping the forge hot or something. "I''m not sure that''s a fair price," he said finally as he re-positioned some of his points from Wisdom to Charisma. "These bugs may be low quality, but I did work... Err, bleed quite a bit for them. How about a silver?" Dave proposed hopefully. The girl raised her eyebrow, snorting derisively. "Greedy and selfish, like the rest of ''em. Take the deal or leave it. I don''t have all day." She gestured impatiently towards the door with a clawed hand. Dave pushed a few more points into Charisma. "Don''t think that I can''t sense Charisma radiating off you," the dragoness snarled suddenly. "What?" Dave blinked. "Out," she said, pointing at the door. Dave blinked. "I am not going to tolerate Charisma magic trying to change my mind. Get out," she added firmly. [-4-] Nightfall Dave stood there, stunned by the dragoness''s harsh reaction. He quickly shifted his points back to Wisdom, realizing his mistake. The violin in his mind played a somber tune, urging him to tread carefully. "I... I apologize," Dave said softly, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "I didn''t mean to offend you. I''m new here and still learning the rules. I won''t use Charisma in your presence again. Please, I''m not trying to trick you or anything. I just need enough money for a meal and a place to sleep." The dragoness''s scales shifted slightly to pinkish red, a flicker of something - perhaps surprise or curiosity - passing across her face. She studied Dave more closely, her eyes narrowing as she took in his battered appearance and tattered clothes. The detective''s violin began to play an Irish pub song. Dave recognized it as The Wellerman, by The Irish Rovers. The song slowly drained his frustration away. Dave knew he was treading on thin ice with the dragoness, but he decided to push his luck. He tried to push past his exhaustion to look as sympathetic as possible. The dragoness simply glared back at him. Her glare reminded Dave of a time when he had annoyed a particularly aggressive badger that was gnawing on a piece of cheese from his bin. "Share a secret," the violin entwined with Wisdom magic seemed to suggest after a moment of tense silence. "Break the ice." "Look," Dave said tiredly, "I''m kind of like you." "Like me?!" The dragoness snarled, her scales turning a deeper red. "How are you in any way like me?" Dave felt a lump forming in his throat. "Just yesterday, I was magicked naked to this world and forced into a teeth-pulling labor force. Everything is overwhelming and I don''t really know anyone ," he explained. "Just like you, I don''t like being a slave, don''t like being forced into work. We''re both victims here, in a way. And, quite frankly, we could both use some kindness and understanding." The dragoness huffed and fidgeted with her claws. "Were you really?" Dave exhaled a breath he didn''t realize he was holding. "Yes, I was," he replied, "I got these clothes from an old corpse. You think I dress and smell like this normally? I just escaped from my ¡®master¡¯, a fat man that called himself a God-Emperor. Were you born free?" The girl let out a small growl. "I was free so long ago that I can barely remember it. Now I am bound to serve this blasted town forevermore as property of a vile human." Dave nodded in understanding. "That sounds... terrible. Not all humans are like that though," he said, even though he himself had little evidence to support that claim. She scoffed. "Sure." There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Dave finally spoke up. "So, about the bugs. Can we agree on a price that''s a little closer to what they''re actually worth?" "These bugs are very damaged," she said. "What did you do, bash them with a pointy rock?" "A bone knife," Dave pointed to the knife on his belt. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°Well, they¡¯re too banged up and are only good for melting down.¡± Dave rubbed his temple, stressing out further. He hated bartering. Then the rational part of his soul intervened. "Befriend her," Sherlock''s strings sang. "Break the pattern." Dave looked at the dragoness, her scales shifting between violet and dark red. "What''s your name?" He asked. "Where are you from?" The blacksmith let out a small sigh. "Remicra," she said with a trace of annoyance. "And I''m from ... somewhere very far from here. It doesn''t matter. I cannot return, I am bound to this blasted smithy." She picked up one of the metallic bugs and examined it more closely, turning it over in her clawed hand. "Take the bugs," Dave said suddenly as his mind arrived at the perfect pattern-breaker. "Hrrm?" The dragoness blinked. "Take them, for free," he added with a tired look. Something suddenly broke in the NPC script that Remicra was following. She looked at Dave, stupefied. Dave enjoyed Remicra''s stunned expression, secretly reveling in the knowledge that he had managed to derail her. "Wait. Why?" she demanded. Dave couldn''t help but smile at Remicra''s expression. Her scales shifted to a softer hue, somewhere between violet and blue, as she struggled to process his unexpected offer. "Because," Dave said gently, "sometimes it''s nice to do something kind for someone else, especially when they''re having a rough day. And it seems like we''re both having a pretty rough time of it lately." Remicra''s eyes narrowed, searching Dave''s face for any sign of deception. Finding none, her posture relaxed slightly, and her tail swished in a less agitated manner. "You''re... different," she said cautiously, her voice losing some of its earlier hostility. "Most humans who come here just want to haggle or show off their magic or order me around like I''m their property." Dave shrugged, feeling a warmth spread through his chest at the small breakthrough. "Well, I''m new here. Maybe I haven''t learned to be a jerk yet." "Uh-huh," she nodded. "So you really don''t want money for these bugs?" "I can probably make some money at the market with my magic," he shrugged. "I''ll be fine." "Who would even pay a coin to a filthy, smelly manling like you?" She asked. "You look like some wind could push you over." Dave sighed, trying not to take offense. He looked down at his raggedy cloak, "This isn''t how I normally smell. I crawled through a mountain of corpses, fought a giant bat and got assaulted by a bunch of metal bugs." Remicra''s lips quirked, revealing a set of pointy teeth. "Hrm. You''re not completely insufferable, I suppose," she said. "For a human." As Dave prepared to leave, he turned to Remicra and said, "Keep your head up, Remicra. This place may be old and broken, but not everything is. Not everyone is." "Hrrm," the dragoness huffed as she watched him leave from her fiery domain. Dave stumbled out of the sweltering smithy. His senses had been besieged on all sides; the oppressive heat of the forge, the acrid stench of the metal bugs and his gnawing hunger conspired to confound him. He slid onto the grass, leaning his back against the sturdy, moss-covered wall of the lighthouse. The cliff side breeze caressed his flushed face, relaxing his battered senses. He walked for at least forty kilometers today and felt unbearably exhausted, in dire need of a nap. As he sat there, Dave felt a warmth spreading through him that had nothing to do with the fading sunlight. It was the warmth of survival, of having faced numerous challenges and come out the other side. He''d navigated treacherous terrain, battled strange creatures, and even managed to have a civil conversation with a dragon blacksmith. It wasn''t much, but it was a start. Things were definitely looking up after the whole reincarnated into bone-world business. A fat cloud slowly rolled from the chasm, casting a diffused, dreamlike glow over the haphazard, medieval town. Surrendering to exhaustion, Dave yawned and allowed his heavy eyelids to flutter closed. He switched all of the soul bits inside of him to Vitality. . . . When he opened his eyes again, he was met with the imposing figure of Remicra, who stared down at him with molten gold and violet glare that held the promise of danger. Her iridescent scales served as a living canvas, reflecting the rich hues of the continent-filled sky above and the green meadow below. "I thought you would''ve scampered off to the market by now to impress other idiots with your magic," she sneered. Dave managed a weak smile. "No such luck, I''m afraid. I''m not really sure where I''m supposed to go next. Or what I''m supposed to do." "Typical clueless manling," Remicra finally muttered with a derisive snort. "Always looking for someone else to tell them what to do." Despite his tiredness, Dave couldn''t help but roll his eyes. "Yes, typical clueless human. Am I meant to be asking you for guidance or wisdom, since you''re so well-versed in those areas?" "I could snap you in two right now, human," she threatened. Dave simply shrugged. "Go ahead and make with the snapping. I''m too tired and scratched up to move. Pretty sure that damn bat broke a rib or two when it dropped me from the sky." With a deep growl, Remicra stormed into the smithy. She emerged a few moments later with bandages and a few leaves, hurling them at Dave.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "Here. Take these and leave, before I change my mind and decide to roast you for dinner," she snarled. Dave looked at the bandages. "What...?" he asked. "These are, clearly, bandages and aloe leaves, you insufferable dolt," Remicra retorted. "You are absolutely covered in lacerations! The City Watch might impose a fine on the smithy if I let your corpse rot here!" "Thanks," he murmured. Remicra emitted a guttural grunt of acknowledgement. Dave proceeded to wrap his wounds. As he completed the task of binding the cuts left by the metallic insects, a magical luminescence blossomed throughout the town nestled beneath the cliff side, thousands of windows lighting up with various colors from within. Dave gazed at the idyllic scene below, a tide of melancholy surging within his chest. The violin residing in the recesses of his soul commenced an incredibly mournful serenade. It was a peculiar sensation, to be simultaneously spellbound and wistful. Involuntarily, as the incredibly sad violin song played on and on his thoughts drifted to Lari and the host of countless other lost souls his Phantomancy had absorbed in the horrid Citadel of the Dragon Emperor. He blinked, only to find that his cheeks were dampened by tears. The pain, shock and despair crashed into him all at once. "Are you crying?" Remicra asked. Dave looked up at her. "Uh, no. No, I am not," he said, swiping the tears away. God damn it, Sherlock, why? "Ha," Remicra interjected. "You ARE crying!" "Fine, I am," Dave admitted. "Yesterday, I saw more deaths than I have in the entirety of my life. It seems that the local deities just love murder and madness." "Oh, they do," the dragoness agreed. "Look up." Dave raised his eyes upward. The clouds rolling over the chasm, encircled by the majestic snow-capped mountains, bore the reflection of a long, brilliant orange streak. "The degree of refraction in those clouds is extremely high," His mind clicked. "A sun is mirrored within them, creating the illusion of a sunset." As he looked even further up in the sky, he beheld a sight so monstrous and awe-inspiring that it left him speechless. There, in the heart of the sky, was a gargantuan black hole ringed by a shimmering orange corona. A massive yellow star, like a celestial dancer, spun gracefully around the black hole, its fiery hue deepening as it moved past the rim of the singularity. "Holy shit," Dave choked out. "This isn''t a Dyson sphere... its a freaking... Birch world... or something." "That''s Nihilim," Remicra murmured, pointing at the sky. "The void engine built by the old gods that holds our world together." "Incredible," Dave breathed. He turned to his companion. "You know, now that I think about it, I have no idea what this world is called." "Arxtruria," Remicra said. "Does that stand for something?" Dave asked. "Arx Tru Ria," Remicra intoned, her words stretching like a somber song. "Symphony of the Damned." "Now that''s an uplifting name," he attempted to infuse some levity into the conversation. "I suppose ''Harmony of the Merry'' was already taken?" "Indeed, the Gods have a penchant for the dramatic," Remicra said. The inverted landscape beyond the black hole and the sun vanishing behind the event horizon was illuminated with stars that ignited and dimmed in random sequences. "What... but there''s land there, right?" he said. "What are those flickering lights?" "You cannot see the fires of war during the day," Remicra intoned. "Each star represents a city or a nation reduced to cinders." "What?" Dave repeated. "Fire magics. The God-Emperors and their archmage mutts engage in endless strife over territory," Remicra said darkly. Dave swallowed. The distant skirmishes sent a disquieting shiver coursing through him ¨C the local gods exercised no restraint in the wielding of their power. As he stared at the incandescent display, the violin within him abruptly altered its melody, evoking an air of tension. These distant pinpricks of light were akin to thermonuclear detonations. "Some God-Emperors can summon endless armies into being," Remicra added. "Some build thousands of citadels across the land and the others turn it all to ashes in the blink of an eye. The war between the Gods never ends as nations rise and fall." "Could they annihilate this town too?" Dave gulped. "They could," the dragoness responded with a shrug. "But it is unlikely. Shandria is under the wings of her Divine Shadow." "Meaning what?" "The sorcery of the Shadow Empress shields this town from harm," the ruby-haired blacksmith said. "It is her domain." "So, this Shadow Empress is safeguarding us from other god-like warlords capable of obliterating entire nations? Seems like Shandria isn''t so bad then. I''m starting to like this town more," Dave mulled. Remicra rolled her eyes, a gesture she had clearly perfected. "I daresay you would prefer to hide yourself within some subterranean recess for the duration of your existence rather than confront the world." "Hey, I resemble that remark," Dave replied with a smile. Remicra''s scales shifted to an orange as she gazed at the darkening sky. "You should head into town NOW," she intoned. Dave looked at her, puzzled. "Why? What''s the rush?" ¡°Night is coming,¡± she said. "When the sun vanishes behind the horizon of Nihilim, it will be pitch black." "And?" "If you wish to die slowly and horribly, then go ahead and stay outside," the dragoness said. At her words, his tired mind suddenly recalled the words of the fox-girl at the snail caf¨¦. Her cheerful voice echoed in his memory: "Terrible things happen at night. First they take your arms. Then legs." "Uh, where exactly should I head to?" he asked, trying to sound calm. "I''m sort of short on funds." "The Adventurers Guild," Remicra said. "It''s a massive, white cathedral in the center of town. You can''t miss it. See over there? There''s its spire in the distance. If you run fast, you''ll make it there before darkness falls. They''ll give you a room for the night on a tab." Dave nodded, relief washing over him at the prospect of a safe place to sleep. He pushed everything into Strength and struggled to his feet, his body protesting every movement. "Thank you, Remicra," he said sincerely. "For the bandages, the advice, and... well, for not roasting me, I suppose." The dragoness snorted. "Don''t thank me yet, human. You still have to make it through the night. Run now. Before the Leviathan Nightingale spreads her wings across all of Shandria.¡± Dave''s heartbeat intensified at the blacksmith''s words. He rushed away from the smithy, heading back into town at an ever-increasing pace. The city streets, once inviting and magical, now seemed to hold hidden dangers in every shadow. Dave hurried through the eerily empty streets of Shandria. The threat of being chopped into "adorkable meat cubes" spurred him on, and he shoved everything into Agility, his feet barely touching the ground as he sprinted towards the white cathedral. A somber bell suddenly responded across town and windows and doorways all around Dave began to close. The ringing of the bell amplified itself, began bouncing from tower to tower like a lamenting tornado-warning siren. The white cathedral loomed ahead, its imposing structure a beacon of hope in the gathering darkness. Dave''s lungs burned as he pushed himself harder, acutely aware of the shadows deepening around him. He caught sight of an open side door just as the main entrance closed shut, and with a final burst of speed, he flung himself through the opening. Panting heavily, Dave found himself face to face with a stern-looking guard who fixed him with a disapproving glare. "Cutting it rather close, aren''t we?" the bearded man in the steel helmet chided. "Token please." "I''m sorry," Dave gasped, fumbling for his token. "I... I didn''t realize how late it was getting." The guard''s expression softened slightly as Dave presented his identification. With a curt nod, he asked, "And how will you be paying for your accommodations this evening?" Dave, still struggling to catch his breath, managed to wheeze out, "The cheapest room available, please. Put it on my tab if that''s possible." "Can do," the guard nodded. "Just be wary if you go above 20 silver, the Guild is permitted to collar you until you work off the debt." Dave swallowed. "So how much is the cheapest room?" "Five copper a night," the man replied. "Okay," Dave nodded. "Follow," the guard said briskly. Eerie, red lights ignited across the hallway they were standing in, originating from triangular runes. Oddly enough, they cast no shadows, their red, suspiciously even radiance seemingly going right through walls and around corners. Deciding he needed more clarity on the local economy, he cleared his throat and asked, "Could you explain how the currency works here? I''m... new to, uh, Shandria." The guard seemed to take pity on Dave. "Alright, listen up because I''m only going to explain this once," he said as he led Dave down a long spiral stairwell. "Ten coppers make a silver. A hundred silvers make a gold. A hundred gold make a platinum. A hundred platinum make a magisteel. A thousand magisteel make a celesteel." Dave nodded, trying to commit the information to memory. The guard continued, "Most folks deal in coppers and silvers for day-to-day transactions. Golds are for bigger purchases or savings. Platinums? Those are for the wealthy merchants and mid-tier nobles. And magisteel and celesteel? Those are reserved for the Highborn Lords, obscenely rich or high-ranking Guild members, people looking to buy real estate." "I see," Dave said. "And how much would a typical meal cost? Or a set of clothes?" The guard sighed, clearly not thrilled about playing economic advisor. "The cheapest meal at a tavern might run you 7-8 coppers. A set of basic clothes, maybe 3 to 10 silvers depending on quality. But prices can vary widely depending on where you shop and what you''re buying." "And jobs? How much might someone earn for a day''s work?" "Depends on the job," the guard shrugged. "An unskilled laborer might make 10 to 15 coppers a day. A more skilled craftsman could earn several silvers. Adventurers can make a fortune, or end up owing the Guild a fortune, or die in the wilds. Working for the Guild is risky business." Dave nodded, feeling slightly more informed. "Thank you for the explanation. I appreciate it." Another nod from the guard, and Dave found himself being led down another winding staircase that seemed to descend into the very bowels of the earth. Then, the guard paused at a nondescript section of wall. "Token please." As Dave handed his token over, the guard slipped it inside a faintly glowing hole inhabited by a cyan Kitlix. When the guard handed Dave his token, Dave noted that a dark red [-5 Co] was displayed on it now, hovering next to his face. As they continued their descent, the air became thick and musty, the soft glow of red triangular runes cast an eerie light on their path. Finally, they reached what appeared to be a vast underground chamber, filled with row upon row of small alcoves carved into the rock. "And here''s your lovely room," the guard announced, gesturing to a cramped, dusty alcove barely large enough for a person to lie down. Dave peered inside, noting the conspicuous absence of any bedding or mattress. As the guard turned to leave, Dave stared at the tiny alcove, his heart sinking as he realized this would be his accommodation for the night. Then with a sigh, he slipped inside. The space featured rough, grimy stone walls on three sides and nothing but the cold, hard stone beneath. No mattress, no blanket, not even a pillow - just bare rock. As the guard''s footsteps faded away, Dave cautiously peered out of his alcove. The vast underground chamber stretched out before him, filled with hundreds of similar niches carved into the rock. Each was occupied by a figure, some human, some decidedly not. The air was filled with mingled scents of sweat, dirt, and something Dave couldn''t quite identify but made his nose wrinkle in disgust. The eerie red glow from the triangular runes didn''t serve as very good lighting. In this crimson twilight, Dave caught glimpses of his fellow "guests." Some were clearly seasoned adventurers, their bodies scarred and muscled, weapons clutched even in sleep. Others looked as lost and frightened as Dave felt, huddled in their alcoves with wide, darting eyes. A grizzled dwarf in the alcove across from Dave met his gaze, giving him a toothless grin before turning over and beginning to snore loudly. To his left, a figure that seemed to be made entirely of dark feathers curled up tightly, occasionally emitting a soft, whimpering sound. Dave retreated into his alcove, his back pressed against the cool stone. His heart was still racing from his mad dash through the darkening streets, and now claustrophobia threatened to overwhelm him. He used the dead man''s ragged bag as a pillow and closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing. As the minutes ticked by, the cacophony of sounds in the chamber gradually died down. The muttered conversations, rustling of clothes, and occasional coughs gave way to a chorus of snores and deep breathing. The oppressive silence that followed was broken only by the occasional whimper or muffled cry - testament to the nightmares that plagued many of the sleepers. Exhaustion tugged at Dave''s consciousness, but fear kept him alert. What if the cryptic warnings about the night were true? What if something came for him while he slept and chopped off his arms? He shook his head, trying to clear the paranoid thoughts. He needed rest if he was going to survive in this strange new world. With a deep sigh, Dave concentrated on redistributing his soul points. He pushed everything into Vitality, hoping it would help him recover from the day''s ordeals. The aches in his muscles began to fade, and the cuts and bruises from his encounter with the metallic bugs seemed to throb less painfully. Even the gnawing hunger in his stomach subsided somewhat. As the healing warmth of Vitality washed over him, Dave''s eyelids grew heavy. He fought against sleep for a few more moments, straining his ears for any sign of danger. But all he could hear were the snores and quiet breathing of his fellow destitute adventurers. Finally, unable to resist any longer, Dave allowed his eyes to close. His last conscious thought was a mix of gratitude for having found shelter and trepidation about what the next day might bring. Then, mercifully, he slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep. [-5-] Felix Kitlix Dave awoke with a start, his body aching from the hard stone floor. As he blinked away the remnants of sleep, he found himself face-to-face with the toothless dwarf he''d noticed the night before. "First time in the pits, eh?" the dwarf asked, his breath a pungent mix of ale and something far less pleasant. Dave nodded, wincing as he sat up. "That obvious, huh?" The dwarf laughed heartily. "Aye, lad. You''ve got that ''fresh meat'' look about ya, staring at all the things with wide eyes. Name''s Grimble. Been calling these pits home for nigh on twenty years now. Do try to get out of the minus, the authorities and some people be treating the ones deep in the red with no respect." The dwarf waved a grimy hand at the [-5 Co] on Dave''s token. As Grimble regaled Dave with tales of his adventures and misadventures of a life as a sewer cleaner, Dave''s bladder made its urgent needs known. Grimble pointed him towards a questionable hole in the floor at the far end of the chamber. "Mind your step," Grimble warned with a grin. "And don''t look down too long, or you might see something you wish you hadn''t." After relieving himself, Dave followed the stream of other adventurers making their way upstairs. He emerged into the grand cathedral, the bustling heart of the Adventurers'' Guild. The cavernous interior was a sight to behold. There were no pews and altar. Instead, a sea of colorful tents filled the entirety of the wide open space framed by massive white columns, creating a labyrinthine marketplace. Dave wandered through the maze of tents, his eyes wide with wonder. The air was alive with the buzz of conversation, the clink of coins, and the occasional flash of magic. Salespeople of all races and species called out to passing adventurers, their voices a cacophony of enticement and bargaining. At the center of it all stood the largest tent. Inside, Dave spotted a lively pub filled with a diverse crowd of patrons enjoying breakfast. Dave cranked his Charisma to the max and managed to procure a discounted boar sandwich and a wooden cup of water from a kindly old witch vendor who''d taken pity on his bedraggled appearance and commented on his dashing ginger hair. As he chewed thoughtfully, he slowly meandered through the river of colorful tents, his ID token now featuring a [-8 Co] on it. Dave found himself constantly distracted by the alien sights and sounds around him, nearly bumping into other patrons as he gawked at everything from glowing, bubbling potions to impossibly sharp swords. Feeling inspired, he switched twenty two of his points to Foresight to see whether that would do anything at all for him here, as that was a magical category that he wanted to understand the inner workings of. Turning Phantom Sight on for a few seconds showed him that the cathedral was completely free of ghost-sparks, the entire market appearing dim and gray. As he walked, a particularly eye-catching tent caught his attention. It was adorned with shimmering, iridescent fabric that seemed to ripple even in the absence of wind. Inside, he saw dozens of small, adorable creatures that looked like a cross between cats, snakes and gemstones occupying all sorts of buckets and glass containers. Dave approached the Kitlix sales tent, where a cheerful silver-haired catgirl merchant in a white robe greeted him. "Welcome, welcome! I see the Kitlix have caught your eye." Dave nodded, finishing the last bite of his sandwich. "They''re certainly unique. What exactly are the Kitlix?" The merchant''s eyes lit up at the chance to peddle her wares. "Ah, it must be your first day in Shandria! The Kitlix are living magical critters, born from any old implement with a rune on it. As you can see, each one is entirely unique, with its own abilities and personality!" As if on cue, a small, cyan-colored Kitlix peeked out from behind a display, its large, intelligent eyes fixed on Dave. The merchant reached out to scratch behind its ears. "This little Infix for example, is quite the smarty-pants, helps calculate change and taxes for transactions. Cyan Kitlix are associated with intelligence-related magic." Dave''s eyebrows raised in surprise. "Sooo... they have different colors for different abilities?" "Indeed!" the merchant exclaimed. She proceeded to explain the color-coding system: red for strength related magical alignment, orange for agility, yellow for dexterity, green for vitality, blue for charisma, indigo for general magic, violet for foresight, cyan for intelligence, and magenta for wisdom. "A Kitlix at the Adventurers gate that scanned my words for honesty," Dave said. "What alignment is that?" "Wisdom," the merchant pointed at a magenta-colored critter. "They can be further aligned to hosting truth-spells and then turn clear and flash from red to green expressing if they sense truth or lies!" "What about a Kitlix that modifies Adventurer tokens?" Dave asked. "Cyan and magenta," the merchant replied. "Moonwood resonance magic! These tokens are carved from Moonwood tree roots, which Burnix Kitlix can imprint magic into in specific, visible patterns." "Could someone not modify this number with a Burnix Kitlix then?" Dave asked tapping his [-8]. "The Guild Kitlix would sense any such modifications," the catgirl shook her head. "They''re all from the same family, aligned to each other. Messing with your token would get you collared on the spot, one hundred years labor sentence."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "I see," Dave nodded. "How do you manage so many of them?" "I''m a breeder," the girl replied with a smile. "They are bonded to me when they''re born from runestones my family makes. I can however bond any of them to a client as a familiar." As the merchant spoke, Dave found himself staring at a tiny, violet Kitlix that was playfully chasing its own tail. Its body sparkled like amethysts in the sunlight, and it seemed to emit a faint, pleasant humming sound. The violet Kitlix suddenly stopped twirling and leaped onto Dave''s shoulder, nuzzling against his neck. He couldn''t help but laugh at its affectionate gesture. "That one seems to like you," the catgirl said with a wink of silver-blue eyes. "Violet Kitlix are associated with luck aka Foresight. Perhaps she senses you could use some good fortune! Or perhaps she noticed that you have lots of Foresight to spare." Dave gently stroked the Kitlix''s sparkling crystals, marveling at how its body felt both soft and crystalline at the same time. The creature purred, a sound like tinkling wind chimes. "Oh, and here''s another fascinating tidbit - all Kitlix are female! They''re quite the dependable little darlings, each one capable of hosting a particular spell or amplifying their Master''s innate magic skill!" "Really?" Dave asked. The violet Kitlix on his shoulder let out a tiny, melodic chirp as if to confirm this fact. The merchant nodded. "Yep. And they have the most adorable way of reproducing. When a Kitlix is well-fed and happy, she''ll start to grow. Once she reaches a certain size, she can be split into two smaller Kitlix, each with their own unique personality and sometimes slightly different colors!" Dave couldn''t help but smile at the thought. "That''s pretty neat. How big do they get and what do they eat exactly?" "They don''t get bigger than a mundane kitten. They are fed by their Master''s mana and also mana crystals," the merchant replied, reaching into a pouch at her waist and pulling out a small, rainbow-colored, softly glowing crystal. "These shinies are their primary food source. The more mana crystals a Kitlix consumes, the more magically potent she becomes!" The violet Kitlix on Dave''s shoulder perked up at the sight of the crystal, her gem-like eyes sparkling with interest. Dave smiled, gently scratching under her chin. "I can see someone''s getting hungry. Where do mana crystals come from?" "Ah, now that''s the adventure part! Mana crystals grow naturally in dungeons and other wild places outside the city. Many adventurers make a living collecting and selling them to the merchants and wizards. It''s dangerous work, but quite profitable." Dave nodded, imagining the perilous Quests one might undertake to gather these magical crystals. "And for those of us who aren''t quite ready to face dungeon monsters?" "For the less adventurous," the merchant said, "mana crystals can be purchased from any of the Arx Banks. They''re not cheap, mind you - a small crystal like this one usually goes for about five silver." Dave mulled over his current lack of funds. The violet Kitlix on his shoulder let out a small, sympathetic trill, as if understanding his predicament. "Of course," the catgirl added, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone, "there are always quests available for those looking to earn some extra coin. Who knows? You might find yourself with enough silver for a Kitlix and a pocketful of mana crystals before you know it! Just go talk to the Guild Secretary over there and she''ll give you a job befitting your skills!" Dave nodded, absently petting the Kitlix as he considered his options. The little creature''s purring intensified. He couldn''t deny the appeal of having such a charming, useful companion in this strange new world. "So, uh, how much is this little violet one?" Dave asked. "And does she have a name?" The silver-haired catgirl merchant smiled warmly, her tail swishing behind her. "This particular Kitlix is priced at 220 silver," she replied. "As for a name, well, she doesn''t have one yet. Kitlix are typically named by their owners, allowing for a special bond to form between them." Dave''s eyebrows shot up at the price. "I see," he said. "And what exactly does she do? You mentioned something about luck earlier?" The catgirl waved her hands dramatically, her silver hair catching the light streaming through the massive stained glass windows behind her. "Luck magic is more complex and powerful than most people realize. It''s not just about finding a coin on the street or winning at cards. Luck magic often correlates with precognitive abilities. Owners of Foresight-aligned Kitlix have reported experiencing prophetic dreams, particularly about potential dangers or death. Some have even developed the ability to glimpse very brief visions of possible futures." Dave''s eyes widened. The violet Kitlix tilted its head, seeming to study him with increasing intensity, definitely sensing the 22 points he has slotted into Foresight. "These visions," the merchant continued, "while not always clear can be incredibly invaluable for adventurers. Imagine being able to foresee a trap in a dungeon or a betrayal by a supposed ally. Of course, the future isn''t set in stone, but having a glimpse of potential outcomes can be a powerful tool for a Seer!" "So it''s like a personal crystal ball?" Dave commented. "Better!" The merchant nodded. "She''s cuter and will always return to your side, unlike a crystal ball which can be stolen. Violet Kitlix are born from old crystal balls." "So could I just buy an old crystal ball and hatch a Kitlix myself?" Dave asked. "You could," the merchant shrugged. "But unless you used the the crystal ball yourself for many decades the manifested Kitlix will just vanish overnight, run away to one of the breeding farms which have tons of mana crystals for them to munch on. Without the familiar binding spell which I provide, breeding your own Kitlix is a game of chance where you simply lose the Kitlix ninety nine percent of the time." The violet Kitlix chirped softly. It then proceeded to do a small somersault off Dave''s shoulder, landing gracefully onto the counter and looking quite pleased with itself. Dave couldn''t help but smile at the display. "Felix Kitlix also have an uncanny ability to lead their owners to fortunate discoveries," the catgirl added. "Lost treasures, hidden passages, rare ingredients - the Felix seem to have a sixth sense for finding valuable, lost, or useful things their owner might need in the future!" Dave nodded, his mind racing with the possibilities. A companion that could potentially warn him of danger and guide him to valuable resources sounded incredibly useful. However, the price tag was a rather significant obstacle. "How exactly do people communicate with them?" Dave asked. "Depends on the person," the catgirl shrugged. "Kitlix are sort of like... personal living implements. Some people talk to ''em, some just think orders at them. A mage with lots of points in Foresight would be able to cast a potent luck spell through a Felix Kitlix!" "A luck spell such as?" Dave asked. "Let''s say you''re a Foresight-aligned mage who lost your house keys," the catgirl wiggled her ears. "Simply push Foresight aligned mana into the Felix Kitlix, tell her what you want and she''d find the keys for you!" "That''s... certainly handy," Dave said, reaching out to gently scratch the Kitlix behind its ears. The creature leaned into his touch, emitting a soft, melodious purr. "I wish I could afford her right now." The merchant beamed at him. "Just go make some cash, grab a few Guild jobs. And who knows? Maybe this little violet charmer will still be here waiting for you when you return. The Kitlix choose their owners based on alignment and skill level!" As if to emphasize the point, the violet Kitlix nuzzled Dave''s hand one last time before gracefully vanishing amidst a hundred of its kin populating the glass jars. Dave sighed wistfully, thanked the merchant for the info and headed towards the jobs dispensing desk. [-6-] Jobs Dave approached the front desk of the Adventurers Guild, taking in the unique appearance of the Guild Secretary. She looked like a strange fusion of human and jellyfish, slightly translucent silver skin revealing intricate networks of gossamer strands beneath. Her hair, a curious cascade of jellyfish-like gold-silver tendrils, undulated around her head as if caught in an unseen current. He also noticed a small, dark, pearlescent Kitlix perched in a bronze goblet on the woman''s desk. "Welcome to the Church of Saint Kellsion, the first Adventurer," the woman said, her smile warm. "I''m Guild Secretary, Sister Antiqilla." As Dave stepped to the desk, the Kitlix''s large, pale eyes fixed upon him with an intensity that made him slightly uncomfortable. "Token?" the Secretary asked. Dave carefully unclasped the token from the chain on his wrist and handed it to her. As she received it, the Kitlix let out a soft, musical trill. Then, the creature gracefully leaped onto the desk and began to circle his token, its body pulsing. "Oh, don''t mind Opal," the Secretary commented on Dave''s gaze. "She''s just scanning your token." Dave watched as Opal completed her circuit around the token. "Now... Applicant Dave. Please present your hand if you wish to acquire jobs from the Guild." Dave hesitated for a moment before extending his hand. Opal trotted next to Dave''s outstretched palm and poked it with her cute snout. As the Kitlix face made contact with his skin, Dave felt a strange tingling sensation. The creature''s body pulsed with an inner light, and its eyes seemed to grow even larger. Suddenly, Opal let out a shrill, discordant note that made both Dave and the Secretary wince. The Kitlix quickly scampered back to the Secretary''s shoulder twinkling something into her ear. The secretary''s silver-blue eyes became thin slits. Dave swallowed, not sure where this was going. "I''m afraid I need to ask you a few questions. Opal has detected some... unusual energies about you. Are you, by any chance, a practitioner of necromancy?" "I am definitely not a necromancer," Dave said, rapidly switching all of his points into Wisdom to accelerate his rational thinking. "Sorry, I''m rather new to Shandria and still figuring things out. What is necromancy and why is it illegal?" At his words Opal ignited from within with a soft green glow. Dave deduced that the Kitlix had the now familiar truth spell running through her. He couldn''t help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the constant use of truth-detecting magic by the Shandrian officials. It reminded him of the invasive polygraph tests Serv0tek used to conduct during drug screenings. "Necromancy is the manipulation of death energies and the raising of the dead. It''s a forbidden practice in Shandria due to... unfortunate past events," the Secretary revealed. "What kind of events?" The Secretary''s expression darkened. "Almost two decades ago, our previous Monarch was assassinated by a powerful necromancer. This mad mage raised an army of the dead, plunging our city into chaos. Since then, Shandria banned all necromancy-affiliated skills and eliminated potential sources of corpses. We have no cemeteries, and the disposal of the dead is strictly regulated by our Guild and the City Watch." "I see. But... what exactly is necromancy? What can necromancers do?" The Secretary raised an eyebrow. "You truly are new to this world, aren''t you?" She sighed, her voice taking on a patient, instructional tone. "Necromancy involves various death-related magics. This can include raising corpses as mindless undead, fusing dead bodies to make advanced undead such as ghouls, vampires or goreflesh abominations, commanding the dead, draining life force, stealing knowledge from the recently deceased and manipulating souls of the departed." Dave tried not to freak out as he realized that his Phantomancy abilities fit under this umbrella. He tried to keep his voice steady as he asked, "And all of these practices are illegal?" "Absolutely," the Secretary affirmed, her tone grave. "The use of any death-related magic is punishable by immediate imprisonment and public execution. We take these matters very seriously in Shandria. So, what is your primary magic skill, Sir Dave?" Dave felt his heart racing as he contemplated his response. He knew he had to be careful with his words, especially with the truth-detecting Kitlix watching his every move. The violin in his soul began to play a subtle, guiding melody. Dave listened intently, understanding that Sherlock was trying to help him navigate this delicate situation. He recalled his conversation with the Kitlix salesgirl. "My primary magical skill... is called ''the Wingman''." Dave began slowly, choosing his words with care as he flipped all of his points to Foresight. "The Wingman helps me find lost things. It''s like... there''s this music, a violin in my head advising me what to look for. It helped me find a dead body in the wilds, for example. Here, this bracelet belonged to the dead Adventurer I found behind a waterfall thanks to my Wingman skill." Dave clipped the 2nd bracelet off his wrist and put it onto the table. "Music-aided Search? That sounds pretty unique." The Secretary asked. "Is it Wisdom or Foresight related?" "I do have almost thirty points in Foresight right now," Dave nodded, squinting at the Kitlix which remained green. "I''d like to get a job from the Guild so that I can buy a Felix Kitlix and hopefully use it to amplify stuff-finding magic." "Thirty points in Foresight?!" The Secretary''s eyes went wide. "What kind of a beast or mage did you slay to get that much Foresight while being only Level 3? That... that''s highly irregular!" "That''s the thing, I didn''t kill any beasts or people, only about thirty metal bugs," Dave shook his head. "My primary skill sort of just... appeared a few minutes after I put this weird bracelet on. I swear I didn''t do anything extraordinary to earn it, unless isekai-spell reincarnation does that sort of a thing?" "Stranger things have happened, I suppose," the Secretary tapped her chin. "It is rather odd that Opal is picking up heavy necromantic alignment from you though." "I, um," Dave swallowed. "I''m definitely not planning to overthrow the local government. And I have no idea how to make vampires, ghouls, zombies or whatever goreflesh is." "Uh-huh," the Secretary glanced at her green-colored Kitlix and then back at Dave''s face as if she suspected of him being a future undead-wielding revolutionary. "I was summoned just a couple of days ago by a Gold Dragon God-Emperor," Dave revealed. The Secretary''s expression softened slightly, but suspicion still lingered in her eyes. "Summoned, you say? That would explain some unusual readings, but Opal is quite specific. She''s sensing death magic on you, lots of it." "Oh! That might be because of where I was summoned to," Dave said, feigning sudden realization. "I appeared in this awful place - a city made of bones, if you can believe it. Spent a whole day there before I managed to escape. Could that be what Opal is sensing? Residual death energy or something?" The Secretary''s jellyfish tendrils swayed thoughtfully as she considered his words. "A city of bones? That sounds absolutely dreadful. It is possible that prolonged exposure to such a place could leave traces of death magic on a person. It is not often that we get to scan people who manage to escape from the Gold Dragon God-Emperor''s domain. Very well. Right... I see you have another person''s bracelet and token?" Dave nodded. The Secretary ordered her Kitlix to scan the dead man''s bracelet. Opal spun around the dead man''s token. After a moment, as the Kitlix leapt back onto Antiqilla''s shoulder, the Secretary sighed and said, "That was Adventurer Harkoni Steelwind, may his soul find peace." She looked back at Dave. "Well done on finding his body. You can return this bracelet to the bank and receive two silver for it." Dave''s eyes lit up at the prospect of some actual currency. "Really? That''s great!" he exclaimed, already imagining what he could do with the money. However, a thought quickly dampened his excitement. "Uhm, will the bank also interrogate me about my skill?"Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "Oh, absolutely," the Secretary nodded solemnly. "In fact, I must advise you to visit the public bathhouse as soon as possible. You need to wash the stench of necromancy and any bone dust off yourself, lest you get arrested by the next person who scans you. The Merkin should help with that." She paused. "Opal tells me that you''ve already been pinged twice as a suspicious person within the Guild''s database. A third time could lead to... unfortunate consequences, such as your imprisonment. The City Watch Scrutimancers are rather busy these days with highborn squabbles and a string of thefts, so you might end up in a cellar for a week or more waiting for a full interrogation." "Thank you for the advice," Dave said, knowing full well that he could not wash Phantomancy off his soul. "I''ll head to the bathhouse right away." Staying in Shandria seemed like a rather bad deal for a Phantomancer. Perhaps there was a city nearby that wasn''t so set on imprisoning people who could talk to ghosts? "Are there other cities nearby?" He asked hopefully. "There are nine great cities in the Shadow Empire, with the capital being Illium. Besides Shandria, we have Nocturna, Umbria, Starveil, Gloomhaven, Duskhollow, Rustspring, Ebonspire, and Tenebria. I would not recommend leaving the Empire of her Divine Shadow. The other domains are rather less willing to entertain the newly summoned and usually just collar them right away. The general rationale is that a summoned must pay off the debt for being given a second chance at life. You''re very lucky to have gotten away from that madman''s domain." "Yeah," Dave nodded, recalling the collared guards at the Citadel of bones. "So, can I freely travel between the cities of the Shadow Empire?" "You can." The Secretary nodded. "But, I must warn you that crossing the mountains will likely result in your demise. The wildlife out there is incredibly dangerous and likes eating people. Moreover, no caravan or gate mage would be willing to take you on until you''re of a higher level." She glanced at his token, noting the negative balance. "Plus, you currently have no funds for such a journey." Dave sighed, realizing that he was effectively trapped in Shandria for the time being. The prospect of remaining in a city that was so hostile to his abilities was disheartening, but he knew he had to make the best of his situation. At least in Shandria he would not be collared into servitude until he reached minus twenty silver. "Soo.... uh, how can I get a job from you here?" he asked, trying to refocus on more immediate concerns. "Oh, of course," the Secretary replied, handing Dave the dead man''s bracelet and his own token. "Opal and I will add you to our Guild''s Ledger. Your official title is now Iron Rank Adventurer Dave. Feel free to peruse the Iron Rank job board. As you complete more jobs for the Guild, you will rise in rank. Higher rank boards are on higher floors of the cathedral, if you''re wondering. I deal with the Irons on the main floor. The Iron job list is over here." The Secretary pointed at a large board on Dave''s left. Approaching the board adorned with iron tablets, Dave perused the various jobs posted for fledgling adventurers like himself. He couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow at the assortment of tasks, which ranged from the mundane to the peculiar. Most of the jobs seemed more fitting for a handyman or a babysitter than for an aspiring hero, but he supposed that all great adventurers had to start somewhere. Among the more amusing jobs he noticed were: "Serpent Sitter: Caring for a family of mischievous baby basilisks. Must provide own blindfold." "Goblin Negotiator: Convincing a horde of goblin vagabonds to vacate a local farmer''s barn. Diplomacy skills are a plus." "Potion Taster: Sampling a selection of experimental potions to test their effects. Strong constitution aka high Vitality over thirty and willingness to experience temporary side effects required." "Haunted Housekeeper: Tidying up an old manor infested with poltergeists. Patience and a good sense of humor essential." "Damsel Escort: Accompanying a noblewoman on her daily errands while fending off unwanted suitors. Must be adept at wielding a fan and delivering polite yet firm rejections." "Pixie Pest Control: Rounding up a swarm of mischievous pixies that have overrun a local bakery. Previous experience with butterfly nets and a love of pastries a bonus." Among the more conventional listings, he spotted: "Sewer Maintenance: Clear blockages and repair minor damage in the city''s underground waterways. Waterproof boots and a strong stomach required." "Herb Gathering: Collect rare medicinal plants from the wild Southern fields. Must be able to differentiate between healing herbs and poisonous look-alikes." "Courier Service: Deliver sensitive documents to various locations around the city. Discretion and swift feet are a must." Interspersed with these were far more unusual opportunities: "Mimic Hunter: Neutralize shape-shifting creatures that have infiltrated the long term storage catacombs. Ability to distinguish between regular and carnivorous chairs a plus." "Aquatic Pest Control: Remove an infestation of water sprites from the city''s old fountains. Swimming skills and waterproof equipment essential." "Magical Waste Disposal: Safely remove and neutralize by-products of failed potion experiments. High vitality and basic alchemy knowledge required." At the very bottom in the right corner he saw the Quest which had ended the life of the adventurer whose body he found behind the waterfall. "So, has anything caught your eye, Iron Rank Dave?" The Secretary asked. "The quest to bring metal bugs to the Divaliss Smithy seems manageable," Dave said. "Are you certain? Those creatures can be quite dangerous, especially for a novice." "I think I can handle it," he said with more confidence than he felt. "I''ve had some... experience with them already, got thirty of them killed." The Secretary raised an eyebrow but didn''t press further. "Very well. To accept the Quest, simply tap your token on the iron plate beneath the job listing." Dave tapped the bug-collection quest plate with his token. The iron plate responded with a flash, and in tandem, a blue screen materialized above the surface of his bracelet.
[Shandria Adventurers Guild - Quest: Bring 50+ Prismatic Beetles to the Dvaliss Smithy for a silver.] [Accept: Y/N?]
"Yes," Dave said. The iron plate disconnected from the board and clattered into a receptacle positioned below. "Clip the job plate to your bracelet," the Secretary advised. Dave picked up the square plate and attached it to the black bracelet. "If the bugs chew your face off, the coroner will be able to identify you and we''ll know what to put on your file," the Secretary quipped, "Adventurer Dave, a brave, young soul devoured by his ambitions... and metal bugs." "Gee, thanks for that dark image," he commented. "Gotta keep novices on their toes," the Secretary replied nonchalantly. Next Dave''s eyes became drawn to a plate etched with the Haunted Housekeeper job. If this house was really haunted then maybe he could harvest more souls from this mansion. With a determined tap of his token upon the iron plate, Dave accepted the 2nd Quest that now flashed over his wrist.
[Shandria Adventurers Guild - Quest: Haunted Housekeeper: Tidying up an old manor infested with poltergeists. Patience and a good sense of humor essential. Reward: 50 silver. Note: Any damage to the Estate will be subtracted from your reward or billed to you.] [Accept: Y/N?]
Dave accepted it. "I wouldn''t recommend trying that one as your first," the Secretary commented. "How come?" Dave asked. "Plenty have attempted to best the poltergeist. Alas, it is rather difficult to vanquish something you cannot see." "So the poltergeist is invisible?" "Yes," the secretary confirmed. "One adventurer even brought a bag of flour with him to capture any telltale footsteps, but unfortunately, he too was met with failure. He returned here covered in flour head to toe, coughing madly as his lungs were filled with the stuff. He was billed thirty silver for the flour cleanup, so I suggest avoiding such a strategy." Dave frowned. "So it''s not merely a simple furniture rearranging job, then?" The secretary shook her head. "Many of these jobs are far more complex than they appear at first glance," she explained. "If the tasks were so straightforward, the clients would simply handle them themselves." "I see," Dave nodded. "This job is really about finding the poltergeist and ultimately vanquishing it,¡± the secretary continued. ¡°The challenge of it lies in achieving this without demolishing the entire manor in the process. Frankly, it''s a rather difficult task to pull off. To be honest, I suggest you take on a less complex quest. This one seems alluring, but it has a rather high degree of failure, injury and incoming bills." "How do I get to the manor?" Dave turned to the Secretary, refusing to back down. The secretary pulled out a simple map of the city on a piece of parchment, marking the manor''s location with a bold ''X''. As she described the path he should take, Dave nodded along. Then, she also marked the location of the Divaliss smithy. "How many quests can I take?" He asked. "As many as you think that you can handle," the Secretary shrugged. "If someone''s already finished a particular job, the client will let you know." "Fair enough. Might as well load up on options," he muttered to himself, tapping his token on several more job listings. First, he accepted the "Sewer Maintenance" job. While the prospect of wading through underground waterways wasn''t particularly appealing, Dave figured it might be a good way to familiarize himself with the city''s layout. Plus, he reasoned, if things went south with his other quests, he could always fall back on this less glamorous but potentially safer option. Next, he tapped on the "Courier Service" quest. Running sensitive documents around the city seemed straightforward enough, and it would give him an excuse to explore Shandria more thoroughly. The "Herb Gathering" job also caught his eye. Dave had always enjoyed nature walks back on Earth, and he thought this might be a pleasant way to earn some coin while getting to know the local flora. The warning about poisonous look-alikes gave him pause, but he figured he could always consult with a local herbalist before venturing out. Finally, against his better judgment, Dave accepted the "Mimic Hunter" quest. He wasn''t sure how he''d distinguish between regular and carnivorous chairs, but he hoped his Phantomancy abilities might give him some advantage in detecting these creatures. As the iron plates clattered into the receptacle, Dave collected them and clipped them to his bracelet alongside his other quests. The Secretary raised an eyebrow at his selections, marking the quest locations on the same map. "Quite the ambitious start, Iron Rank Dave," she remarked. "Do try not to die." [-7-] Hunting Bugs "Uh, what exactly makes these jobs so dangerous? They don''t sound too bad on paper... err iron plate tags," Dave said. The Secretary''s jellyfish-like tendrils swayed as she let out a deep sigh. "Take the sewers work. The catacombs are home to cultist gatorkin who worship Gorefield the Devourer, sentient slime molds, and a particularly nasty strain of flesh-eating bacteria. Last month, we lost three Iron Rank adventurers to a King sphere of sewer rats that had developed a taste for human eyes." Dave swallowed. "As for the courier service, it might sound simple, but you''ll be delivering messages to some of the most dangerous individuals in Shandria. One wrong word, one misplaced glance, a message with bad news in it... and you could end up as the main ingredient in someone''s soup." She moved on to the herb gathering quest. "Those ''poisonous look-alikes''? They''re not just poisonous. Some can paralyze you with a touch, leaving you helpless as carnivorous plants slowly digest you. Others emit spores that cause vivid hallucinations - we once had an adventurer convinced he was a butterfly for three weeks." Dave''s eyes widened, but the Secretary continued relentlessly. "Now, the Mimic Hunter job. Mimics aren''t just chairs, you know. They can be anything - doors, chests, even entire rooms. We had an adventurer who sat down for a rest and realized too late that the entire chamber was a high level mimic." "Freaking hell," Dave brushed the back of his head. "Uh-huh," the Secretary nodded. "The metal bugs generally don''t leave people alive and skin anyone they see down to the bone..." The Secretary continued her grim explanations, describing how the poltergeist in the haunted manor had once propelled a rusty nail with such force that it pierced an adventurer''s eye and lodged in their brain. Dave winced at the viscerally vivid imagery. "Are there any jobs that won''t potentially result in my death?" Dave asked, his enthusiasm for adventuring waning. "Life on Arxtruria is dangerous business, especially for adventurers." The Secretary shrugged nonchalantly, as if discussing the weather rather than the myriad ways adventurers met their doom. She then proceeded to detail the perils of other quests Dave hadn''t selected. The "Serpent Sitter" job, it turned out, had resulted in several adventurers being petrified into rather unflattering statues. The "Goblin Negotiator" position had a worrying tendency to end with the negotiator becoming an involuntary guest at goblin feasts - as the main course. As the Secretary spoke describing the lack of workplace safety in other jobs, Dave''s inner violin - courtesy of Sherlock - began to play a jaunty tune that sounded suspiciously like "99 Ways to Die." "And don''t even get me started on the ''Potion Taster'' quest," the Secretary continued. "Last week, an adventurer grew an extra head. The week before that, someone got turned into a sentient puddle." "I''m starting to think ''adventurer'' is just a fancy word for ''professional risk-taker with a death wish,''" Dave quipped. "I was honestly hoping for something simple like rescue a kitten from a tree or something mundane like ''bricklaying''." "Such jobs are generally reserved for professional builders and animal whisperers and not newly summoned who reek of death," the Secretary shrugged. "Riiiiight," Dave sighed. He bid adieu to Antiqilla, heading away from her desk. Consulting with Sherlock''s violin, his best bet seemed to be work outside the city murdering metal bugs since he sort of knew how they operated thanks to Phantomancy.
Having spent another 2 copper on a simple leather waterskin, Dave stepped out of the bustling cathedral, the cacophony of the adventurers'' marketplace fading behind him as he made his way through the winding streets of Shandria. As he reached the city gates, Dave took a deep breath, steeling himself for the journey ahead. The guards gave him a cursory nod as he passed. The Snail Cafe wasn''t present so Dave went forward without stopping. Beyond the gates, the landscape opened up into a breathtaking panorama. Rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see, their gentle slopes carpeted with a vibrant tapestry of wildflowers. The alien sun concealed by a mountain of clouds overhead cast a golden glow across the land, painting the clouds in hues of pink and orange. Dave''s footsteps crunched softly on the well-worn path as he made his way through the pastoral fields. The air was thick with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the earthy aroma of freshly tilled soil. In the distance, he could see gargantuan beasts that looked like a fusion of crab and jellyfish. The creatures reached down to the trees and fields with their tentacles, picking fruit. In another minute he noticed a cat-like, large-eared farmer in a straw hat. The catman was perched atop a simple moon chair hanging between horns of the massive beast''s front, guiding it lazily with a Kitlix. As Dave walked on, movement caught his eye. A large group of kitten owls soared gracefully into the air, fuzzy feathers gleaming in the sunlight as they sought refuge in nearby trees. Soon, the cultivated fields gradually gave way to wilder terrain. The path became less defined, winding through patches of tall grass and clusters of gnarled trees. The air grew cooler, carrying the faint scent of pines. The landscape took on a more rugged appearance. Jagged rocks jutted from the earth like the teeth of some ancient, slumbering beast. The vegetation became sparser, with hardy shrubs and twisted trees clinging tenaciously to the increasingly rocky soil. Dave decided to pick up the pace. He took a deep breath and scanned the land for any dead souls. Finding none, he moved all of his soul points into Agility. His muscles seemed to hum with newfound energy, and his steps became lighter, almost springy. He set off at a brisk jog, the landscape blurring past him. As he ran, Dave marveled at the alien beauty of this world. Bizarre flora dotted the path - flowers that seemed to follow his movement, trees with perfectly triangular or hexagonal leaves. Occasionally, he''d pause to catch his breath, leaning against a tree or perching on an oddly-shaped rock. During one such break, he muttered to himself, "You know, Sherlock, if it weren''t for the constant threat of death, this place would be quite lovely." The violin in his mind played a few wry notes in response. After about five hours of alternating between jogging and brief rests, Dave finally arrived at the familiar sight of the waterfall. The roar of cascading water filled the air, and a fine mist cooled his sweat-drenched skin. He approached the edge of the river, his eyes scanning the area where he had found the unfortunate adventurer''s remains. "Alright, Sherlock," Dave said aloud, shifting his soul points into Wisdom. "What''s our best move here?" The violin began to play a slow, thoughtful melody. As the music washed over him, Dave pushed all of his points into Wisdom and Intelligence to recollect what he knew about the Prismatic Beetles. He felt his mind sharpening, analyzing the situation from multiple angles. From what he understood from the souls of the bugs he consumed, the bugs lacked eyes and operated entirely on a sense of "life". Perhaps if he could coat himself entirely in mud, then he could deceive them. Sherlock began to play a tense tune that Dave eventually recognized as the music from the Predator theme. Dave smiled. "If it works for alien hunters, it might work for metal bugs." Without further hesitation, Dave knelt by the river''s edge and began scooping up handfuls of thick, dark mud. He slathered it over his ragged clothes, arms, legs, and torso, wincing at the cold, slimy texture. "So gross," he grumbled, working the mud into his hair and across his face. "I hope that I am right about this, Sherlock, or I''m going to look like a complete idiot." Sherlock replied in wry violin tones. "A dead idiot, yes," Dave nodded. Once he was thoroughly coated in mud, Dave gripped his bone knife tightly and began to move slowly and deliberately towards the area where he knew the bugs resided. He crouched low, using the sparse vegetation for cover. As he crept forward, Dave''s ears strained for any sound of the metallic insects. The soft whisper of wind through the grass and the distant rumble of the waterfall were soon joined by a faint, rhythmic clicking. Dave froze, his heart pounding. He could see them now - a small cluster of prismatic beetles, their metallic carapaces gleaming in the sunlight. A massive boar, easily twice the size of any he''d seen on Earth, lay sprawled on the ground, its hide a patchwork of gaping wounds. The prismatic beetles swarmed over the carcass, their razor-sharp mandibles tearing through flesh and bone with frightening efficiency. "Appetizing," Dave thought, his stomach churning at the sight. He closed his eyes, concentrating on redistributing his soul points. He pushed a significant portion into Dexterity and Agility, feeling newfound precision in his movements. With agonizing slowness, Dave began to crawl towards the feeding frenzy. Each movement was calculated, his mud-caked body inching forward with glacial patience. The soft squelch of mud beneath him seemed deafening in his ears, but the bugs remained focused on their grisly feast. As he neared the outskirts of the swarm, Dave closed his eyes, slid mud atop of his eyes with his left hand and tightened his grip on the bone knife in his right. Then, he mentally activated Phantom Sight. The skill showed him the world even with his eyes shut, as a dark gray plane, bits of the dead boar painting the metal insects with colorful sparks. In one fluid motion, Dave lunged forward, driving the blade into the nearest bug with pinpoint accuracy. The creature let out a shrill, metallic shriek as it died. Instantly, Dave froze, his body rigid as he tried to mimic the contours of the muddy landscape. The other bugs paused in their feeding, their antennae twitching in agitation. "Don''t move, don''t breathe," Dave chanted internally, his heart hammering in his chest. After what felt like an eternity, the bugs resumed their feast. Dave let out a silent sigh of relief and prepared for his next strike.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. This dance continued for what seemed like hours. Strike, freeze, wait for the bugs to stop freaking out, repeat. With each successful kill, Dave''s confidence grew. "Maybe I''m getting the hang of this adventuring thing after all," he thought. But his luck couldn''t hold forever. As he dispatched his thirty third bug, a glob of dried mud slid from his face, revealing pale skin. The nearest beetle let out an alarming series of clicks, and suddenly, the entire swarm was on high alert. "Oh, shi-" Dave''s curse was cut short as he frantically shoved more points into Strength. The air filled with the sound of clanging metal as Dave fought for his life. His bone knife flashed in the sunlight, parrying mandibles and finding weak spots in the bugs'' armor. The swarm was bigger than the one he fought before and the battle was tough. The mud caked clothes helped a touch. One by one, the bugs fell to Dave''s attacks. As he impaled the last Prismatic Beetle on his knife, Dave collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving. He knelt beside the fallen bugs, his breath still coming in ragged gasps. With a grimace, he reached out and touched the nearest carcass, activating his Phantomancy. As he absorbed the bug''s soul, a flood of information washed over him. He moved from bug to bug, each absorption adding to his understanding. By the time he finished, Dave felt as if he was a metal bug himself for about a minute. Then he absorbed the far bigger and brighter soul of the dead boar. Sadly, the boar was too big and rotting, covered with very questionable metallic-looking mold, so Dave decided to leave its corpse in the wild. With a grunt, he began shoving the bug carcasses into his scruffy bag. "Good thing these things are lighter than they look," he commented to no one in particular. As he worked, the violin in his soul commented on something. Dave pulled up his stats and found that he had extra points now. "Well, would you look at that," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Looks like bug murder pays off." Without hesitation, he pushed the additional points into Vitality. "Thirty-three point four two," he mused. "Not too shabby." His task complete, Dave made his way to the waterfall. The roar of cascading water filled his ears as he stepped into the cool spray, washing away the mud and bug ichor that caked his skin and clothes. Feeling refreshed, Dave set off back towards Shandria, settling on a balance of Vitality and Agility. After a few hours of jogging, a peculiar whistle cut through the air. He paused, glancing around. "Probably just some weird bird," he muttered, resuming his run. But the whistling persisted, growing louder and more ominous with each passing moment. A chill ran down Dave''s spine as he realized this was no ordinary bird call. "Okay, time to move," he said, pushing everything into Agility. His muscles hummed with energy as he took off at a sprint. The whistling intensified, becoming a deafening shriek. Suddenly, something slammed into his side, sending him tumbling across the ground. As he struggled to his feet, he caught sight of his attacker. What looked like a comet made of blades unfurled before him, revealing a grotesque creature that seemed to be a nightmarish fusion of bird and lynx. Six legs, each tipped with razor-sharp talons, supported a body covered in metallic feathers that glinted like knives. "What the shit are you?" Dave gasped, frantically shoving everything into Strength. The creature let out a shriek and lunged. Dave met its charge head-on, his enhanced strength allowing him to grapple with the beast. The fight was brutal and swift. Dave''s bone knife connected with the creature''s body, each blow jarring his bones. In return, the monster''s bladed feathers and talons sliced through his skin, leaving a crisscross of cuts across his arms and torso. With a final, desperate heave, Dave managed to stab the beast through the right eye. As it fell lifeless to the ground, he staggered back, his vision blurring from pain and blood loss. Pushing everything into Vitality, he closed his eyes and sat down, waiting for his body to start functioning again. When he opened them he noted that something was flashing on his wrist.
[Affliction: The Kiss of Felislice. Malady State: Severe.]
He read the notice with a groan. Dave stood over the fallen Felislice for a few minutes, his chest heaving with pain. Blood trickled from countless cuts across his body, staining what remained of his tattered clothes. With a grimace, he knelt beside the bizarre creature, its metallic feathers still glinting in the fading light. "Let''s see what secrets you''re hiding," he muttered, placing his hand on the beast''s cooling body. As he activated his Phantomancy, Dave felt the now-familiar rush of energy flowing into him. The Felislice''s memories flooded his mind - flashes of soaring through alien skies, diving at unsuspecting prey, the thrill of the hunt. He saw through its eyes, felt the wind beneath its bladed wings, experienced the primal joy of the kill. Dave shuddered, both from the intensity of the experience and the realization of how close he''d come to becoming this creature''s meal. This monster was a killer of men, preying on the weak, low level adventurers who lacked armor, spotting the humans from the sky as they returned to Shandria. "Right," Dave sighed as he slotted the points from the bird-cat''s soul into Vitality. "When I get some cash for selling your blade ass I''ll... definitely invest in some armor." With the addition of the Felislice, his Vitality now sat at:
Vitality: 0 + [34.4832]
[Phantomancy level 4 reached]
His bracelet suddenly notified him. "Hooray," Dave exhaled. "Numbers going up. Just wish that getting stronger wasn''t so effin'' painful." With a groan, Dave began the arduous task of stuffing the Felislice''s corpse into his bag. The metallic feathers clinked against each other, creating an eerie melody as he worked. "You''d better be worth something," he grunted, straining to fit the last of the creature into the overstuffed sack. Finally, with his bag bulging and considerably heavier, Dave began his slow journey back to Shandria. Each step sent waves of pain through his body, the numerous cuts stinging with every movement. He hoped that the extra Vitality would accelerate his healing, but the wounds seemed stubbornly resistant. The landscape that had seemed so vibrant on his outward journey now felt oppressive and threatening. Every rustle in the underbrush made him flinch, every distant cry sent his heart racing. Hours crawled by as Dave limped onward. The weight of his bag grew more burdensome with each passing minute, the metal bugs and Felislice corpse an anchor dragging at his already depleted strength. Sweat mingled with blood, creating rivulets that traced paths down his dust-covered skin.
When Dave came within view of Shandria, his body was screaming in protest with every step. As he stumbled forward, the world seemed to tilt and spin around him, his vision blurring at the edges. Through the haze of pain and exhaustion, a familiar sight caught his eye - the Cambria Snail Cafe. Its whimsical shell-shaped structure stood out against the cloudy sky, a beacon of... well, if not safety, at least familiarity. Feeling his legs threatening to give out, Dave lurched towards the nearest empty table. He collapsed into a folding wooden chair, gripping the edge of the table to keep from sliding to the ground. His breath came in ragged gasps, and he could feel warm blood seeping through his tattered clothes. As he sat there, teetering on the edge of consciousness, a familiar voice cut through the fog in his mind. "Well, well, well. Look what the fates dragged in," a familiar playful tone resounded. Dave lifted his head with considerable effort, meeting the foxgirl''s ocean-blue eyes. "Wowza, you look like you''ve been through a meat grinder," Cedez commented, settling down on the chair across from Dave. "What happened?" "Went to kill some bugs... ended up cuddling a Felislice," Dave tried to joke, feeling slightly better now that he was sitting. "Aw, you went out early in the morning," Cedez commented. "I totally missed you leaving Shandria." He closed his eyes for a bit trying to relax. When Dave opened his eyes he saw that a steaming latte materialized in front of him, courtesy of Cedez''s lightning-fast service. Dave winced as he shifted in his seat. The aroma of the freshly brewed latte wafted up to him. He stared at the cup. "You know, I was starting to think you''d gotten lost in the dragon''s lair." Cedez said as her eyes studied Dave. "So, tell me about your Felislice battle. I''m dying to hear how you managed to survive an encounter with one of those nasty buggers without armor." "It wasn''t exactly a planned encounter," he said, his voice hoarse. "I was on my way back from Prismatic bug hunting when this... damn thing... came shrieking out of nowhere. Looked like someone had crossbred a lynx with a flying food processor." Cedez''s ears perked up, "And you''re still in one piece? Most folks who tangle with a Felislice end up as chopped up food." "Believe me, it was a close call," Dave grimaced, reflexively touching one of the deeper gashes on his arm. "I got lucky. Managed to stab it through the eye with my bone knife." The foxgirl whistled. "Not bad at all for a freshly-summoned tater!" "Thanks," Dave exhaled. "Now, tell me, brave razor-hugger," she said, her voice taking on a playful, almost conspiratorial tone, "how did your dragon quest go? Did you serenade the scaly beast? Woo her with your manly charms? Or did you perhaps try the old ''trip and fall into her arms'' routine?" Dave stared up at the dark foxgirl. "I... what? No, I didn''t... There was no wooing!" Cedez''s face fell dramatically. "No wooing? Not even a little flirting? Don''t tell me you chickened out!" "I didn''t chicken out," Dave protested. "We just... talked. Sort of. Remicra... was grumpy. I gave her bugs for free and got bandages in exchange." "Grumpy?" Cedez commented, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ooh, playing hard to get, was she? How deliciously clich¨¦!" "Yeah, there was no romance, no conquest. Just a very annoyed dragon smith and a very confused me," Dave said. "Tsk, tsk, tsk," Cedez shook her head, her ears drooping in mock disappointment. "This wasn''t how things were supposed to go. Fess up, where did you screw up?" "I screwed up by being reincarnated in this bloody ridiculous place!" Dave snapped. "Come now," Cedez said. "Surely you didn''t expect a fantasy world to be all rainbows and unicorns? Although, we do have those too. They''re just, you know, slightly more stabby than Earth storybooks suggest." "How exactly do you know so much about Earth?" he asked, his voice filled with suspicion. "Oh, that?" she said with a casual wave of her hand. "I dated a summoned in another life. You pick up all sorts of interesting tidbits when you''re romantically entangled with someone from Earth who can''t keep his mouth shut about cars, skyscrapers, Star Wars and aeroplanes." The casual way Cedez dropped such a bombshell only added to Dave''s growing unease about the foxgirl. He couldn''t shake the feeling that there was much more to Cedez than met the eye. "Another life?" Dave pressed. "What exactly do you mean by that?" Cedez leaned back in her chair, her dark tail swishing lazily behind her. "Now, now," she chided playfully, "a lady must keep some mysteries, mustn''t she? Also, why aren''t you drinking your latte? I''ve made it with love and tears." Dave eyed the latte suspiciously, as if it might suddenly sprout wings and fly away. "I appreciate the gesture, but I''m so broke right now, I couldn''t afford to pay attention, let alone a fancy coffee." He closed his eyes for a second, trying to find the strength to leave. It just wasn''t there. His legs were done, refused to cooperate. Cedez rolled her eyes dramatically. "The latte is on the house, you adorable disaster. Consider it fuel for your next misadventure." With a flick of her wrist, a slice of cake materialized in front of Dave. "Did you just teleport that cake from a mystical bakery dimension?" Dave asked. "Nah," Cedez said. "Fetched it when you closed your eyes. You''re pretty injured and not paying attention." Dave couldn''t help but notice that Cedez was completely ignoring the growing line of customers, her blue eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made him wonder if she was trying to read his mind or set him on fire. Possibly both. "You had one job, Dave," Cedez said with a twinge of annoyance. "One simple, straightforward quest. Slay the dragon, free the princess. It''s practically Adventure 101. How did you manage to mess that up?" Dave stared at Cedez, his mind reeling from the whiplash of her jokes. He felt like he''d stumbled into a particularly confusing episode of a sitcom where he didn''t know the script. "I... what?" he managed. "Are you still on about that? There was no princess to free. Just a very angry Remicra who I''m pretty sure would have turned me into a Dave-kebab if I''d tried anything remotely romantic." "Oh?" Cedez leaned forward, tail swishing. "Details, darling. Where did you spend the night?" "At the pits," Dave sighed, accepting his fate and chewing his cake. "You slept in those dreadful pits when you could have stayed at the cozy lighthouse? For shame!" "Cozy?" Dave sputtered. "That place was about as cozy as a furnace! And I''d rather not have my wrists broken, thank you very much." "Just think of all the juicy romantic tension you missed out on!" Cedez insisted. "What?" Dave nearly choked on his latte. "This isn''t rocket science Dave," Cedez said. "Go back to the lighthouse and slay the dragon with your dashing smile. Where''d your radiant Charisma go, hrmmmmmmm?" Dave pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering if it was too late to go back to the bone city. At least there, the only thing trying to kill him was everything, not an overly enthusiastic, prying foxgirl obsessed with dragon-matchmaking. "Look," he said, trying to inject some sanity into the conversation, "I''m just trying to survive here. Romancing blacksmith dragons is pretty low on my list of priorities, somewhere between ''learn to juggle fireballs'' and ''become best friends with a mimic''." Cedez''s eyes lit up. "Ooh! Now there''s an idea... a mimic dating show! The experience is even better than a dragon, some say! Sixty-nine tongue-tentacle-thumbs up." "No!" Dave interjected quickly. "That''s not an idea. That''s the opposite of an idea. That''s an un-idea." "You''re funny," Cedez giggled. "I like you. I think I''m going to keep you... Forever." "Forever?" Dave repeated, his heartbeat intensifying at the odd choice of words. "Oh yes," Cedez leaned towards Dave, her voice dropping down to a whisper. "Necromancers are exceptionally hard to find these days, on the account of how illegal you are." "What?" Dave actually choked on his latte this time around, coughing and sputtering. "Gotta keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Cedez said with a deviously wide smile. "Don''t you know this saying by Sun Tzu, my darling Earth-man?" A dark ring akin to an inverted angel''s halo wreathed from a dark wisp of smoke came into existence above her head. [-8-] Handshake "I''m... I''m not a necromancer," Dave protested, his heart beating a million miles a minute. "Why would you think that I''m a bloody necromancer?!" The violin in his soul intensified to a rising crescendo. Dave realized that all sounds around them had faded as if cut off. "One. I''ve asked one of the guards about you after you left town this morning," Cedez said idly, bending one finger. "Miguelan was more than willing to talk about you. His Infix thinks you''re a necromancer. Two," she bent another finger. "Sister Antiqilla stopped by for her coffee. Her Infix Kitlix also thinks that you''re a necromancer." "I''m..." Dave began. "Three. Charismancers can''t just switch off their Charisma, Dave," Cedez bent a third gloved finger. "They can tune it down, sure, but not turn it off so completely that it will be a big fat zero." Dave felt like he was falling backwards into a deep, dark ocean. He was too beat up to run away and there were far too many adventurers in the cafe for him to do anything. "Four," Cedez bent another finger. "I knew a necromancer in my past life. His name was Mad Mage Kells. He had this... peculiar way about him. Always seemed to know things he shouldn''t, always moving one step ahead of me. Archmage Kells could switch from being shamelessly Charismatic to unspeakably tough, to moving like a freight train. Sound familiar, Dave?" Dave''s throat went dry. He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. "Five," Cedez ticked off another finger, her smile growing wider. "You talk to yourself. Or rather, to someone I can''t see. I''ve been watching you. The way you tilt your head, as if listening to a voice only you can hear. Classic sign of a necromancer communing with the dead." Cedez''s sharp words pinned Dave into his seat like a helpless butterfly that was stabbed through by a needle. "Six," Cedez added. "You''ve got this... aura about you. It''s faint, but it''s there. The taste of death, of the hollow endless void lingering just beneath the surface of your starry Aura. I can taste it far too well. You smell just like the man... who killed me." "W-what?" Dave choked. "What are you? How did you know my name?" "For now, consider me just a simple cafe maid, darling," Cedez purred. "Now, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Speaker for the Dead?" "I... I can explain..." "Explain then," the foxgirl leaned back on her seat. "Don''t worry, we won''t be overheard. Got a bit of a spell going warding us off from the rest of the cafe. Don''t try anything funny either. There''s spellchain on your chair that''ll chop your adorkable arms and legs off if you attempt to attack me or try to deceive me." Dave''s mind raced, searching for a way out of this impossible situation. He switched most of his points to Wisdom, feeling his heart stutter. "Interesting choice, Wisdom," Cedez purred. "So you want to weasel out of this with clever words?" "I''m not... It''s not what you think," Dave hissed out, sliding points back into Vitality to prevent himself from passing out. "I don''t raise the dead or anything like that. I just... I can sometimes hear them. Talk to them." Cedez''s silver-blue eyes gleamed with interest. "Go on," she purred. "Tell me more about these ghostly conversations. What do the dead say?" Dave swallowed hard. "There''s... there''s a detective. Sherlock. He helps me. Gives me advice." "A detective, you say?" Cedez''s tail swished behind her. "How quaint. And what sort of advice does this Sherlock offer?" "He... he helped me figure out how to deal with the metal bugs for example," Dave explained, his words tumbling out faster now. "And he warned me about you. Said you were dangerous." Cedez''s laughter was like tinkling bells. "Smart man, this Sherlock. Or should I say, clever ghost?" Her expression sobered suddenly. "But tell me, Dave, what else can you do? Surely talking to the dead isn''t the extent of these abilities that some would consider unnatural." Dave hesitated, then decided to push forward with being honest as he was quite thoroughly checkmated. "I can... absorb knowledge from the dead. Their memories, their skills. Switch around my stats. It''s how I survived the Felislice." "Curious, curious," Cedez murmured, her eyes never leaving Dave''s face. "And what do you intend to do with these... abilities?" "Survive," Dave said simply. "That''s all. I didn''t ask for any of this. I didn''t ask to be reborn on Arx, didn''t do anything to get my magic skill. I just want to make it through each day without ending up as some monster''s dinner. I don''t want to overthrow the Shandrian City Watch or attack your goverment. I don''t want to hurt innocent people, or build an army of zombies." "Do you wish to kill me?" Cedez asked. "No," Dave said. "Why would I want to kill you?" "Oh I don''t know," Cedez purred. "Lots of people want to kill me these days. It''s quite the bother." "I don''t even understand what you even are," Dave said. Cedez leaned back, studying Dave with an imperious expression. "You know," she said slowly, "necromancers are usually executed on sight in Shandria. No trial, no chance to explain. Just... poof. Incinerated on the spot." She snapped her fingers for emphasis. Dave''s blood ran cold. "Are you... are you going to turn me in?" Cedez''s smile returned, sharp and predatory. "Now why would I do that? You''re far too interesting and useful to let the authorities have you. No, I think I''ll keep you around. After all, every aspiring princess needs a necromancer in her pocket." "Princess?" Dave echoed. "Aspiring Princess," Cedez intoned. "What... what do you want from me?" Dave exhaled. "I want you to accept the Quest I gave you," Cedez purred. "Slay the dragon, free the princess?" Dave blinked. The Quest came up on his wrist when he spoke of it.
[Cambria Snail Cafe Quest: Slay the dragon, free the princess. Reward: An extra special latte!] [Accept: Y/N?]
"That''s right," Cedez nodded. "Let me get this straight," Dave said, his voice low. "You want me to accept a quest that involves... what exactly? Slaying a dragon that''s actually a blacksmith, and freeing a princess who might be you?" "Oh, don''t be so literal! It''s all about your interpretation of reality. Maybe ''slaying'' means winning her heart. Maybe ''freeing'' means... well, that''s for you to figure out, isn''t it?" "Seems a tad vague," Dave pointed out. "Just think of it as a test," Cedez replied. "If you fail it, you die horribly." Dave sputtered at the proposal of him dying horribly. "Are you serious?! What are the bloody conditions?!" He huffed. "You can''t just throw a test at me without specifying as to what you want as the end result!" "I''ll do whatever I need to do, hero," Cedez said coldly. "Accept the damn test and stop being so obtuse." "And if I refuse?" "Oh?" Cedez''s tail swished behind her in mild agitation, blue eyes turning into slits. "Go right ahead. Refuse! Sir Miguelan and the other Gate guards are watching. All I have to do is say one word and you''ll be toast. No more flapping around. Accept the Quest for your own good, or else!" She waved a gloved hand at the nearby Adventurers Gate. "You''re... just like the Dragon God-Emperor then," Dave accused. "Work for me or die... that''s what that fat bastard is all about." "What?! I am nothing like that ancient lardass!" Cedez defended herself. "My Quest is nice! I''m not asking you to pull teeth from the dead! I''m not even asking you to kill anyone!" "''Slaying'' seems like you want me to kill Remicra," Dave pointed out. "Accept the quest and do whatever you think is right," Cedez said. "If I''m correct about you, then things will work out. Stop overthinking this."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "Fine," he hissed. "I''ll accept your quest. But I want something in return." "And what might that be?" "Protection," Dave said firmly. "If I''m going to be your... whatever, I need to know you''ll keep the authorities off my back. No more close calls with the guards or Guild Secretaries." "No can do," Cedez shook her head. "Why the hell not?" Dave demanded. "I''m just a simple cafe maid," the foxgirl replied. "What exactly are you expecting of me? I don''t have any authority over the Guild or City Watch." "A simple cafe maid?" he scoffed, wincing as the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his battered body. "Right, and I''m just a regular tourist enjoying the local scenery!" "Oh, come now, Dave. Don''t sell yourself short. You''re clearly an up-and-coming necromancer with a penchant for getting into trouble. I''d say that''s far more interesting than being a tourist. Accept the Quest. I have many customers waiting for coffee and cakes." Dave gritted his teeth. "Yes, to the Snail Cafe Quest," he said. The blue notification flashed with green, adding itself to his list of unfinished quests such as bringing the Prismatic Beetles to the smithy. "I don''t know what game you''re playing, but I''m not interested in being your pawn. If you''re not going to help me, then why shouldn''t I just walk away right now?" He asked. "Maybe I''ll slay another dragon and help another princess in another town, since your Quest is so freaking open ended!" "Walk away to where, exactly? There are no towns in walking distance of Shandria. The most likely outcome of running away will be your death. I very much doubt that you''d be able to handle another wyvern flight or a Felislice cuddle," she pointed out. Dave slumped back in his chair, the fight draining out of him. He could feel the violin in his soul playing a mournful tune, as if Sherlock was commiserating with his predicament. "Fine," he muttered. "What exactly do you want me to do?" "To start off, simply get back into my lovely city," Cedez pointed at the Adventurers Gate. "Without dying and getting arrested." "Get back into the city?" he echoed. "That''s it? Seems simple enough." "It''s not as simple as you might think," Cedez shook her dark curls. "Remember, you''re practically oozing necromantic energy. One wrong word, one more scan by an Infix Kitlix and you''ll be thrown into the slammer faster than you can say ''I see dead people.'' Also, if you don''t get that blood poisoning affliction looked at, you''re definitely going to the land of the unliving in about a day or less. The Kiss of Felislice will cost you approximately two hundred silver to cure." "Two hundred silver?!" he choked. "I don''t even have two copper to my name!" "Sounds like quite the predicament," Cedez replied. "Perhaps you should have thought about that before deciding to go out of the city without armor." Dave crossed his arms. "Actually, I have a question for you... Miss Aspiring Princess," he said, trying to take control of the conversation. "Why is your city so horrible?" The foxgirl''s ears twitched. "Horrible? Whatever do you mean? Shandria is a paradise of opportunity!" "Paradise?" Dave scoffed. "Every adventuring job literally comes with a side of potential dismemberment or death." "Oh, you silly summoned soul. That''s what makes it exciting! Where''s your sense of adventure?" "I left it back in the world where paper cuts were considered workplace hazards," Dave muttered. "Call us crazy, but most people from Earth aren''t too keen on being torn apart by metal bugs or getting poisoned by bird-lynx hybrids!" "Oh, pish posh," Cedez waved her hand dismissively. "You''re still breathing, aren''t you? Just keep on breathing and put one foot in front of the other." Dave let out a long, weary whine, his body sagging in the chair. The pain from his numerous wounds and his diresome predicament seemed to press down on him like a thousand ton weight. "Actually, I don''t think I can stand up or even make it to the gate on my own," he confessed. "Whatever that Felislice did seems to have completely effed up my balance." "Oh, you poor thing. You know what? I''ll give you a freebie, on account of you being such a pitiful, sad necromancer," Cedez made a pouting face. "Can''t have you dying on me today." Dave''s brow furrowed as he squinted at the foxgirl. "A freebie of what?" "A freebie handshake," Cedez grinned, her sharp teeth glinting in the overcast light of the rain clouds gathering overhead. "I''ll give you a minute to think it over while I go serve customers. Pick whatever Attribute you want to amplify and then shake my hand... that''s all." Before Dave could respond, Cedez stood up and flitted away, her shadow-halo vanishing. A dark tail swished behind her as she moved to serve the growing line of impatient customers. Dave watched in disbelief as she transformed before his eyes, her demeanor shifting from menacing interrogator to the picture of a harmless, sweet waitress. "Good evening, Mr. Thornterri! The usual Earl Grey for you?" Cedez chirped. "Ah, Madam Whistera! How are your lovely kittens? I''ve got that special Fluxnip latte you love so much," she called out to a feline-looking woman. The violin in Dave''s soul began to play a complex concerto, each note seeming to represent a different thought or option. He closed his eyes, focusing on the music within. "Alright, Sherlock," Dave thought, "what''s our play here? We''re poisoned, broke, and apparently on the verge of being arrested for necromancy. Oh, and let''s not forget the psychotic foxgirl who''s offering us a ''freebie handshake.'' Any bright ideas?" The violin''s melody shifted, becoming more urgent and insistent. "Take the handshake? Are you serious?" Dave hissed mentally. "For all we know, it could turn me into a puddle or erase my memories or any other kind of magical bullshit." A series of sharp, staccato notes rang out in response. Sherlock seemed to think that Cedez was being honest about helping Dave reach the city gate, had an agenda of some sort. As to what this agenda was, Sherlock had no idea. "Okay, okay, I get it. I don''t have many options with the whole blood poisoning thing," Dave thought. "But what should I ask for? Healing? Money? A get-out-of-jail-free card?" The violin played a soft, thoughtful tune reminding him that he had to pick a specific Attribute to amplify, hopefully something that could help him solve all of his problems. "Information?" Dave mused. "You think we should try to learn more about this world, about Cedez, about... everything? Suppose that makes sense, Mr. Detective." He considered his options. "What about amplifying Vitality?" Sherlock played a bothered tune. "Right," Dave thought. "Amplifying Vitality might cure the kiss, but it won''t help me avoid the authorities. I need to know what to do about being a suspected necromancer." A triumphant musical flourish confirmed Sherlock''s agreement. "Information... so, Wisdom, Intelligence or Foresight?" Dave thought, tapping the wooden table nervously with his fingers. "What''s the difference between them? Which will provide greater value if amplified?" The violin played a series of thoughtful, analytical notes. "Yeah," Dave nodded, "Wisdom is about intuition and perception. It''s the gut feeling, the ability to read between the lines. Intelligence is raw brainpower, the ability to process complex mathematics or to remember things I forgot quickly. But Foresight..." He trailed off, recalling his conversation with the Kitlix salesgirl. Her words echoed in his mind: "Violet Kitlix are associated with luck magic. Owners have reported experiencing prophetic dreams, particularly about potential dangers or death. Some have even developed the ability to glimpse brief visions of possible futures." The violin''s melody became more insistent, urging Dave to follow this train of thought. "Foresight," Dave thought. "it''s not just about predicting the future, is it? It''s about seeing possibilities, potential outcomes. If I could glimpse even a fraction of what might happen... of how I could get myself out of this mess." He straightened up suddenly, his eyes snapping open. "That''s it, isn''t it, Sherlock? Foresight! It could help us navigate the city without getting caught, find a cure for this damn poison, maybe even figure out what Cedez is really up to." The violin played a triumphant flourish, confirming Dave''s conclusion. "Alright then," Dave thought, a glimmer of hope in his mental voice, "Foresight it is. Let''s just hope this ''freebie handshake'' isn''t some kind of twisted trap." As if on cue, Cedez appeared at his table, her silver-blue eyes brimming with curiosity. "Have you made a decision, darling? Remember, move everything into one category. If you leave even a single point in another Attribute... things might not work out." "Why?" Dave asked. "Clarity of specialization is better with how I work," Cedez explained. Dave stared at Cedez. Unlike all of the adventurers and wizards and guards... Cedez has no Kitlix on her shoulder. What did this mean? Dave took a deep breath. With a thought, he pushed all of his soul points into Foresight, choosing to trust the strange foxgirl. "Interesting choice," she mused, "Most would go for raw power or healing. But you... you want to see what''s coming, see all of the other party''s moves, don''t you? Very well." She began to pull off her right leather glove, revealing a dark, furry, clawed hand with pink pads. "Foresight is a tricky thing, you know," she commented. "Are you sure you can handle seeing your own death?" Dave nodded, his eyes fixed on her hand. "I''ll manage," he nodded. "We''ll see about that," she said, extending her now bare hand towards him. "Ready?" "Yes," Dave exhaled, bringing his fingers up. The instant their palms touched, a jolt of electricity shot up Dave''s arm. It wasn''t painful, but it was intense, like grabbing a live wire wrapped in velvet. Sparks of something danced across their joined hands, spiraling up his arm in intricate patterns. "What the¡ª" Dave began, but his words were cut short as the world around him suddenly stretched and distorted. Colors blurred and melted into each other, sounds became muffled and distant. It felt as if the entire universe had become a giant rubber band, pulled taut to its breaking point. Then, with a deafening SNAP, everything wrenched back into place. Dave blinked rapidly, trying to clear the kaleidoscope of a thousand violet stars from his vision. His head spun, and for a moment, he wasn''t sure which way was up. Gradually, the world came back into focus, and he found himself still sitting across from Cedez at the cafe table. "Hrmmm," Cedez''s voice cut through the fog in his head, "that was certainly... interesting. How do you feel, my hero?" Dave opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His mind was reeling, trying to process what had just happened. He looked down at his hand, half-expecting it to be transformed or missing, but it appeared completely normal. "I... I''m not sure," he finally managed to stammer out. "What was that? What did you do to me?" "I granted your wish," Cedez winked. "What wish?! I, uhm, I don''t feel any different," Dave protested. "Ehh, you picked your hill to die on. If you didn''t acquire what you wanted, it''s not my fault, darling," Cedez got up and called over her shoulder, as she fluttered away to another cafe client. "Good luck getting into the city and finishing my Quest!" "Wait," Dave tried to call after her, but his voice came out as a weak rasp. He attempted to stand, his legs shaking beneath him. The world tilted alarmingly, and he stumbled sideways, grabbing onto the edge of the table for support. A wave of nausea hit him, and suddenly his hand let go of the table. He fell sideways across the cold cobblestones, his body wracked with violent coughs. He tasted copper in his mouth, and to his horror, he saw splatters of blood on his hands. "Hey! We''ve got a situation here!" A gruff voice called out from the direction of the city gates. Dave lifted his head, his vision swimming, to see two guards rushing towards him. "By her Shadow!" one of them muttered as they drew closer. "This one''s in bad shape. HEALER! We need a healer over here, NOW!" Dave tried to speak, to explain, but another fit of coughing overtook him. He felt strong hands gripping his shoulders. "Easy there, lad," the second guard said. "Help''s on the way. Just try to breathe." With another cough that felt like he was being turned inside out, Dave felt himself drifting in and out of consciousness. In a last, desperate attempt not to pass out he pushed everything into Vitality. "Healer here," he heard a female voice from above. "Oh jeez, this Iron is a mess. Let me handle this." Something warm brushed itself across Dave''s forehead and then he knew no more. [-9-] Healer Hall Dave''s eyes fluttered open, his vision swimming as he tried to focus on his surroundings. The cold, hard, white marble surface beneath him sent an icy chill through his battered body. As his sight cleared, he found himself staring up at a white, vaulted ceiling, intricate flowery patterns etched into the pale stone above. A face swam into view, hovering over him. It belonged to a woman with striking features - her skin was a pale lavender, and her hair seemed to be made of living vines. Her large eyes, a deep emerald green, held compassion and a hint of something harder, more pragmatic. She had two stripes on each cheek, short, gray, pointy horns and a dark nose. "Welcome back to the land of the living," she said. As she spoke, she lifted her hands from Dave''s body. A dark Kitlix sparkling with green shimmers that was formerly perched on Dave''s chest stretched languidly before hopping onto the healer''s outstretched fingers, rushing onto her shoulder. Dave tried to speak, but his throat felt like sandpaper. He managed a weak groan instead. As he attempted to sit up, a sharp pain lanced through his body, causing him to wince. "W-where am I?" He croaked. "Healers Hall," the woman answered. It was then that Dave felt something cold and heavy around his neck. His hand flew to his throat, fingers tracing the smooth metal of what could only be a collar. Panic surged through him. "What... what is this?" he sputtered, already suspecting the answer. The healer''s voice became very matter-of-fact. "You were brought to me on the brink of death, Mr. Adventurer. The magic required to save your life was... substantial." Dave''s mind stuttered in disjointed flashes, trying to piece together what had happened. The metal bugs, the fight, the long walk back to the city, the handshake with the terrifyingly dangerous fox - it all came flooding back. He looked at his wrist. The ID token on there showed him a rather harsh [-196 S, 86 Co]. The healer sighed. "The blood healing you required was pricey. A healing I was gracious enough to provide, despite your lack of funds. The collar ensures you''ll work off that debt." She handed him a cup of water and he chugged it greedily. Handing the empty cup back, Dave struggled to sit up, ignoring the protest of his aching muscles. He looked around for his bug and razor-cat-bird filled bag. "Wait. I have Quest items that..." "Questing nearly got you killed, as you went into the wilds without any armor like an idiot," the healer retorted, her tone sharpening. "Your debt is to me so you''ll work under me directly. If you have a skill useful to me you''ll last longer here. As I am a healer, I will not be using the pain control dial on you. Fail to cooperate and I''ll simply sell you to another party. The bugs you fetched and the Felislice corpse were taken to Dvaliss smithy as per your Quest plate and subtracted from how much you owe me." Dave swallowed nervously as he went over his stats.
Name: Dave Walter
Age: 33
Species & Subtype: Human
Core Affinity: Phantomancer
Level: 4
Anima: 86/86 + [34.5542]
Anima Stamina: 4/4 + [19.9642]
Mana: 4/4 + [0.1853]
Mana Regen: 4 m/hr + [0.0354]
Strength: 0
Agility: 0
Dexterity: 0
Vitality: 0 + [34.4832]
Charisma: 0
Magic: 0
Foresight: 0
Intelligence: 0
Wisdom: 0
Skills: Phantom Sight
Phantom Absorption
Postmortem Parleyer
Wraith Wingman: Sherlock
Affliction: DeathStrand 22:52:14
Finances: [-196 S, 86 Co]
State: Collar Bound Healer''s Assistant
Dave felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold, white marble beneath him. "Wait, I''m still cursed, I think! There''s something called DeathStrand in my affliction list. I... You need to scan me for it... please!" The healer cut him off with a wave of her hand. "No. I''ve examined you very thoroughly and fixed everything that was wrong with you. Whatever affliction you think you have, it doesn''t exist. You''ve had a lot of broken bones and torn muscles, some half-healed bones, lots of deep cuts and a blood poisoning Affliction called The Kiss of Felislice. I healed it all. You''re welcome. You might have problems down the line due to the nature of the Felislice, but we''ll handle that too... if it shows up." "Check me again!" Dave insisted, his voice rising. "It''s got a countdown and everything!" "A countdown?" The healer''s emerald eyes narrowed, studying him intently. After a long moment, she spoke, her voice just as firm. "I assure you, there is nothing wrong with you beyond the injuries you sustained. Whatever you think you see... it''s not real." "It''s real, I swear it!" Dave insisted. "I can see it in my Stats!" Dave choked as he stared at the updated clock of:If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
[DeathStrand 22:51:44]
"Shit... I have only twenty two hours left until the timer runs out!" "The Felislice you''ve encountered was high level, its steel curse must have poisoned your mind," the healer shook her green dreadlocks. "Hallucinations are a common side effect. They will fade and your mind will clear, given a day or two. Don''t worry." Dave opened his mouth to protest further, but the healer held up a hand, silencing him. "I will permit you to rest for five minutes more and then we''ll go get started." "No, no, no," he stammered. "I don''t have time to..." The healer squinted at Dave and then placed a hand on his shoulder, her green Kitlix leaping onto Dave''s chest. The creature''s crystalline body pulsed with a soft, soothing light. "Calm," the healer commanded, her voice resonating with power. The Kitlix''s lime-tinted light intensified, and Dave felt a wave of tranquility wash over him. His racing thoughts slowed, and his breathing steadied. "Isn''t that better?" the healer asked. "Now, listen carefully. You''re going to be working for me now. My name is Sylphaera Artuci, but you will address me as Master Sylphaera. You''ll work for me until your debt is cleared. I''ll be a nice Master. If you''ve a talent for Vitality, you might even become a Healer like me someday! There''s no need to be scared, Dave. You are an Adventurer no longer." Dave nodded, feeling strangely at ease despite the situation. "Yes, Master Sylphaera," he sighed noticing that his token ID now said [Healer''s Assistant] instead of [Iron Adventurer]. Master Sylphaera led him out of the room for patients, to another white gothic room. A large glass bowl filled with a variety of Kitlix, their crystalline bodies shimmering in a rainbow of colors stood in its center. The white-robed Kitlix handler was standing behind the bowl, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and wire-rimmed glasses. A beige Kitlix sat on the man''s shoulder staring at Dave with pale eyes. The man''s name tag read [Gaius Flintosh, Senior Bonding Specialist of Kitlix Chapel.] "Greetings, Master Healer," Gaius bowed to Sylphaera. "I see that you have a new... assistant?" "Yes," Sylphaera nodded. "Run the affinity test, yeah?" "Sure thing," Gaius nodded. "Go ahead, applicant. Put your hand into the bowl and we''ll see if any of these take a liking to you," he instructed. Feeling desperate to find a cure for his affliction, Dave kept all of his points in Vitality. As he approached the bowl and put a hand into the rainbow of gem-critters filling it, a green Kitlix seemed to perk up, its eyes fixed on Dave. It leaped out of the bowl and onto his outstretched hand. "Hrmm," Sylphaera whistled in approval. "Consider me impressed. You actually got a green to come up to you." "Go on now, give her a name. She will be yours for life," Gaius said, blue stained glass featuring Healers and their Kitlix reflecting on his wire-rimmed glasses. Dave stared at the green Kitlix nestled in his palm. "For... life?" Dave swallowed. He glanced uncertainly between Gaius and Master Sylphaera, searching for any sign that this was some kind of elaborate joke. "That''s right!" Gaius nodded. "That''s a level 34 Vitalix! Consider yourself very lucky! I''ve never seen a Kitlix that high level so purposefully choose someone before! Ordinarily, new applicants get level zero newborns or Kitlix that match their level." Master Sylphaera nodded. "Forget about being an adventurer, Dave! You''re clearly an incredibly talented healer," she said. "I thought you were only level four, and yet you''ve somehow got a level thirty-four Green accepting you!" Gaius clapped his hands together, his enthusiasm palpable. "Indeed! This is pretty much unheard of!" he exclaimed. "Your magical green alignment must be ridiculously pure for something like this to happen! Go on, give her a name, while I fill out the paperwork." "Thanks," Dave nodded. He watched as the green Kitlix bobbed her head at him, almost as if encouraging him to make a decision. "Healy," he decided. The Kitlix emitted a happy trill, rushing up Dave''s shoulder. Gaius beamed at Dave, jotting something down in a leather book. "Healy it is! Now, let''s begin the bonding ritual! Token please!" Dave handed his token to the man and watched as Gaius began the bonding. The Kitlix Specialist''s movements were fluid and practiced, his hands tracing intricate patterns in the air as he muttered incantations under his breath. "Now, Dave," Gaius instructed, his voice taking on a formal tone, "please place your right hand on Healy''s head and your left hand over your heart." Dave complied, feeling a slight tingling sensation where his skin made contact with the Kitlix''s crystalline body. Healy let out a soft, melodious trill, her emerald eyes fixed on Dave with an intensity that made him slightly uncomfortable. "Fommi, if you please," Gaius said softly. The beige Kitlix on the man''s shoulder began to glow, igniting with all of the colors of the rainbow. Its inner light pulsed in time with Gaius''s words as he began to chant in a language Dave didn''t seem to understand. As the chant grew louder, Gaius sprinkled the powder in a circle around Dave and Healy. The moment the circle was complete, it ignited in a brilliant flash of green light. Dave gasped as he felt a surge of energy course through him. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before - warm and invigorating, yet somehow calming at the same time. Suddenly, brilliant green fireworks erupted from the circle, rushing across the entire room in dazzling arcs and spirals. The light show was breathtaking, filling the air with sparks that danced and swirled, fading away as they landed on Dave and his new companion. As the last of the fireworks dissipated, Dave was left with a profound sense of connection to Healy. It was as if a part of him that he never knew was missing had suddenly clicked into place.
Bonded Familiar: LV 34 Vitalix Kitlix, Healy.
Dave''s bracelet notified him. Gaius lowered his hands, a broad smile on his face. "The bonding is complete!" he announced. "Dave, Healy is now your familiar. You are connected in ways that go beyond the physical realm. You are now officially a Healer''s Apprentice, congratulations! Here is your token back!" Dave smiled, enjoying the inner warmth of his new connection and then his eyes drifted to his token. The number on it had changed to [-536 S, 86 Co]. "Wait," he stammered. "Why do I owe five hundred silver now?!" "Yes, yes, Kitlix cost money. Don''t worry, you''ll work it off faster now that you''ve got a lovely green. There''s no time to lose, I must teach you how to use your new Vitality Kitlix to heal specific parts of your body. Once we''ve gone over that, we''ll move onto live patients!" Sylphaera pulled Dave out of the Kitlix Chapel before he could say anything else. Over the next several hours, Sylphaera guided Dave through the basics of healing magic. He learned to channel Vitality-aligned mana through the Kitlix, directing its energy to mend internal injuries and ease pain in specific parts of himself. "You''re doing well," his new Master nodded. "Very well indeed. You must have had some experience administrating very deep specificity in your previous life." "Yeah," Dave nodded. "I was a programmer." "Don''t know what that is and don''t care," Sylphaera said. "Let''s move onto live patients. Also, let''s get you your own apprentice robe to replace this gray one." With that, Sylphaera led Dave to a change room, where he picked out a white robe with green trim featuring a Vitalix Kitlix logo on the shoulder, similar to what his Master was wearing. "Now, you look the part of a Healer," Sylphaera nodded with a smile. "Let''s get cracking on healing idiots." She led Dave across a multitude of white stone rooms where he got to look at horribly injured adventurers and practice his healing on them. Despite the looming timer of the DeathStrand, Dave found himself absorbed in the lessons, his newfound ability to heal providing a small measure of comfort in the face of his potential impending doom as he moved from patient to patient with his Master. ''Maybe it won''t be so bad... maybe when the timer runs out nothing will happen?'' He thought glancing at the timer that was now at seventeen hours to go.
The day quickly turned into red-rune tinted night and then morning and evening. After nearly fifteen more hours of non-stop healing work, only interrupted for snacking on sandwiches, brought by a collared, weary looking man in a gray robe, Sylphaera declared both of them on a rest break and led him to the dinner hall. "Is it normal for Healers to work such long hours?" Dave asked. "Why don''t I feel sleepy or tired?" "Our Kitlix keep us upright for very long time," his Master explained. "That''s the advantage of being a healer. Sleep can be just pushed back." "Handy," Dave said.
Dave sat at the long wooden table in the Healers'' dining hall, a bowl of steaming meat soup and a chunk of crusty bread before him. The rich aroma of herbs and spices wafted up, but he found it hard to focus on the meal. His mind kept circling back to the countdown ticking away in his stats, now down to just over two hours to go. Was the affliction something that Cedez did to him? The world around him felt insanely real, not like a dream at all, didn''t feel like a vision of the future. Maybe the vision was going to happen while he slept, perhaps.... he just had to switch all of his points to Foresight for it to occur? "You did great today, apprentice," Sylphaera praised Dave. "You''ve got a genuine talent for healing. You can relax for the next few hours, get to know other apprentices and then have a nap and then we''ll get back to the grind." Dave nodded tiredly and closed his eyes briefly, reaching out to Sherlock. The phantom detective''s violin played a somber, uncertain tune. It was clear that even Sherlock, with all his deductive prowess, was at a loss when it came to the mysterious DeathStrand. "You really have no idea what''s going to happen, do you?" Dave thought. The violin''s melody turned apologetic, confirming his fears. "The name ''Death'' in DeathStrand implies a finality," the violin seemed to suggest without words. "Canvas more Healers for information." Looking around the bustling dining hall, Dave saw healers and apprentices of all shapes and sizes. Some had skin in various hues of green, violet or blue, others sported feathers or scales and horns. All wore the same white and green robes marked with the Healers Guild emblem - a green Kitlix curling into itself, surrounded by a green wreath featuring sharp, triangular leaves. Gathering his courage, Dave cleared his throat and addressed the apprentice sitting next to him, a young woman with green antlers on her head. "Excuse me," he began, "I don''t suppose you''ve ever heard of something called a DeathStrand?" The apprentice Healer considered the question. "DeathStrand? No, can''t say that I have. Is it some kind of curse?" Dave nodded, trying to keep the worry out of his voice. "Something like that.... maybe. It''s... it''s got a countdown attached to it." "A countdown? That sounds serious and... odd. Curses generally don''t have countdowns, more like states of malady. Is there a malady state? Have you asked Master Sylphaera about it?" "She doesn''t believe it exists," Dave sighed, stirring his soup listlessly. "No malady state, just a countdown." "Terri don''t entertain his nonsense," Sylphaera commented from where she sat. "There''s nothing wrong with Dave!" "Okay, but what if there is?" Terri shook her antlers. "Maybe we should get a second opinion!" Sylphaera sighed, rolling her green eyes. Word of Dave''s strange condition spread quickly down the table with Terri''s chatty voice propelling it forward. Soon, Healers of various ranks from Masters to their apprentices were chiming in, each offering their own theories or admitting their lack of knowledge on the subject. None had heard of a DeathStrand before. Sylphaera tried to shove it under the hallucinatory delusion explanation, but the curiosity of the dining Healers was already captured by Dave''s weirdness. One of the apprentices, a twenty-some, brown haired man with a goatee and mustache, large long ears, violet eyes and violet-brown horns excused himself from dinner. In about ten minutes, he brought out a lanky man in a cyan robe with a Veritix Kitlix. "Hey, I''m apprentice Dumpich," the Healer introduced himself to Dave. "Do you mind if Truth-Seeker Jimirr interrogates you? We''ll keep the questions malady-related, don''t worry!" "Yeah, sure," Dave nodded, shaking Dumpich''s hand with a smile. The bald man pulled up a chair, his face expressionless. "State your name and current occupation," Jimirr said, his voice flat. "Dave Walter, recently collared Healer''s apprentice," Dave replied, feeling the weight of the collar around his neck. The Veritix flashed green, confirming his honesty. "Do you believe you are currently afflicted by a condition known as DeathStrand?" Jimirr continued. Dave nodded. "Yes, I do. It appeared in my status after... an encounter with someone in the city." Again, the Veritix glowed green. Jimirr raised an eyebrow. "Can you describe the symptoms of this alleged condition?" "That''s just it," Dave said, frustration evident in his voice. "There are no physical symptoms. Just a countdown timer in my status screen. It''s at..." he checked quickly, "...just under two hours now." The Veritix remained green, but Sylphaera scoffed from her seat nearby. "This is ridiculous. A Veritix can be bypassed by someone who truly believes their own delusions." Dave turned to her. "How can a truth-detecting creature be bypassed?" Sylphaera sighed heavily, as if explaining to a child. "The Veritix doesn''t detect absolute truth, only what the speaker believes to be true. If you somehow genuinely believe you''re afflicted, even if you''re not, the Veritix will shine green." "I believe that this man is a necromancer," Seeker Jimirr suddenly declared. "What?!" The faces of the healers turned to Dave and the Truth-Seeker. [-10-] The Heart of Shandria "Don''t be ridiculous," Dumpich declared. "Dave is obviously a healer! Look he''s got a freaking Vitalix on his shoulder!" "Are you a necromancer?" Jimirr asked. "No I am not," Dave replied squinting at the man. "Satisfied?" Dumpich huffed. "Also, you''re trailing off the malady related questions! This isn''t what we agreed on, Jimirr!" "I will be reporting this to the Watch," Jimirr said, crossing his arms. "Whyyyy?" Dumpich whined. "The Watch rewards five hundred silver to anyone finding a genuine necromancer," Jimirr explained. "Whatever," Dumpich sighed. Seeing that Dave didn''t look pleased about this development, he clapped him on the shoulder. "Don''t worry, bud, you''re with us now! We absolutely won''t let you rot in a cell. You''re definitely a healer!" "I believe we''re getting off track here," Sylphaera interjected. "We were arguing whether Dave has an affliction or not, not whether he is a necromancer, which I believe is utter nonsense on the account that he''s got a Green bonded to him. Jimirr, you''re free to go. If you want to report whatever it is you suspect to the City Watch, that''s your choice." Dave watched as Seeker Jimirr departed with a frown. The debate unfolded around him once again. "Master Sylphaera, with all due respect," Dumpich argued. "What if Dave''s Deathstrand affliction is something new, something we haven''t encountered before?" Terri, the green-antlered apprentice, nodded vigorously. "Exactly! Remember the Whispering Plague last year? Nobody believed it was real at first, and look how that turned out." Sylphaera''s face darkened at the memory. "That was different. We had physical symptoms to work with, not just a countdown in someone''s head." "But what if the countdown is the symptom?" A new voice chimed in. Dave turned to see an older man with stark white hair, long ears and piercing blue eyes approaching the table. He carried a thick, leather-bound book under his arm. "Leon," Sylphaera acknowledged with a nod. "I suppose you''re going to tell me I''m wrong too?" Leon smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening. "Not wrong, necessarily. Just... perhaps not considering all possibilities." He turned to Dave. "Mind if I try something?" "Go ahead," Dave shrugged. "At this point, I''m willing to try anything." Leon opened his book, revealing pages filled with detailed illustrations of plants and also samples of dry plants attached to what appeared to be some kind of magic hexagrams. He plucked a leaf from between the pages and held it out to Dave. "Chew on this for a moment, please." Dave took the leaf, eyeing it suspiciously before popping it into his mouth. It tasted bitter and slightly metallic. "Keep chewing, slowly now, don''t swallow it," Leon said, his eyes never leaving Dave''s face, his Vitalix glittering on his shoulder. As Dave chewed the bitter leaf, he felt a strange tingling sensation spread through his body. Leon watched him intently, his blue eyes narrowed in concentration. "Hrmmm," Leon muttered, stroking his chin. "Very interesting indeed." Sylphaera rolled her eyes, her patience clearly wearing thin. "What''s interesting, Leon? That my new apprentice can chew a leaf?" Leon ignored her sarcasm, focusing on Dave. "Tell me, has anything changed in your status? Any alteration to this... DeathStrand of yours?" Dave quickly checked his stats, hope flaring in his chest. But the countdown remained unchanged, still ticking away relentlessly. He shook his head, disappointment evident on his face. "No change," he reported glumly. "Still just under two hours left." Leon nodded thoughtfully. "As I suspected. The leaf I gave you is the rare Bloodinium Vlex found in the wilds outside of the city known for its ability to temporarily suspend most magical afflictions. The fact that it had no effect on your countdown suggests we''re dealing with something... truly unusual." Sylphaera threw up her hands in exasperation. "Or it suggests that there''s nothing to suspend because there''s no actual affliction!" As their debate intensified, more healers began to gather around the table, drawn by the commotion. Dumpich stood up, his voice rising above the murmur of the crowd. "Listen, everyone!" he called out, his violet eyes flashing with determination. "We can''t just dismiss this! What if Dave is right? What if this DeathStrand is something new, something we''ve never encountered before? We have a responsibility as healers to investigate!" A chorus of agreement rose from some of the younger apprentices, while the more experienced healers exchanged skeptical glances. A few more Masters joined Dave''s side, scanning Dave with their Kitlix, finding no maladies in him. An elderly Healer with bark-like skin, a massive belly and silver moss growing in his beard slowly limped over where Dave was sitting, his rheumy eyes fixed on Dave. "Boy," he rasped, "let me take a look at you. I''ve been a healer for more than 94 years! If there''s a curse on you, I''ll surely find it. All of you youngins, shoo off and let me work." The other Healers parted, whispering to each other that Archmage Koradrii will surely find whatever the DeathStrand is. Hope once again flared in Dave''s chest as the old Healer hobbled around the table. A rather big Kitlix leapt from the Archmage along with an entire family of smaller ones that the elder was carrying on his back in a woven basket. The man''s gnarled hands hovered over Dave, his eyes closed in concentration as the Kitlix began to glow and pulse, running all around Dave''s body and flashing all sorts of colors. For several long minutes, the dining hall fell silent, all eyes on the unusual examination. Dave hardly dared to breathe, praying that this venerable Healer would find something, anything, that could explain the DeathStrand affliction. Finally, the tree-man''s eyes snapped open. He shook his head, disappointment etched in the deep lines of his face. "Alas," Archmage Koradrii said, his tongue clicking. "I detect no curses, no unusual energies. There is some... magic-touched metal in your blood, but we can easily deal with that in a few days time by bringing in a metalmancer. Whatever this DeathStrand is, however, it''s beyond my ability to perceive. Perhaps, it is as Healer Sylphaera says, just a hallucination or not a dangerous malady as you fear. Rest easy, my lad, for this is the safest place in Shandria for someone who is ill! We will not let you die so young, you are one of us now, Green apprentice Dave!" "That''s right Dave, even if this DeathStrand thing is real, you''re in the best possible place for it. We''ve got healers here who can reattach limbs, cure century-old curses, and even bring people back from the brink of death. Whatever happens, we''ve got your back!" Apprentice Dumpich hugged Dave by his shoulders. "Hear! Hear!" The other Healers cheered. One of the Healers fished a black Kitlix from a metal pot and unceremoniously shoved her onto the logs. At the man''s order, the Kitlix ignited with splatter of red flare-like stars at her horns and feet, radiating heat which set the logs on fire with a merry crackle. As healers relaxed, chatting about things, Dave felt a warmth spreading through him that had nothing to do with the crackling fire. Despite the slave collar around his neck and the looming countdown, he found himself touched by the genuine concern and support expressed by Healer apprentices. Everyone here saw him as part of their clique, due to the level 34 Vitalix Kitlix snoozing on his shoulder. A few Kitlix departed from their owners who had passed out on the benches, gathering atop of the fireplace, looking like crystalline, living Christmas decorations, watching the hall with wide, curious diamond-shaped pupils. A jovial healer with bright blue skin and webbed fingers clapped Dave on the back. "Don''t you worry, lad! I''m Healer Gills. Once nursed a fellow back to health after he''d been swallowed whole by a sea serpent. Whatever this DeathStrand is, we''ll sort it out!" "That''s right," chimed in a petite healer with butterfly wing-like ears and a particularly pink nose. "I''m Healer Flitter, and I once cured a man who''d been turned inside out by a very nasty dungeon. We''ve seen it all here! Can''t surprise us, nu-huh!" As the evening progressed, more healers gathered around, sharing stories of their most bizarre and challenging cases. Someone produced a few boxes of bottles of sweet, amber-colored bubbling mead and a ton of wooden cups, and soon the atmosphere grew even more relaxed and jovial. "So, Dave," Terri asked, "where are you from originally? You''ve got an interesting... Aura about you." "What kind of Aura?" Dave asked. "How exactly are you seeing my Aura? "Through my lovely Tori," Terri commented, petting her Kitlix. We''re pretty well connected, her and I. "When I close my eyes and Tori looks at you, she shows me something dark and sparkly. Mysterious. Sort of like a shawl of green brilliant stars amidst the deepest ocean." "Yeah," Apprentice Dumpich sat down on Dave''s left closer to the fire. "Agreed. Mate, your Aura is legit the weirdest thing I''ve seen." "It''s not just the green stars of a talented healer," Terri blushed. "There''s something else there behind the green, something I''ve never seen before." Dave nodded, slightly worried of being declared a necromancer. Leon stroked his white beard thoughtfully. "It''s like... a void, but not in a bad way. More like a canvas waiting to be painted. Most Healers'' auras are like green auroras, with other colors mixing in the background. But Dave''s..." He trailed off, searching for the right words. "Is originally unique!" Terri declared. "Super sharp! Brightest green over darkest black!" "It''s not black behind the green," Leon continued after a moment of sipping his mead. "It''s more like... nothing, I think. The emptiness between spaces."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "Very poetic," Terri smiled. "I''m curious to see how it will grow." Leon''s eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! It reminds me of the Void Lotus! You know, that rare flower that grows in the deepest, darkest caves about 33 clicks North from Shandria? Its petals are pure black, but when you look closely, you can see tiny pinpricks of light, like the stars cast by the fires of war in darkest hour. The Void Lotus helps patients with damaged souls, realigns connections between skills..." As Leon continued to describe the magic properties of Void Lotus, Dave''s gaze fell on the thick, leather-bound book the forty-some-year-old healer had with him. "Leon," Dave interrupted gently, "would you mind if I looked at your plant book for a bit? I''d love to learn more about these flowers you''re talking about." "Oh yeah go right ahead," Leon smiled handing Dave his treasure. Dave began to flip through the book, with Leon pointing out the most rare and useful plants he collected. "Great now we have two Verdomancy enthusiasts," Terri commented. "Also, someone forgot to answer my question. Where are you from, Dave?" "Oh um," Dave looked up from Leon''s book, hesitating for a moment before deciding honesty was the best policy with the Healers. "Well, actually, I''m... not from this world. I was summoned here just a few days ago... from Earth." A hush fell over the group, followed by excited murmurs. "A summoned human!" exclaimed Dumpich, his eyes wide with wonder. "By the tadpole''s grandness! We''ve never had one of you in our ranks before!" Terri clapped. "Oh, you must tell us about Earth!" The questions came thick and fast after that, with the healers eager to learn about Earth and its marvels. Dave found himself explaining concepts like electricity, the internet, and even reality TV to his rapt audience. "By her Divine Shadow," Leon murmured, "it sounds like quite a place. Do you have magical plants there too?" "No magic plants alas," Dave replied. "Lots of plants that can heal people though." "Do they have anything as marvelous as our Kitlix there?" Dumpich asked. Dave shook his head, smiling as he flipped through the Verdomancy book. "No, I''m afraid Earth is sorely lacking in the magical creature department too." . . . As the night wore on, Dave felt his spirits lifting. The warmth of the fire, the white gothic hall, the sweetness of the strange mead-beer, and the genuine camaraderie of his fellow healers-in-training helped push the worry of the DeathStrand to the back of his mind. "So," Leon asked as he finished describing another magical plant to Dave. "I believe that we might be missing a vital ingredient from our inquiry." "Which is?" Dave asked. "What do you believe is the exact source of the DeathStrand, Dave?" Dave took a deep breath, the warmth of the mead giving him courage. He looked around at the circle of expectant faces, their eyes shining with curiosity in the firelight. "Well," he began, his voice low, "it all started about twenty-three hours ago. I''d just returned from my first adventure outside the city walls, battered and broken after my fight with a felislice. That''s when I ran into Cedez, a foxgirl who runs the Cambria Snail Cafe." Dumpich opened his mouth and closed it. Terri leaned in, her antlers catching the firelight. "A foxgirl? How intriguing!" Dave nodded, a wry smile on his face. "Oh, she was intriguing alright. She knew things about me... things I hadn''t told anyone." "What kind of things?" Dumpich asked. Dave hesitated, then decided to push forward. "She knew I was summoned. Knew my name, knew about my... special abilities. She even knew about a conversation I''d had with the guards at the city gate." Leon''s eyebrows shot up. "That does sound suspicious. What happened next?" Dave''s fingers tightened around his mug of mead as he continued. "She offered me a Quest. Said I needed to ''slay the dragon and free the princess.'' When I asked for clarification, she just smiled and said it was open to interpretation." "A dragon?" Terri asked. "Not a literal dragon, I don''t think," Dave explained. "She seemed to be referring to the dragon blacksmith at the lighthouse. As for the princess... well, I''m not sure who that''s supposed to be. Maybe Cedez herself, maybe someone else." Dumpich stroked his goatee thoughtfully. "And you accepted this... Quest?" Dave nodded grimly. "I didn''t have much choice. She made it clear that refusing wasn''t an option. Then she offered me a ''freebie handshake'' to help with the quest." "A handshake?" Leon''s brow furrowed. "What did that entail?" "She said I could choose to amplify any aspect of myself," Dave explained. "She pulled her glove off and we shook hands." Dumpich looked like he was trying very hard to suppress a laugh. "And that''s when the DeathStrand appeared?" Terri asked. "Maybe," Dave nodded. "The moment our hands touched, there was this... jolt. Like electricity, but not painful. Then everything went weird for a moment, like the world was stretching and snapping back. When it was over, I tried to stand up but fell over. Master Sylphaera healed me and when I checked my stats it was there... the Deathstrand Affliction and this weird-ass countdown in my stats." Dave''s eyebrows shot up in surprise as Dumpich burst into sudden laughter. The other healers turned to look at the long-eared apprentice. "What?" Dave asked. Dumpich''s laughter subsided to a chuckle as he wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, mate," he said, shaking his head, "I''m pretty sure you''ve been had. I know Cedez quite well. Just had a latte at her cafe last week. Delightful girl, always full of mischief." "You know her?" Dave sputtered, his mind reeling at the unexpected connection. "Of course!" Dumpich exclaimed. He waved a hand dismissively at Terri and Leon. "The Cambria Snail Cafe is a favorite among some of us Healers who actually go out, unlike these two shut-ins." Terri huffed indignantly, her antlers and blonde hair quivering. "I''ll have you know I''ve been outside plenty of times!" "Trips to the herb garden don''t count," Leon quipped, earning a playful swat from Terri. "The Snail Cafe generally parks at the Adventurers Gate," Dumpich clarified. "If you go through another gate, you won''t see her." "Uh-huh," Terri rolled her eyes. "I usually take the North gate. I stand corrected. I go out to see my dad working the fields there. My family are Agromancers with their own Agrilopod!" Dumpich rolled his eyes at Terri and turned back to Dave. "I''d been working with a party of adventurers as their healer and dungeon diver before I decided to join Healers Hall on a permanent basis. Cedez''s cafe was our go-to spot for pre-quest lattes and post-dungeon cake celebrations." Dave''s mind raced with questions. "So, you''ve interacted with her a lot? Did she ever mention anything about... Quests or magic handshakes?" Dumpich stroked his goatee. "Quests? Oh, all the time. Cedez loves to send people on wild goose chases to find their fame and fortune. It''s all in good fun, usually. But handshakes?" He shook his head. "That''s a new one. I''m pretty sure she has haphephobia. I''ve never seen her take her gloves off. She must have seen something special in you to do that." "What?" Dave blinked. "Between you and me, I think our foxy barista might have taken a shine to you." Dumpich said with a wide smile. "She doesn''t touch anyone with bare hands." "Hang on, can anyone give out Quests?" Dave asked. Healer Gills, his blue skin glistening in the firelight, let out a hearty laugh. "A Quest from a cafe maid? Oh, that''s rich! Everyone knows only Highborn Lords or Guilds can issue Quests." "But..." Dave started, only to be cut off by Flitter''s tinkling giggle. "Oh, honey," she said. "That''s probably just a bit of illusionist magic. Truly talented illusionists can mess with a person''s stats for a bit. I think that we''ve just solved your DeathStrand problem. We can''t see it because Healers can''t see personal-focused illusion magic. She probably had an associate cast it on your eye corneas." Dumpich nodded vigorously. "Agreed! Cedez is only nineteen, I think. Sending you to slay a dragon? Classic flirting technique!" "Why the timer though?" Dave asked. "A memorable prank," Dumpich shrugged. "Being quirky is part of the Cafe Maid charm. People go to these Cafes for the experience of interacting with cute maids. When you''re going out to face death and dismemberment a bit of a whimsical, surreal charm to distract your mind from such works great. She''s taken it overboard because she likes you, obviously." "In my day, we just wrote poetry, but times change, I suppose," Archmage Koradrii commented from his corner. As more merry laughter rippled through the group, Dave felt the tight knot of anxiety in his chest begin to loosen. Could it really be just an elaborate joke? "But it seems so real," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "I can see the Quest in my stats and everything." Dumpich patted him on the shoulder. "Magic is like that. The stuff cast by a pro illusionist disperses after a day. Trust me, mate, if there was any real, deadly curse on you, we''d have found it by now. Cedez was obviously just having a bit of harmless fun with you. She''s a nice girl from a lowborn family, if I recall correctly." As the conversation about Cedez''s prank continued, apprentice Dumpich leaned in towards Dave. "So, do you fancy her?" he asked with a mischievous grin. "You should give her a taste of her own medicine. A prank for a prank!" Before Dave could respond, Leon interjected. "No, no, no! That''s a terrible idea. Engaging in pranks will only encourage her further. Trust me, I''ve seen this sort of thing before. Best solution is to ignore her nonsense!" The group of healers around Dave quickly split into factions, their voices rising in excited debate. Some began placing bets on whether Dave would successfully woo Cedez, while others wagered on his ability to rebuff her advances. "Five copper says Dave''ll be smitten within a week!" Dumpich yelled. "Bah!" Leon retorted. "Ten copper says he will expertly give her the cold shoulder! Genuine Green Healers and plant appreciators like Dave are in short supply!" Dave watched the increasingly rowdy scene. He turned to the healer sitting close to them, an older woman with silver hair who seemed to be the most sober of the bunch. "Is this... normal?" he asked hesitantly. "Should we be worried about how much they''re drinking?" The silver-haired healer chuckled. "Oh, don''t you fret, dear. Our Kitlix can cure anything, especially a bit of drunkenness. Watch this." "Oi Apprentice Dumpich!" "Yes, Master Alakash?" Dumpich rotated. He looked quite plastered, cheeks red and eyes wandering. Healer Alakash put her Kitlix wrapped hand onto the head of her apprentice. With a flash of green radiance, Dumpich became instantly sober. "Aw, Master, come on," he whined. "I just got drunk!" "Your shift begins in an hour," Alakash pointed out. "More than enough time," Dumpich waved his Master off. Dave watched with amusement as Dumpich, now sober but clearly disgruntled, reached for another mug of mead. The apprentice healer tilted his head back, chugging the alcohol with impressive speed. "Slow down there, Dumpich!" Dave called out. "You''ll be needing another sobering spell at this rate!" Dumpich wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, grinning broadly. "Can''t help it, mate! Gotta make the most of my free time before my shift starts!" The merriment was infectious, and Dave found himself relaxing fully for the first time since he''d arrived on Arx via an isekai spell. The warmth of the mead spread through his body, loosening his inhibitions. He took another swig from his own cup, savoring the flavor. A group of apprentice healers, their eyes bright with curiosity, gathered around Dave. Terri, leaned in eagerly. "Dave, do the people of Earth... have songs? Could you sing us one?" Dave felt a flush creep up his neck, partly from the mead and partly from sudden self-consciousness. "Oh, I don''t know if I''m much of a singer..." "Oh, come on!" Dumpich urged, his skin shimmering with violet sparks in the firelight. "We''d love to hear something from your world! Werth, right?" "Earth," Dave said. "Close enuff," Dumpich waved his pitcher. Buoyed by their enthusiasm and the liquid courage coursing through his veins, Dave cleared his throat. "Alright, alright. Here''s one we used to sing back home. It''s called ''Wonderwall''." As Dave launched into the familiar Oasis tune, backed only in his head by Sherlock''s violin, his voice wavering slightly at first but growing stronger with each verse, he noticed the countdown in the corner of his vision ticking steadily downward towards inevitable zero. A small part of his mind registered this fact, but the warmth of the company and the haze of the mead pushed the concern to the background. By the verse of: "Because maybe You''re gonna be the one that saves me" Healy joined in, somehow catching onto the melody in Dave''s head and loudly twinkling Sherlock''s violin music out by wiggling her entire crystalline body. The apprentices swayed to the unfamiliar melody, some attempting to hum along. As Dave finished the song, applause erupted around him. "That was brilliant!" Terri exclaimed, her eyes shining. "What a strange and beautiful song!" "Bravo!" Dumpich clapped, already looking twice as drunk and red-faced. "Damn, I''ve never seen a healer make their Kitlix sing along like that!" "To everlasting friendships!" One of the scaled girls raised her mead cup, white and green robes flying to reveal slender legs. "To Verdomancy!" Leon declared. "To Healer Hall!" Dumpich roared from beside Dave. "May we heal a million maidens and bear many children before our stomachs bust! Ha ha har!" "Hear! Hear!" The Healers began clanking their cups. Dave raised his wooden cup high. "To everlasting friendships!" he called out, his voice ringing clear in the hall. "To Healer Hall!" The room erupted in cheers as more healers and apprentices alike raised their cups. "Cheers, Apprentice Dave!" they chorused, the sound of clinking cups filling the air. As Dave brought the cup to his lips, his eyes flickered to the countdown once more. With a jolt he noticed that it only had twenty seconds left on it. "Don''t worry about that dumb fox prankster, bud," Dumpich yelled into Dave''s ear. "You''re in the beating Heart of Shandria, the Hall of Healers, the best of the best, an Order of Compassion, a ring of green magi entwined by our Kitlix! Right ladies?" "Right!" The apprentices giggled at his boasting. "Terri, I dare you to kiss apprentice Dave!" Dumpich waved his cup. "What?" The antlered girl sputtered. "Come on! Look, he''s obviously gonna expire tragically in... what?" Dumpich prodded Dave in the side. "You''re a kiss-virgin right Dave? Ain''t nobody gave you a smooch on Arx yet, right?" "Uh, yeah, sure. Also, ten seconds," Dave replied with a frown, paying more attention to the countdown than anything. "Nine..." Terri rolled her eyes and rose from her seat as Dave counted down. She smooched Dave''s cheek to the approving roars and cheers of the other apprentices. "One... zero," Dave counted, blushing furiously. "See, and you were worried about..." Dumpich began. In that instant, Dave felt a sudden, searing pain in his chest. His cup slipped from his fingers, clattering to the floor as mead spilled across the stones. The room around him began to drift away, voices of his new friends becoming distant and muffled. He clutched at his chest, gasping for air that wouldn''t come. Through the haze of panic, he saw the alarmed faces of the healers around him, their mouths moving in silent shouts. As darkness began to creep in at the edges of his vision, Dave''s last coherent thought was of the irony ¨C surrounded by the most skilled healers in the realm, and yet he was clearly dying. Then, with a final, painful lurch, the world folded in on itself, collapsing into nothing. [-11-] Second Try Dave''s world lurched violently, as if the very fabric of reality had snapped like an overstretched rubber band. He found himself hurtling backwards through a kaleidoscope of sensations, each fragment more vivid than the last. The warmth of the Healers'' Hall, the taste of mead on his tongue, the sound of laughter - all of it rushed past him in a dizzying blur. With a jolt that knocked the breath from his lungs, Dave found himself back at the Cambria Snail Cafe, his hand releasing its grip on Cedez''s dark, fur-covered fingers. The foxgirl smoothly pulled her leather glove back on, the blue gemstones scattered across its surface in an intricate, fractal snowflake pattern catching the falling rays of sunlight. Dave gaped like a fish out of water, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to process what had just happened. His eyes darted left and right, taking in the familiar sight of the bustling Adventurers Gate, the snail-shaped cafe, and the amused expression on Cedez''s face. "Hrmmm," Cedez''s voice cut through the fog in his head, "that was certainly... interesting. How do you feel, my hero?" Dave felt a distinctive sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu wash over him. He''d been here before, had this exact conversation. His mind reeled, trying to reconcile the vivid memories of his time in the Healers Hall with the reality of sitting at the cafe table. "I... what... how?" Dave sputtered, his voice hoarse as if he''d been screaming. He gripped the edge of the table, anchoring himself to something solid as the world seemed to spin around him. His lungs ached, filling with blood, his legs and arms featuring a thousand throbbing cuts courtesy of the Felislice. "Sooo?" Cedez grinned. "Are you satisfied with your wish? Come on, use your words. How do you rate your wish out of ten?" Dave ignored the foxgirl as he shoved all of his soul points into Vitality. He closed his eyes, drawing upon the lessons of Master Sylphaera. He visualized his body as a complex network of energy pathways, focusing on directing Vitality to specific areas. "Lungs first," he thought, picturing the damaged tissue knitting back together. "Then arteries, veins, muscles..." As he worked, Dave could almost hear Master Sylphaera''s voice guiding him. "Concentrate, apprentice. Feel the flow of life energy. Direct it where it''s needed most." Minutes ticked by as Dave focused intensely on healing himself. The pain in his chest eased, his breathing becoming less labored. It wasn''t enough to completely rid him of the Felislice Kiss, but he felt marginally more functional. Dave opened his eyes, his breath coming easier now. He found Cedez staring back at him. "Come on," she prompted, leaning forward on her elbows. "Don''t leave a girl hanging. How was your little trip forward in time?" Dave''s mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed to croak out, "That... that was real? All of it?" Cedez''s tail swished behind her. "As real as you wanted it to be, hero. Though I must say, I''m a little hurt you didn''t try to woo me in your future vision. I thought we had something special." Dave''s face flushed, memories of the Healers'' debates about his love life flooding back. "Wait... did you see all of that? Were you there?" "I sorta was and wasn''t," Cedez replied. Then she began humming Wonderwall. "What the hell are you?" Dave demanded. "Why don''t you have a Kitlix?" "I''m... different," Cedez shrugged. "So, you sent me on a... what? A vision quest? A time travel adventure?" Dave said. "Don''t tell me you didn''t enjoy your little romp in the Healers Hall? Who knew our dashing necromancer had such a talent for the greener side of magic?" "So you were watching," he concluded. "Not exactly watching," Cedez mused, tapping a gloved finger against her chin. "More like... sensing. Existing simultaneously within and without the flow." Dave crossed his arms. "Oh, don''t be such a grump. You got to experience an entire day in the life of a healer! Make new friends, learn new skills, even got a kiss from a cute antlered girl. Not bad for a freebie, if you ask me." Dave felt his cheeks flush at the memory of Terri and the others. "That''s not... I mean... Look, can we focus on the important stuff here? Like, oh I don''t know, the fact that you apparently have the power to send people through freaking time?" "Time, alternate reality, potential future," Cedez waved a hand dismissively. "Potato, po-tah-to. Precognition is weird. The real question is, what did you learn from your little adventure?" Dave opened his mouth to retort, then closed it again. What had he learned? His mind raced through the events of the "day" he''d experienced. The healing techniques, the camaraderie of the Healers'' Hall, the insights into the world of Arx... "Can you do that again?" He asked. "Am I in a time loop now?" "Do I look like a freaking genie to you?" Cedez asked. "I don''t know what you are," Dave confessed. "Do you want our souls to shatter?" Cedez arched an eyebrow. "Because that''s how you shatter your soul, by demanding too many magical solutions to your problems. You''re one day ahead of everyone else, be merry!" "Can you send me forward again or no?" Dave demanded. "I can... just not today," Cedez shrugged. "What exactly are you, and how did you do... whatever that was?" Dave repeated his questions, trying to pry more information out of the foxgirl. Cedez''s silver-blue eyes twinkled with mischief, but there was a hint of something deeper, more ancient in their depths. "Oh, my darling hero," she sang. "I''m simply a princess in training." "A princess? In training? What does that even mean?" "It means exactly what it sounds like," Her eyes flicked down to the chair Dave was sitting on, and her nose wrinkled slightly. "I''ll tell you more tomorrow, if you''re still alive and free by then to enjoy my latte." Dave opened his mouth. "You''re bleeding all over my nice cafe chair, please get that sorted," Cedez cut him off before he could pester her with more questions, her voice turning cold and sharp. "Don''t get collared again and don''t get forced into a full-time Healer position. Don''t sign any contracts. Don''t attract attention of the City Watch. If you see someone like me, don''t talk to them. Do we understand each other?" Dave frowned, barely paying attention and suddenly becoming acutely aware of the pain radiating through his body. He looked down and saw that his tattered clothes were indeed soaked with blood, and a small puddle was forming beneath his chair. The wounds from the Felislice were very much real and present. "Shit," he muttered, the world tilting alarmingly. "I need... I need a healer." Without hesitation, Cedez called out, her voice carrying clearly over the bustling city entrance. "Healer! We need a healer at the Cambria Snail Cafe!" In a few seconds, a familiar figure appeared from the direction of the city gates. Master Sylphaera, her vine-like green hair and white-green robes swaying with each step, approached swiftly, flanked by two Watchmen. Dave felt a surge of relief at the sight of her. "What seems to be the problem?" Sylphaera asked, her emerald eyes scanning Dave''s injuries. Dave''s head spun as he struggled to focus on Master Sylphaera''s face. "Please," he gasped, his voice weak, "take me to the Hall of Healers." One of the guards, a burly man with a thick, dark beard, stepped forward. "Come on, bud. Let''s get you to the Hall. You look like you''re about to keel over."This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. As the guard helped Dave to his feet, supporting most of his weight along with his bag of bugs and Felislice, Dave glanced back at Cedez. The foxgirl''s eyes sparked with an emotion he couldn''t quite decipher. She gave him a small wave as he was taken away. The journey to the Hall of Healers passed in a blur of pain and disorientation. Dave found himself in a familiar white, gothic room, its vaulted ceilings and intricate stonework exactly as he remembered it. As they passed through a corridor, Dave spotted a familiar face ¨C Apprentice Dumpich. His heart leapt with recognition, but Dumpich''s violet-brown eyes slid right past him, showing no sign of familiarity. Sylphaera guided Dave to a stone slab in the center of the room. "Alright, let''s get you fixed up," she said, her Kitlix beginning to glow with a soft green light as it jumped on Dave. ¡°So what cut you up so bad, Mr. Level Four Adventurer?" "Wait!" Dave declared. "I... I can heal myself. I just need to borrow a Vitalix Kitlix." Sylphaera''s emerald eyes widened in surprise. "Don''t be ridiculous. That''s not how this works. You''re clearly delirious from blood loss." "I''m not delirious," Dave insisted, pushing himself up on his elbows. "I''m a healer! I can wield a level thirty four Kitlix!" "Nonsense. Your ID and my Orty," she gestured to her Kitlix, "tell me you''re only level four. There''s no way you could handle a high-level Vitalix." "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but please, just... just look at my Aura. You''ll see that I''m telling the truth." Sylphaera sighed, exasperation clear in her voice. "Fine. If it will calm you down so we can treat you properly." She closed her eyes, concentrating on perceiving Dave''s Aura. For a moment, the room was silent save for Dave''s labored breathing. Then, Sylphaera''s eyes snapped open, a sharp gasp escaping her lips. She took a step back, her gaze fixed on Dave. "This... this is impossible," she muttered, more to herself than to Dave. "Your aura... it''s like nothing I''ve ever seen. Green, yes, but behind it... there''s..." "Nothing," Dave said. "I know." Sylphaera considered his request. After what felt like an eternity, she spoke. "Seventeen silver," she said firmly. "You pay seventeen silver, and I''ll let you try to touch the Kitlix. If you fail to attract a level 34 green, I keep the silver. Deal?" Dave''s face fell. "I... I don''t have any silver," he admitted. "Can you put it on my tab?" "Sure." Sylphaera nodded. "Your healing would go on your tab anyway. But I am warning you, if this is some sort of trick..." "It''s not," Dave assured the Healer. "I promise." Sylphaera''s lips pressed into a thin line. "Apprentice!" she called out suddenly, her voice echoing through the chamber. "I need assistance!" "Yes Master Sylphaera?" A moment later, a familiar face appeared in the doorway. "Apprentice Dumpich, help this... patient to the Kitlix room," Sylphaera instructed. "And keep a close eye on him." Dumpich nodded, moving to Dave''s side. "Can you walk?" he asked, offering his arm for support. Dave nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain as he stood. "I think so," he managed, leaning heavily on the apprentice. As they made their way down the corridor, Dumpich spoke in a low voice. "So, what''s this all about? Master Sylphaera seems pretty worked up." Dave hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "It''s... complicated," he said. Dumpich raised an eyebrow but didn''t press further. They entered the familiar room housing Kitlix of various colors and sizes inside of a large glass bowl. Sylphaera entered behind them, her posture tense. "Token, please," she said. Dave handed over his token to her, his heart pounding with anticipation. He watched as she approached a small alcove in the wall, where a cyan-tinted Kitlix rested. The creature stirred as Sylphaera brought the token close. "Burnix," Sylphaera commanded, "adjust the balance. Healer''s Hall charge. Minus seventeen silver for Vitalix Kitlix rental for... one hour." The Burnix Kitlix chirped in response, its tiny paws reaching out to touch Dave''s token. There was a brief flash of light as the Burnix spun around the token, and when Sylphaera handed the token back to Dave, he saw that the numbers had changed: [-17S, 10Co]. "There," Sylphaera said. "Now, let''s see if your claim holds any water." Dave took a deep breath, steadying himself. He could feel the eyes of Sylphaera, Dumpich, and the Kitlix handler on him as he approached the glass bowl on the pedestal. His hand trembled slightly as he reached out, hovering just above the bowl''s rim. "Here goes nothing," he muttered under his breath. Kitlix of all colors within the large bowl began to stir, their crystalline bodies sparkling with interest. But one in particular, a vibrant green Kitlix, perked up right away and rushed to Dave, pushing the others aside as it formed six legs. Dave''s eyes widened as he recognized her. "Healy," he said, a smile spreading across his face. The Kitlix trilled happily, leaping from the bowl onto Dave''s outstretched hand and scurrying up his arm to perch on his shoulder. The bond between them was instantaneous and familiar, as if they had never been separated.
[Connection Reestablished: Vitalix Kitlix Familiar: Healy]
a message appeared on his wrist. Green flames ignited around Healy as she started to work on Dave''s cuts. A collective gasp echoed through the room. Dave turned to see Dumpich and Sylphaera staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths. The familiar warmth of Healy''s crystalline body sent waves of comfort through Dave, easing some of the pain from his wounds. "This... this isn''t possible," The Kitxlix Handler stammered, his eyes darting between Dave and Healy. "I don''t understand..." Sylphaera stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "What are you stammering about, Gaius?" Gaius ran a hand through his hair, his voice quavering. "The bond, Master Sylphaera. It''s already there, fully formed, as if this Kitlix already belongs to him!" Sylphaera looked between Dave and Gaius. "I don''t recall ever performing the bonding ritual for this man. Look at her behavior! She''s acting like she already knows him!" Sylphaera''s face had contorted into a mask of suspicion and anger as she rounded on Gaius. "Gaius Flintosh!" she bellowed, grabbing the man by his robes. "Have you been performing unauthorized bondings on the side? Is that what this is?" Gaius''s eyes widened in panic. "N-no, Master Sylphaera! I swear on her Divine Shadow, I''ve never seen this man before in my life! Why would I tell any of you this if I was cheating Healer''s Hall?!" Dumpich, who had been watching the exchange with increasingly growing interest, piped up. "Maybe the Kitlix is just really friendly? Like, extra super friendly to... Dave here?" Sylphaera shot him a withering glare. "Apprentice Dumpich, Kitlix don''t just ''become friendly.'' The bonding process is a complex ritual. You can''t just pick up a random Kitlix and start casting magic with it!¡± "Right, right," Dumpich nodded, undeterred. "But what if... what if this guy is secretly a Kitlix whisperer? You know, like how some people can talk to plants or animals? What if Dave is a... Kitlix binder like Sir Gaius? Eh? Eh?" Dave couldn''t help but smile at Dumpich''s wild theories, recalling the many drinks they shared yester... no during a day which no longer existed. Sylphaera released Gaius with a frustrated sigh. "That''s not possible, Dumpich. I scanned this Iron''s Aura myself. There''s only green and... darkness there." Dave retreated to sit in an alcove, focusing on using Healy to heal his affliction and cuts as the Healers argued. Dumpich pressed on. "Okay, but hear me out. What if he''s actually a Kitlix breeder? Or maybe he''s got some sort of Kitlix-attracting pheromones?" "Kitlix breeders can''t heal themselves, apprentice!" Gaius declared. "Look! That level thirty four Vitalix is glowing! She''s healing him, working at her full potential!" Both of the healers stared at Dave. "Hey, Gaius, where do you even get all these Kitlix anyway? Especially the high-level ones?" Dumpich asked. Gaius adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses, seemingly grateful for the change of subject. "Well, the smaller, lower-level Kitlix are bred here in the Hall. I have a specialized breeding chamber where they can divide when they''re well-fed and happy." "And the big ones?" Dumpich asked. Gaius''s expression grew somber. "The higher-level Kitlix, like the one currently bonded to our... guest, typically belonged to healers who have passed away. When a healer dies, their Kitlix returns to us, and we care for them until they choose a new partner." "Oh! Oh! I''ve got it!" Dumpich exclaimed, bouncing on his toes. "What if Dave here is actually a time traveler? Maybe in some alternate future, he was a master healer, and now he''s come back in time with all his knowledge but none of the levels!" Sylphaera looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel. "Apprentice Dumpich, if you don''t stop spouting nonsense this instant, I swear by her Divine Shadow that-" "No wait, that''s stupid. I got it! Dave is an amnesiac healer adventurer!" Dumpich exclaimed, his long ears twitching. "He must have been bonked on the head by some nasty dungeon monster, fell into a coma, lost his Kitlix, and now they''ve found each other again! It''s like a... heartwarming reunion tale!" Dave couldn''t help but smile at Dumpich''s wild theories. Healy jumped from one spot to another, closing up cuts and mending bruises, working with Dave like a single organism, like an extension of him, a 5th hand made entirely from magic. "Apprentice Dumpich, your imagination is running wild again. This is a serious matter, not some fanciful tale from one of your adventure novels!" Sylphaera snapped. "But Master Sylphaera," Dumpich insisted, clearly undeterred, "think about it! Dave here shows up all beaten up, clearly been through some rough stuff. He''s got the skills and knowledge of a healer! And now his long-lost Kitlix recognizes him! It all fits!" "Does it?" Sylphaera asked. The Kitlix handler, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose it''s not entirely impossible. Kitlix do form deep bonds with their Healers that become slightly disrupted when their partner is sleeping. If this one belonged to Dave in the past, it might explain the instant recognition. A Kitlix and her Master can theoretically be hurt enough for the bond to mostly fail.¡± Sylphaera''s emerald eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Dave. "This is all far too convenient. We need a proper investigation! I''m going to call the City Watch to sort out all of this nonsense!" Dave''s heart sank. He knew he couldn''t explain the truth without sounding completely insane or revealing his ''necromantic'' abilities. This definitely wasn''t the path he wanted to go on. [-12-] Buying Time
"I appreciate your concern, Master Healer," Dave said, "but we had an agreement. I''m renting this Kitlix for one hour, as we agreed. Until that time is up and I''ve finished healing myself, I can''t afford to be distracted." Sylphaera''s emerald eyes flashed with annoyance. "This situation is highly irregular. We can''t just ignore-" Dave made a pleading face, looking at Dumpich. His puppy-dog eyes worked on the friendly apprentice Healer. "Oh, come on, Master Sylphaera!" Dumpich interjected. "Do we really need to make a big fuss about this? All the good Scrutimancers are tied up with that whole Highborn Lord Vexarius scandal! Oh, I think I know how to handle this! Truth Seeker Jimirr has a Veritix. I can bring him in to interrogate Dave!¡± "Apprentice Dumpich, I think that-" Sylphaera crossed her arms. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking ahead Master,¡± Dumpich pressed on like a freight train. "If we call for a full investigation, we''ll be stuck with the B-team Scrutimancers. You remember what happened last time, right? Poor Healer Finnigarr was questioned for several days straight about why his Kitlix was ''suspiciously purple.''" Gaius, the Kitlix handler, nodded solemnly. "He''s not wrong, Master Sylphaera. The paperwork alone is going to be a nightmare." Dave could see Sylphaera''s resolve wavering. "And let''s not forget," Dumpich added, "if we call in the Scrutimancers, we''ll have to deal with Junior Scrutimancer Pibbles. You know, the one who always asks ''why don''t you people just use Kitlix to mass produce healing potions and heal adventurers with that''. Dumpich finished, his voice a perfect, whiny imitation of what Dave assumed was the Junior Scrutimancer. "Fine," Sylphaera huffed. "I''ll hold off on calling the Watch," she added, fixing Dave with a piercing stare. "Consider yourself lucky. I''m going back to the Adventurers Gate. Iron Dave is your responsibility from here on, Dumpich, since you''re so... energetic about helping him. Gaius, you figure out the Kitlix bond issue. I''ve got actual healing work to do." "Yes, Master," Dumpich saluted. As Sylphaera turned to leave, muttering something about "paperwork" and "irregular procedures," Dumpich slid over to Dave, a mischievous glint in his violet-brown eyes. "So," Dumpich said in a low voice, "now that the boss lady''s gone, care to share the real story? I''m dying to know how in the Astral you managed to bond with a level thirty four Vitalix!" Dave glanced at Healy, who was still diligently working on healing his wounds, her crystalline body pulsing with soft green light. "It''s... a long story," Dave began, choosing his words carefully. "Let''s just say I''ve had some unusual experiences since arriving in Shandria." Dumpich''s ears perked up with interest. "Unusual experiences, eh? Like what? Dungeon diving? Secret magical rituals? Ooh, did you make a deal with a mysterious entity?" "Last one, I think," Dave sighed, thinking of the sly dark fox that shook his hand. "Really?" The apprentice''s violet eyes went wide. "You ain''t pulling my leg? Wait, am I right about you bonking your head in the dungeon too? I knew that I had some Foresight in me!" Gaius, who had been quietly observing their exchange, scratched his head. "Well, whatever the case may be, it''s clear that you and this Vitalix share a remarkable bond. I''ve never seen anything quite like it in all my years as a Kitlix handler. It¡¯s as if I performed the bond myself! How remarkable!¡± "So... Can I keep her?" Dave asked with a hopeful look. "Do you have the bond paperwork registered in the Shandrian Kitlix bond database? Is she registered on your ID tag?¡± Gaius asked, eyeing Dave¡¯s ID token. "No," Dave shook his head, glancing at his token which irritatingly didn''t seem to note the existence of Healy unlike his system stats. "Then, if you want her back, you''ll have to buy her from Healer''s Hall for 340 silver," Gaius spread his hands. Dave''s heart sank at Gaius''s words. The thought of parting with Healy filled him with a profound sense of loss. He looked down at the Kitlix and petted her, making Healy produce a soft twinkle in reply. "I... I don''t have that kind of money," Dave admitted. "Is there any other way?" "There might be one option. It''s not standard procedure, but given the unusual circumstances..." Gaius began. Dumpich perked up. "Oh! Oh! I know! You were gonna suggest that Dave works here at the Hall to pay off the Kitlix?" "Yes, apprentice Dumpich. We could always use more hands, especially those with a natural affinity for healing," Gaius nodded. Dave considered the offer. The prospect of working at the Healers'' Hall was tempting, especially if it meant keeping Healy. But then he remembered Cedez and her wacky Quest. A single word from the dark fox could send him to the slammer. "I... I appreciate the offer," Dave said hesitantly, "but I''m not sure I can commit to that right now."Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Dumpich''s ears drooped slightly. "Aw, come on! It''d be great to have you around. You seem like a swell guy. Just think of all the cool healing techniques we could learn from each other!" Dave smiled weakly. "It does sound great, but..." Gaius raised an eyebrow. "Is there something holding you back, young man? It would be a shame to waste your talent elsewhere." Dave sighed, feeling the weight of his secrets pressing down on him. "It''s not that I don''t want to," he explained carefully. "It''s just that I have some... obligations... a Quest to finish." Dumpich leaned in. "A Quest from a higher power? Sounds extra-mysterious! Come on, spill the beans! Is it a secret mission? A daring rescue? Ooh¡­ maybe a forbidden romance?" "It''s more of a... personal quest, I think,¡± Dave sighed, not wishing to divulge things. Gaius stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Is it from the Adventurers'' Guild?" "No," Dave hedged. "It''s a... private arrangement." "Ah," Gaius nodded sagely. "A noble''s errand, perhaps? Those can be tricky business. Those Highborns are cheeky bastards. It¡¯s hard to weasel out of a Quest bestowed by one of the Lords of Shandria.¡± "Is it to a beautiful maiden? A wise old sage? A talking God-beast?" Dumpich began to speculate. Dave hesitated, weighing his options carefully. He didn''t want to reveal too much, especially about Cedez. Sherlock''s violin in his soul held up a tense note as he considered what to say and what to keep to himself. ¡°What¡¯s in the bag?¡± Dumpich eyed the bulging, raggedy bag sitting at Dave¡¯s feet. ¡°Metal bugs and a Felislice that I killed in the wilds,¡± Dave explained. ¡°Groovy,¡± Dumpich commented. ¡°I had my share of adventuring and stuff, before I signed up to apprentice here. Listen, I¡¯ll be back. Don¡¯t go anywhere, yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave nodded, focusing on his healing. He felt a surge of relief as the last of his major wounds closed up under Healy''s ministrations. The Kitlix chirped softly, her crystalline body pulsing with a satisfied glow. With a grunt, Dave pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly as he tested his newly healed muscles. "Thanks, Healy," he murmured, gently stroking the Kitlix''s head. She trilled in response, nuzzling against his hand before settling comfortably on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ um, go in the hall, stretch my legs, make sure everything¡¯s working again,¡± Dave turned to the Kitlix Binder. Gaius squinted at Dave. ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± Dave arrived at the perfect question. ¡°Left, 4th door down the hall. Also, don¡¯t think about running off with the Vitalix,¡± Gaius pointed at the wall where a number was floating above a Kitlix. ¡°You¡¯ve got only twenty one minutes left with her. If you try to steal her, the Watch will catch you and then you¡¯ll end up bonded to Healers Hall for life.¡± ¡°I¡­ I won¡¯t,¡± Dave said with a gulp. ¡°Just going to use the bathroom. I can¡¯t run very far in my condition anyway.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Gaius nodded. . . . Dave limped into the hallway, Healy perched comfortably on his shoulder. As he rounded the corner, he froze, his heart skipping a beat. Coming up the stairwell were two familiar figures: Apprentice Dumpich and Truth Seeker Jimirr, complete with a Veritix sitting on his shoulder. The sight of Jimirr sent a jolt through Dave''s system. He recognized the man from his vision, the interrogator who had questioned him in that potential future. They hadn''t spotted him yet, engrossed in conversation as they climbed the stairs. Sherlock''s violin began to play in Dave''s mind, a tense, urgent melody that screamed danger. The phantom detective''s warning was clear: avoid the interrogation at all costs. No good would come from being questioned by the truth-detecting Kitlix and its handler. "...and I''m telling you, Jimirr," Dumpich''s voice drifted up the stairwell, "this guy''s story is wild. A level thirty four Vitalix just bonded with him like that!" He snapped his fingers for emphasis. Jimirr''s response was skeptical. "Apprentice Dumpich, in my experience, when something seems too incredible to be true, it usually is. I''ll get to the bottom of this, don''t you worry." Dave''s pulse quickened. The violin''s melody intensified, urging him to act. Suddenly, he spotted a partially open door a few meters down the corridor. Without hesitation, Dave hobbled towards it as quickly as his healing body would allow. Healy, sensing his urgency, clung tightly to his shoulder. Just as he reached the door, Dave heard Dumpich''s voice growing clearer. "I''m telling you, Jimirr, you''ve never seen anything like it. This guy''s got some serious mojo!" Dave slipped through the door, easing it shut behind him with trembling hands. He found himself in what appeared to be a storage room, filled with shelves of various healing supplies and magical ingredients. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and antiseptic. Pressing his ear against the door, Dave held his breath, listening intently. "Apprentice Dumpich," Jimirr''s voice came through, tinged with exasperation, "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but let''s approach this logically. No one just ''bonds'' with a high-level Kitlix without proper training and the binding ritual." "But that''s what makes it so exciting!" Dumpich insisted. "It''s like something out of ''The Chronicles of the Seven Heroes''! You know, when Zerimotsh the Windwalker accidentally bonded with the ancient Wind spirit?" Dave could almost hear Jimirr''s eye-roll in his response. "Riiiight.¡± The storage room was cramped and musty, filled with shelves of empty potion bottles, bandages, and other healing supplies. Healy, still perched on his shoulder, vibrated softly as if sensing his anxiety. He saw the apprentice and assistant approaching the Kitlix Chapel, going inside. "Gaius!" Dumpich declared. "We''re back! Eyyy¡­ where''s our mysterious healer?" There was a deep pause. "Ah, Apprentice Dumpich," Gaius said. "Our guest... stepped out for a moment." "Stepped out?" Jimirr''s voice was sharp. "What do you mean, ''stepped out''?" Dave held his breath, pressing closer to the door. Gaius sighed audibly. "He said he needed to use the facilities. Limped down the hall less than a few minutes ago." "And you just let him go?" Jimirr demanded. "He''s still got time left on his Kitlix rental," Gaius replied defensively. "Plus, I can sense exactly where the Vitalix is. I warned him about the consequences of trying to steal her. Besides, in his condition, I doubted he''d get far." There was a moment of tense silence before Dumpich spoke up. "Well, where do you think he went? We''ve got to find him! Jimirr here is dying to ask him some questions." "I am not ''dying'' to do anything, apprentice," Jimirr said tersely. "I am simply here to ascertain the truth of this unusual situation." Gaius cleared his throat. "Given what I¡¯m sensing¡­ he''s probably hiding in one of the storage closets down the hall." Dave''s heartbeat accelerated. He glanced around the cramped space, suddenly feeling very exposed. [-13-] Felislice Reproduction In a split-second decision, Dave switched all of his soul points into Agility. The sudden shift sent a tingling sensation through his body, making him feel lighter and more nimble. Healy, still perched on his shoulder, let out a bothered twinkling noise. She jumped off, landing gracefully on the floor and staring directly past Dave with a mix of annoyance and confusion in her crystalline eyes. "Sorry, girl," Dave whispered, "but I can¡¯t be interrogated.¡± Without wasting another moment, Dave leaped upwards, his Agility-enhanced muscles propelling him higher than he thought possible. His fingers grasped the rough surface of a wooden beam running across the ceiling of the storage room. Quickly, he redistributed his soul points, pushing everything into Strength and Dexterity. With newfound power coursing through his arms and the precise control granted by his boosted Dexterity, Dave pulled himself up onto the beam. He lay flat against it, his body hidden in the shadows cast by the dim light filtering through the small window. Just as he settled into position, the door creaked open. Dumpich''s excited voice filled the small space. "Dave? Hey, Dave! Where are you hiding, buddy?" Jimirr''s more measured tones followed. "Apprentice Dumpich, please. This is not a game of hide-and-seek." Dave held his breath, watching as the two men entered the room. Their eyes scanned the shelves and corners, completely missing the figure huddled on the beam above. Suddenly, Dumpich spotted Healy. "Hey, look! It''s Dave¡¯s Vitalix Kitlix! But where is he?" Jimirr crouched down, addressing the Vitalix directly. "Kitlix, where is your bonded human?" Healy, in a display that would have made Dave laugh if he weren''t so tense, simply shrugged her crystalline shoulders. She then turned and trotted out of the room. Dave remained motionless on the beam, his muscles tense as he watched the scene unfold below. Jimirr and Dumpich stood in stunned silence for a moment, staring at the doorway through which Healy had disappeared. Jimirr was the first to break the silence, his voice tight with frustration. "This is... highly irregular. A bonded Kitlix should never willingly leave its healer''s side. Not unless they''re sleeping." Dumpich nodded, his long ears drooping slightly. "Yeah, it''s weird. I''ve never seen anything like it. Do you think Dave''s okay?" Jimirr pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the room once more. "I''m not sure what to think, apprentice. This whole situation reeks of deception." "Maybe he''s just shy?" Dumpich offered weakly. Jimirr shot him a withering look. "Shy? Or perhaps he has something to hide. No honest man runs from a simple questioning." Dave winced at Jimirr''s words, guilt gnawing at him. He didn''t like deceiving these people, especially Dumpich, who had shown him nothing but kindness. But the alternative - revealing his true nature and abilities and being scanned by Jimirr once again and getting reported by him as a Necromancer seemed far riskier. With a weary headshake, Jimirr turned on his heel and strode out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. Dave remained perfectly still on the beam, hardly daring to breathe as he watched Dumpich below. The apprentice healer sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping as he gazed around the cluttered storage room. His violet eyes swept over the shelves of potion ingredients and bandages, lingering on each shadowy corner as if hoping Dave might materialize out of thin air. "You know," Dumpich said softly to the seemingly empty room, "I get it. I really do. This place can be... overwhelming. All the rules, the procedures, the expectations." He huffed softly, shaking his horns. "Heck, sometimes I feel like running away myself. Being an adventurer was definitely more¡­ wild. But then two of my friends died and I almost died too and that sort of put a damper on the whole dungeon divin'' business." Dave remained silent. "If you''re out here somewhere, being invisible or something... I understand," Dumpich continued, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Sometimes the world doesn''t make sense, and sometimes we''ve got to do things that don''t quite fit into the neat little boxes others want to put us in. I don''t know what your story is, but I can tell it''s not a simple one, that you¡¯re on a genuine adventure.¡± The apprentice paused. "I''ll take the blame for this one, mate. Tell Sylphaera it was all my idea, that I let you go because I¡¯m an idiot. Wouldn''t be the first time," he added. Dave felt a lump forming in his throat. "But listen," Dumpich said, his voice growing earnest, "do come back after you''re done with your grand Quest, yeah? I''d love it if you worked for Healers Hall. We could use someone with your talents... and your sense of mystery," he added with a wink to the empty room. ¡°Find me at the Nightingale tavern a few hours before nightfall, if you ever want a friend to lay your troubles onto! Cheers!¡± Dumpich turned around and closed the door behind him leaving Dave alone on the beam. After about ten more minutes of sitting uncomfortably on the beam, Dave''s muscles began to cramp. He waited until he was certain the coast was clear, then carefully lowered himself back to the floor. His joints popped as he stretched, working out the kinks from his prolonged stillness. Slowly, keeping an ear out for anyone else, Dave made his way back to the Kitlix Chapel. The room was mercifully empty when he entered. Healy probably among the other Kitlix in the bowl. Dave pushed everything into Vitality. Healy emerged from the rainbow of her siblings, looking up at him. "Hey there, girl," Dave whispered, kneeling down to scratch his familiar. "Thanks for not giving me away."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Healy trilled in response, nuzzling against his hand before hopping onto his shoulder. Dave felt a pang of sadness, knowing their time together was coming to an end. "I wish I could keep you," he murmured, gently stroking her smooth, gem-like surface. "But I''ve got to figure some things out first." With a reluctant sigh, Dave picked up his bag from the alcove, its contents clinking and shifting as he hoisted it over his shoulder. He took one last look around the Kitlix Chapel and then pushed everything into Agility. As Healy leapt off his shoulder back into the bowl, Dave rushed down the white hall, not looking back. As he made his way through the Healers Hall, Dave was struck by how familiar it all felt. The white gothic architecture, the soft green glow emanating from various rooms, the faint scent of herbs and healing magic in the air - it was all exactly as he remembered it. He navigated the corridors with ease, as if he''d walked these exact halls following in the footsteps of Master Sylphaera. Once outside, Dave paused to orient himself. He pulled out the map the Secretary had given him, studying it carefully. The Dvaliss smithy was marked clearly, a small icon of an anvil indicating its location in town. The violin in his soul played a soft melody, helping him determine exactly where he was. "Let''s see if we can''t turn these bugs into some much-needed coin," he muttered to himself. The journey to the smithy took longer than Dave had anticipated. His newly healed body, while functional, still ached and throbbed with every step, forcing him to keep all of his collected soul bits in Vitality. By the time he reached the smithy, he was breathing heavily and feeling quite sweaty from exertion. The Dvaliss smithy looked far fancier than Remicra''s semi-abandoned lighthouse. The building was a grand structure of polished stone and gleaming metal, its multiple chimneys belching plumes of multi-colored smoke into the continent-filled sky. A collared, white-feathered, curvy crowgirl in a lavish silver robe greeted him at the entrance. Her smile was wide and welcoming, but Sherlock''s violin played a melancholic tune in Dave''s mind, drawing his attention to the desperation lurking in her eyes. "Welcome to Dvaliss Smithy, esteemed customer!" she chirped. "How may we assist you today?" "I, uh... I''m here to sell some metal bugs and a Felislice corpse," Dave replied. "Oh my! You must be quite the accomplished adventurer to have bested a Felislice! Please, follow me. Master Dvaliss will be most interested in your wares." The greeter led Dave through a series of workshops, each more impressive than the last. The air was thick with the scent of molten metal and the sound of hammering. Apprentices and journeymen of various races worked at forges and anvils, crafting everything from delicate jewelry to massive pieces of armor. Many of them had similar collars on with red triangular runes. "Master Dvaliss!" the birdgirl called out as they entered a large central chamber. "We have a new customer!" A booming voice responded from behind a massive forge. "Excellent, Aria! Show them in!" A tall, bulky figure stood at the forge, their back to Dave. As he turned, Dave noted that the man was wearing a white shirt and a blue lavish apron with a fancy letter G embossed on it. The man''s skin was gray, as if formed from dark granite, and instead of hair jagged, azure-colored, semi-transparent, glittering arrays of quartz crystals dotted his bald head. A lush white beard framed the base of his face, the hair looking like thick crystalline strands. "Welcome to Dvaliss Smithy," the man said. "I am Garret Dvaliss. What brings you to my forge?" Dave stepped forward, trying not to stare at the mesmerizing play of light across the smith''s crystalline hair. "I''ve got some metal bugs," he said, hefting his bag. "I... got a Quest for it from the Adventurers Guild." "Ah, yes. Let''s have a look, shall we?" Garret nodded. "Just dump them onto this metal tray here." Dave carefully emptied the contents of his bag onto a nearby workbench. The metal bugs clinked and clattered as they spilled out, their iridescent shells gleaming in the forge''s light. Garret leaned in close, examining the bugs with a critical eye. "Hmm, not bad," he said. "A bit battered, but the metal is of good quality. And is that... a Felislice corpse I see?" Dave nodded. "Yeah, ran into one of those too. Nasty piece of work." The man nodded, glancing at Dave''s token. "Indeed they are. Well, Iron adventurer, I''d say this lot is worth... one silver and two coppers. Your token, please?" Dave handed over his identification token, watching as Garret shoved it into a stone alcove with a sleeping Kitlix inside it. There was a brief flicker of light as the Kitlix woke up and spun around the token, and when Garret handed the token back, Dave saw that his balance had changed: [-16S, 8Co]. "There you are," Garret said. ¡°Now¡­ there¡¯s just the matter of the Felislice.¡± ¡°Are you interested in buying it?¡± Dave asked, hoping that the damned flying razor-covered lynx was worth at least seventeen silver to put him out of debt. ¡°I can give you ten silver for it as it is a high level beastie,¡± Garret nodded. ¡°However¡­¡± Dave shifted uncomfortably as Garret''s gray-blue eyes scrutinized him. "Stratos, help me scan this man''s body," he said. A dark red and violet Kitlix emerged from the pocket in the smith''s apron and glittered onto Garret''s shoulder staring at Dave. "Tell me, adventurer," Garret said slowly drawing out his words as his crystalline fingers tapped thoughtfully on the workbench, "did the Felislice manage to cut you badly during your encounter?" Dave nodded. "Yeah, it got me pretty good. Why do you ask?" "I feared as much. I''m sensing living steel in your blood," the smith commented. "Enough of it to grow at least two new Felislice beasties in a month''s time." "Living steel?" Dave repeated, his mouth suddenly dry. The smith''s voice became colder and sharper. "Your flesh and blood is filled with microscopic steel flakes. These aren''t ordinary metal shards, mind you. They''re alive in a sense, and they''ll grow in size over time, feeding on your body." Dave simply stared at the blacksmith. "These flakes will slowly concentrate themselves around your heart core, leeching magic from it, growing and multiplying. Eventually, they''ll form into... well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they''ll grow into a new Felislice pair." "What?!" Dave sputtered, his mind reeling. Garret nodded. "I''m afraid so. If left untreated, you''ll become paralyzed until a newborn Felislice bursts out of your stomach. It''s... not a pleasant way to go, I assure you. After the first Felislice departs, the second one will attempt to burrow itself into your spinal cord to take control of your limbs, turning you into a Steel Sentinel. The nasty bugger will keep your brain alive and conscious, in horrible pain as the Felislice guides your body to march back to the wilds, controlling your limbs to attack and infect other adventurers." Dave gripped the edge of the workbench for support, his knuckles turning white. "I talked to lots of Healers... yesterday¡­ Wouldn''t they have noticed something like that?" He suddenly recalled that the Healers did warn him that there was metal in his body. Garret shook his head. "Healers deal with flesh and blood and not all Felislice are capable of seeding a person with their essence. This is magic metal we''re talking about. Living metal that''s very good at concealing itself, reflecting green magical scans. The common problem is that Vitalix Kitlix can¡¯t always spot the specific flakes while they¡¯re this small. When they get big enough to start to mess with your health, they¡¯ll become visible and the Healers will require a Metal mage to extract them from your body. I can sense the microscopic magic flakes inside you because my Ferrix Kitlix amplifies my Metallomancy, see?" Garret tapped Stratos on her head, making the Kitlix produce a twinkling noise. "Urm, so what do you suggest?¡± Dave gulped. "I can get the flakes out," Garret said. ¡°But it won''t be quick, or cheap." ¡°How much?¡± Dave asked, already fearing the answer. "It''s a delicate process, requiring great skill and patience to maneuver the living metal out of your body without killing you,¡± the blacksmith explained, waving a hand at the corpse of the Felislice. ¡°Thankfully, we¡¯ve got the body of this beastie here to reference the exact flake type. The procedure will need to be done slowly and carefully while you¡¯re asleep over the duration of several weeks until all of the flakes are out. The price is seven hundred silver. It''s a hefty sum, I know, but considering the alternative..." Garret made a hand motion of a clawed thing bursting out of his own chest. [-14-] Meddling Dave looked down at his token, the numbers [-16S, 8Co] glaring back at him. Seven hundred silver might as well have been a million for all he could afford it. Garret''s gray face remained impassioned as he spoke. "You can work it off for the smithy. I''ve got a few collared here already, see?" Following Garret''s gesture, Dave''s gaze drifted to the back of the forge where a few other collared worked tirelessly, their faces etched with weariness. Dave recalled the collared crowgirl in the silver robe, her desperate eyes, the forced wide smile. "I... I think I need some time to think about this," Dave said. He reached for his backpack, shoving the Felislice corpse back inside. Garret shrugged. "Suit yourself. But I''m the best at this job, you know. Seven hundred is pretty cheap, all things considered. You''re good at fetching these metal bugs, so if you hunt some occasionally, plus work the forge, you''d work it off in two years, tops." Dave nodded noncommittally, already backing towards the door. "I''ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the... information." As he reached for the door handle, Garret''s deep voice called out from behind, "Don''t wait too long, adventurer. Those flakes won''t stay small forever. You''ve got two, maybe three weeks at most before it''ll be too late to get them out.¡± Dave mumbled a hasty goodbye and practically fled from the smithy. With a weary heart, he wandered through the bustling streets of Shandria, his mind a whirlwind of worry. The colorful tents and enchanting displays that had once captivated him now seemed like a blur due to his dire situation. "What am I going to do, Sherlock?" he thought, reaching out to the phantom detective in his mind. "Seven hundred silver..." The violin in his soul played a thoughtful melody, its notes conveying a sense of calm deliberation. As Dave listened, he felt his panic begin to subside, replaced by a more rational assessment of his options. "You''re right," he thought. "Panicking won''t solve anything. We need to think this through logically. Could the Dvaliss smith have lied about this living metal? Who could even confirm his words?¡± As Dave mulled over his limited options, Sherlock''s violin seemed to suggest consulting someone he knew. "Cedez?" Dave thought, raising an eyebrow. "You think we should go back to her?" The violin''s melody intensified. Dave sighed. "I don''t know, Sherlock. Can we really trust her?" The violin played a series of staccato notes that seemed to say, "Do we have a choice?" After a bit of hesitation, Dave nodded. "You''re right. She might be our best shot. At the very least, she owes me some answers." With a sense of resignation, Dave made his way through the city, retracing his steps to the Adventurers Gate. As he passed through the gate, he could see the Cambria Snail Cafe looming ahead, the whimsical shell-shaped structure standing out against the backdrop of orange fields, other carts and distant glacier mountains that rose up and up across the infinite horizon. Before approaching the cafe, Dave paused, closing his eyes, pushing everything into Wisdom. He hoped this would give him the insight he needed to navigate whatever Cedez was. As Dave approached the cafe, he noticed that the foxgirl was nowhere to be seen. Instead, two other maids flitted about, serving customers. Dave took a seat at an empty table, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the fox. Instead, a snow-white owlkin approached him, dressed in black and white maid outfit. Her large, amber eyes regarded Dave with warmth. He frowned, as this wasn¡¯t the maid he was looking for. "Welcome to the Cambria Snail Cafe!" the owlgirl greeted him. The white feathers on her head bristled slightly as she spoke. "I¡¯m Hyrei! How can I serve you? Our snail cake special is particularly delightful today, infused with the essence of moonberry and..." Dave cut the maid off, "I''m sorry, but I''m actually looking for Cedez. Is she here today?" "Ah," she said. ¡°Yes, I see that you¡¯ve already got a favorite maid here. Unfortunately, she¡¯s off shift now. So, what will it be?¡± Dave shook his head. "Sorry, I''m not looking for lunch," he said. "I just need to speak with Cedez. It''s¡­ important." ¡°How important?¡± The cafe maid tilted her head. ¡°Very,¡± Dave said. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Hyrei said with a small huff. ¡°Let me fetch her. One minute.¡± In a few minutes, Cedez emerged from behind the cafe, dressed in a fluffy white robe over what looked like a dark mesh of sparkling blue diamonds. Her silver-blue eyes lit up when she spotted Dave, and she waved him over. She led him around to the back of the snail, where a small, hidden patio awaited. A narrow staircase wound its way up the side of the shell. "Up here," Cedez said as she began to ascend the stairs. Dave followed. When they reached the top, they found themselves on a cozy rooftop terrace overlooking the bustling Adventurers Gate. Cedez settled into a comfortable-looking chair, motioning for Dave to do the same. "I must say," she smiled, dark tail swishing lazily behind her, "I didn''t expect to see you again so soon. To what do I owe the pleasure?" "I''ve got a problem," he began. "A big one. That Felislice I fought? According to Garret Dvaliss, it left some kind of... living metal in my blood. The blacksmith said it''s going to grow into two more of them and burst out of my chest and take over my body... if I don''t get it treated. Is that true?¡± When Dave finished, she let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Dvaliss is a cheeky ass with many collared in his possession, but he is honest when it comes to that sort of thing. If he said that the Felislice infected you, then that''s the case. Seven hundred silver is pushing it though." ¡°Damn it,¡± Dave''s heart sank.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°This is simply the consequence of you not following through on my Quest, hero,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Your quest is absurdly vague,¡± Dave pointed out, crossing his arms. "And now I won''t even be able to complete it on the account of carrying Felislice twins!" "How much time do you have?" "He said two or three weeks," Dave replied. "More than enough time!" She declared. Dave simply stared back at her. "Should I be adventuring and getting my level up or something? Will getting stronger naturally help me push the infection out of my body?" "Mmmm... no. That won''t work," Cedez shook her head. "As far as I can tell you''re just moving really basic magic around and not really changing who you are conceptually on a physical level." "Uhhh?" "Think about the people you''ve met so far," Cedez said. "They''re conceptually magical in some way." "Meaning what?" "Meaning that conceptual alignment matters when you''re fighting a magical infection. What you''ve got now is an infection trying to convert your non-magical human flesh into magic metal," Cedez explained. "The biggest problem here is that you''ve got no second or third magical alignment, no extra concept protecting you from forced conceptual conversion." Dave frowned. "See? Fox and Shadow," Cedez pointed at herself. "Remicra is Dragon and Pathosteel. Guild Secretary Antiqilla is Jellyfish and Water. Blacksmith Garret is Stone and Crystal. Hyrei is Owl and Wind. Etcetera. Only old, crusty, stubborn wizards like Murdoc or fancy-pants Highborns lack the extra alignment protection." "How do I even get more alignment?" "By inheriting the extra alignment from your parents or leveling up past level thirty and doing... a bunch of Theological stuff," Cedez waved a dark hand. "For which you really don''t have enough time." "So then what do you suggest?" "Remember our darling Remicra?" Cedez purred. Dave nodded. "Yes. What about her?" "Weeeeell," Cedez drawled, "it just so happens that our scaly friend is not just a blacksmith. She''s also a rather talented Metallomancer." Dave''s eyes widened. "So she could help me with the Felislice flakes?" Cedez nodded. "She could." Hope surged in Dave''s chest, only to be quickly tempered by suspicion. "But there''s a catch, isn''t there? There''s always a catch with you." Cedez laughed. "Oh, you''re learning fast, my darling hero. Yes, there is a catch. Remicra isn''t exactly... fond of humans. Or anyone, really. She''s not likely to help you out of the goodness of her heart." Dave squinted at Cedez, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Did you... expect this to happen or something? Is that why you sent me to the lighthouse smithy to begin with?" Cedez''s lips curled into a sly smile. She leaned back in her chair. "Maybe I did," she winked. Dave frowned. He already deduced where this was going. ¡°If you want Remicra to dig those flakes out of your blood for free," Cedez paused for dramatic effect. "You''ll need to win her heart and help her innate talent bloom." "Win her heart?" Cedez nodded, tracing a heart formed from dark smoke in the air with her fingers. "Yepperoni.¡± She blew the shadowy heart at Dave''s face and the smoke dispersed, making him cough and sputter. "How does one go about winning the heart of a dragon who seems to hate everything, especially humans?" he asked, glaring at her. Cedez shrugged nonchalantly. "That, my hero, is entirely up to you to figure out." Dave''s jaw clenched in frustration. "You can''t just drop this on me and offer no help at all. You must have some advice, some insight into Remicra''s character?" ¡°Nah.¡± The foxgirl leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. "Where''s the fun in telling you exactly what to do? Besides, I''m not the one with two ticking time bombs in my body. Your motivation should be plenty strong now without my meddling." She pretended to examine her sharp claws. ¡°Meddling?¡± Dave squinted at Cedez. ¡°Why are you so insistent on me wooing Remicra? I''m beginning to suspect that you sent the damn Felislice after me!¡± "Do I look like I breed Felislice in my backyard or something?" Cedez raised a dark eyebrow. "Seriously, what is your game?" Dave demanded. ¡°Hmmmm¡­ can''t say,¡± Cedez made a zip motion on her lips. ¡°Afraid that you haven''t earned enough street cred with me to get such deep answers about the game.¡± "What game?!" "I didn''t say anything about a game," Cedez shot back. "You were the one to imply that there''s a ''game''." Dave groaned. "You''re impossible, you know that?" Cedez grinned. "I prefer to think of myself as delightfully enigmatic. Now, if you''re quite done whining, perhaps you should start planning a variety of grand romantic gestures? Chop, chop." "No," Dave said, crossing his arms. "No?" Cedez blinked. "W-what do you mean no?" "No," he repeated, staring at her. "I''m already in debt, there''s metal flakes in my blood and you''re acting no better than a slaver. Romancing someone just because I want a free healing from them sounds awfully manipulative. You are being selfish, treating my life like a game, ordering me around as if I were a slave whose survival depends on obeying your commands. I''m done. Find another idiot to boss around under threat of death." Cedez blinked. "I..." she said. "What? No snarky comeback this time?" He snapped. "I just want to help you," Cedez exhaled. "Help me?! I''m not just a toy for you to mess around with!" "My quest is nice," Cedez said with a deep sigh. "You''re not a toy, you''re my hero. Please... just go to Remicra. She''ll pull the metal out of your blood. Everything will work out... I promise." Dave stared at Cedez, slightly taken aback by her shift in demeanor. Her usual playful smirk was gone, replaced by something that looked almost like... concern? "Why exactly should I trust you?" he asked, his voice softer but still wary. "Every time we talk, you dance around the truth." Cedez''s tail drooped slightly. "Because despite what you might think, I''m not your enemy. I''m trying to help both you and Remicra. You''re both... stuck. In different ways." "Stuck?" "Yes," she nodded. "You''re stuck... between where you are and where you should be. I''m trying to get you both to a better place, a better... tomorrow." Dave leaned back in his chair, studying the foxgirl''s face. "Why?" "So that I could get to a better place," she said. "I''m also... stuck." "Stuck how?" he asked. "I don''t see a collar on your neck or a debt token on your wrist. In fact all of those gems on your outfit make you seem quite well off if anything." "I''m really not." She shook her head, her dark ears twitching. "That''s... not important right now. What''s important is that you go to Remicra. She needs someone to help her. And you need someone who can help you survive." "And you think I''m the right person for that because...?" "Because you''re my hero." "Your hero?" Dave shot back. "Really? You threatened to expose me as a necromancer if I didn''t accept your quest. That doesn''t sound like something you''d do to someone you consider a ''hero.''" "I... may have been a bit heavy-handed," she admitted. "A bit?" Dave scoffed. "You practically held a sword to my throat!" "I was trying to motivate you," she protested. "By threatening me? That''s not motivation, that''s coercion!" Dave stood up, pacing the small terrace. "And now you''re doing it again with this whole Felislice situation. ''Go romance Remicra or die from metal parasites!'' How is that any different? What the hell is wrong with you?!" Cedez''s bit her lower lip. "It''s not... I didn''t mean..." She took a deep breath. "You''re right. There are a lot things wrong with me. You can help me by walking your cut up, metal-infected butt to Remicra." "And if I don''t?" "Then nothing changes for any of us and nothing changes in Shandria," Cedez sighed. "You get collared or die. Remicra remains a slave. I remain here until the end of time. Congratulations. The End." "Until the end of time?" he repeated slowly. "What?" "Or until Shandria burns to the ground," Cedez shrugged. "My point is that you have a choice to make. You either follow the path to the lighthouse or things will get worse..." "For me?" "For everyone involved. And no, this isn''t a threat. I''m asking nicely. Threatening you with compliance was... clearly a bad move on my part." "Fine," he said finally. "I''ll go talk to Remicra. But not because you''re telling me to - because I need help and she might be able to provide it." "That''s fair," Cedez nodded. "Just... be honest with her. Real honest." "Like you''ve been with me?" Dave couldn''t resist adding. "Okay," Cedez winced. "I deserve that. But trust me when I say that sometimes... sometimes the truth is far more complicated than it seems at a first glance." "Riiiight. What if Remicra refuses to help me?" "Don''t leave," Cedez said. "Don''t leave?!" "That''s right, don''t leave until she lets you into the smithy and smells the metal in your blood," the dark fox said, blue eyes boring into his face. "Be firm. Stand your ground. You can do that at least, yes?" Dave nodded. "There you go. She might act like an absolute ass because of where she is right now, but she''s not gonna let the shadows chop you up," Cedez waved him off. "Off you go. Night is coming. Come back tomorrow with a report of how things went." [-15-] Dealing with a Dragon Departing from the Snail Cafe''s back garden, Dave headed towards Remicra''s smithy. As he approached the old lighthouse, the meadow painted in orange tones of the sun vanishing behind the black hole, Dave could hear the rhythmic clanging of metal on metal. Smoke billowed from the chimney, carrying the acrid scent of hot metal. He paused at the entrance, taking a deep breath to steel himself before pushing the door open. The heat hit him like a wall as he stepped inside. Through the haze, he could make out Remicra''s silhouette, her scales glinting in the firelight as she worked at her forge. "Hello?" Dave called out, his voice barely audible over the din of her hammering. Remicra''s head snapped up, her violet-gold eyes narrowing as she recognized him. "You again," she growled, setting down her hammer with more force than necessary. "What do you want now, human?" Dave swallowed, suddenly very aware of how dangerous she looked with her dark, razor-sharp claws and the smoldering fire at her back. "I need your help," he managed to say. Remicra huffed. "Of course you do. That''s all you humans ever want. Help, help, help. Not interested." Dave held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Just hear me out. It''s about a Felislice¡ª" Remicra''s scales shifted from deep violet to a blue-green. "A feli-what?" Dave opened his bag and carefully placed the Felislice corpse onto the table. The metallic creature''s body gleamed in the forge''s light, its razor-sharp feathers sticking out into all directions. "It''s called a Felislice," Dave explained. "It attacked me in the wilds while I was hunting metal bugs." Remicra examined the monster''s corpse, her clawed fingers tracing the contours of its metallic body. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the creature''s razor-sharp feathers and wickedly curved talons. "Hmm," she grunted. "It''s metal, alright. I could melt it down, I suppose. I''ll give you ten coppers for it." Dave''s heart sank at her dismissive tone. He had hoped the unusual creature might make her curious about it, but Remicra seemed determined to remain aloof and unhelpful. "It''s not just about selling it," Dave explained. "You see, when it attacked me, it, uh, left something behind. Living metal flakes in my blood." "And?" "These metal flakes, they''re growing inside me. They''ll eventually form into new Felislices and¡ª" "Don''t care," Remicra stated coldly. "I was told you''re not just a blacksmith, but a Metallomancer. You could help me remove these flakes before they¡ª" "Told by whom?" "A maid from the Cambria Snail Cafe," Dave clarified. "Uh-huh," the dragoness said. "Her name?" "Cedez Atra," Dave replied. "Don''t know anyone by that name," Remicra said. "Also, do I look like a healer to you?" "No, but-" "You smell like another smithy," the dragoness interrupted him, her snout twitching. "Yes, I went to the Dvaliss smithy," Dave explained. "I know you''re not a healer. Unfortunately, the flakes are too small for normal healers to detect or grab with their Vitalix, and Garret Dvallis just wants to..." "Enough!" Remicra snapped, her scales flashing a deep, angry red. "I''m not here to solve every little issue that comes crawling into my forge. I''m pretty sure that I already told you that I''m not a charity." "Enslave me," Dave finished. "Why should I care exactly?" The dragoness snapped, glancing at his ID tag. "You''re about three silver from being collared anyway. If you''re not here to sell metal, get out." "Listen, I..." Before Dave could react, Remicra grabbed him by the collar of his tattered outfit. With surprising strength, she lifted him off his feet and carried him to the door. Dave struggled, his feet dangling uselessly in the air. "Wait! We can work something out!" Dave offered as Remicra opened the door with her free hand. "I''ve had enough of your nonsense," Remicra snarled. "Find someone else to bother with your problems, human!" With a final, forceful shove, Remicra tossed Dave out of her smithy. As he flew through the air he redistributed everything into Strength and tumbled onto the grass outside, landing in an somewhat undignified heap. The Felislice landed beside him and the door to the smithy slammed shut. "Right," Dave sighed. "That went well." The violin in his soul began to play the Imagine Dragons song "Enemy". Dave shoved the felislice back into his backpack and limped to sit on a mossy rock close to the door. He watched as the sun slowly sank behind the black hole, the landscape growing redder and darker, his mind mesmerized by the way the light bent and distorted around the massive gravitational anomaly. The door behind him swung open with a creak. Remicra''s voice, tinged with irritation and a hint of something else¡ªconcern, perhaps?¡ªbroke the eerie silence. "Why are you still here? Is your plan to get chopped up and eaten?" she asked, her violet and red tinted scales reflecting the last rays of the dying light. Dave didn''t turn to look at her. He kept his gaze fixed on the event horizon. "I''m out of options. Maybe that''s the way to go." Remicra snorted. Dave finally turned to face her. "What would you suggest? Dvaliss smithy can heal me but that''ll make me into a slave. I can''t go back to the Healers'' Hall as I''m pretty sure I''m on some kind of a watch list now. The shadows might be a merciful end compared to the two metal monsters growing inside me, one of which will burst from my stomach and the other will turn me into a walking metal-zombie thing." Remicra stepped out of the doorway, her claws clicking against the stone as she approached Dave. She loomed over him, her presence somewhat intimidating and oddly comforting in the growing darkness. "Run," she ordered, squinting at the black hole. "Maybe you can still make it." "No," Dave said firmly, staring at her eyes. "I''m done running." He pushed the absorbed souls into Wisdom to examine her, Sherlock''s violin dancing across the figure of the dragon smith. Remicra''s entire body was tense. She was coming off as incredibly unfriendly but there was something in her eyes, sparks of concern behind the hostile exterior.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Remicra''s scales shimmered with pink and red tinted agitation as she glared down at Dave. "Run, you fool!" she hissed, her tail lashing behind her. "The night is coming, and you don''t want to be caught out here when it does!" Dave shook his head, a wry smile on his face. He knew that the only way forward from here was not to back down. "If you won''t help me, then this is as good a place as any to meet my end." Remicra opened her mouth to retort, but her words were cut short by a sudden sound of a distant ringing bell. The bell ring multiplied and danced across all of Shandria, like a wailing siren song. "You... you have to run," Remicra hissed. "You can''t just..." The world darkened further, as if the universe itself had been blacklisted and Dave suddenly felt an odd sense of unease rising in his chest, like a tide of cold, dark water threatening to drown him. One by one, the somber bells slowly fell silent until there was silence. A massive flare ignited above the white tower at the center of town, bathing the landscape in red tones like a malevolent sunrise. Red dots, like spots of rust, ignited all over town over the doorways of distant buildings and doors, marking them with ominous symbols. Dave noticed a triangular, red rune above the doorway of the smithy, and before he could ask anything, Remicra grabbed him and dragged him towards the lighthouse, her tail thrashing behind her like an angry serpent. "In," Remicra growled as she slammed the door shut. Dave found himself standing inside the dim smithy lit from within by red triangular runes and the smouldering forge. A dark Kitlix dotted in orange stars stirred within its innards, looking similar to the one that the Healers used to light their dining hall fireplace. Remicra paced back and forth, her claws clicking against the stone floor. Her scales shimmered with agitation, reflecting the crimson light and sparkly Kitlix in a mesmerizing dance. "Bloody, useless idiot," she snarled. "Of all the addlepated, mutton-headed fools to grace my smithy, why...?" Dave simply looked around quietly. The plan to stay inside the smithy seemed to have worked. "What?" Remicra whirled on him, her eyes blazing. "You thrice-damned simpleton! Did you not hear the bells? Did you not see the sky darken? By the Abyss, are you deaf and blind as well as stupid?" Dave slid all of his points into Strength just in case she was going to turn hostile. The eyes of the Kitlix within the forge snapped to him, staring at him with wide, curious, glowing orange eyes. "Pox-ridden excuse for an adventurer!" The dragoness snapped, sending him a glare that promised terrible things. "So... what exactly is happening outside?" Dave asked. "This is the domain of the night. The children of the Shadow Empress come out to play," she replied briskly. "Children of the Shadow Empress?" He echoed. Remicra rolled her eyes, a gesture that conveyed that Dave was being particularly obtuse. Dave''s empty stomach growled loudly. "Cease your yapping and don''t touch anything," Remicra advised tersely, her tail flicking. Dave nodded, a sudden flashback to his elementary school days washing over him, when a stern teacher would chide him for his excessive chatter. With her characteristic brusqueness, Remicra vanished into the stairwell, abandoning Dave to the crimson-tinged gloom. Anxiety gnawed at him as he waited, pondering the peculiar situation he found himself in and glancing at the Kitlix. After several tense minutes, the draconic smith reemerged, gnawing at a bone laden with meat. "Here," she remarked as she handed Dave another leg. "Thanks." He bit into the offered meat. "What is this, by the way? It has a distinct cow-like quality." Remicra sighed, snatching a glass bottle from a nearby shelf. "It''s wyvern meat." For a few minutes both of them ate in silence. As Dave finished his bone and then chugged the somewhat stale water offered by the dragoness, he saw that she was staring intently at him. He followed her gaze and noticed that some of the big cuts from the Felislice were still visible, not fully healed despite nearly forty minutes of Healy''s efforts. "Human," Remicra said abruptly. "Your hand. Let me see it." Dave blinked, caught off guard by her sudden interest. "Give me your hand, idiot human," Remicra said. "If what you say is true about the metal flakes, I should be able to sense them." Dave set down the wyvern bone and rolled up his grimy sleeve, extending his arm towards Remicra. "Just so you know, if you deceived me, then I''m breaking both of your arms," she promised. His heart raced as the dragoness approached, her intense gaze fixed on his exposed skin. What if Garret lied about the Felislice? Remicra leaned forward, her snout nearly touching Dave''s arm. He could feel the heat of her breath, a warm contrast to the cool night air that was seeping into the decrepit smithy. Her eyes closed in concentration, and Dave felt an odd tingling sensation spreading through his arm as she gripped his hand with hers, dark claws gradually tapping all over his skin. It wasn''t painful, but it was unlike anything he had experienced before ¨C a gentle vibration that seemed to resonate deep within his bones. The seconds ticked by, feeling like an eternity to Dave as he waited for Remicra''s verdict. He watched her face intently, trying to decipher any clues from her expression, but her features remained impassive. Finally, Remicra''s eyes snapped open. She sat back, her expression grim, scales shifting to a deep, troubled blue. "So?" Dave asked. Remicra''s violet-gold gaze met his. "It''s there," she said. Dave felt his stomach drop, despite having suspected as much. "So, how bad is it?" he managed to ask. "Bad enough," she said. "The flakes are small, but they''re numerous. And they''re... active. I can sense them moving through your bloodstream, feeding on your magic, trying to rewrite your body''s alignment from flesh to metal. Your bones and organs will turn into the same metal in three weeks, killing you slowly and painfully." "Can you do anything about it?" "No," she replied. "I can sense them, yes, but I cannot take them out. I don''t have..." "A Ferrix Kitlix?" Dave finished for her. "Like the one Dvallis blacksmith has?" "Yes," Remicra nodded. "One that can attract microscopic magic metal flakes without me touching them directly." "Maybe I can rent one?" Dave suggested. "What?" Remicra blinked. "You can''t just rent a Ferrix Kitlix!" "Why not?" Remicra let out a frustrated growl, her scales shifting to a deep, irritated red. "Ferrix Kitlix are rare, powerful, and require a deep bond with their master. I can''t just use any random ass Ferrix! It has to match my level for it to work properly and my owner will never permit me to own a Kitlix!" "What is your level?" Dave asked. "Why would I tell you that?" The dragoness growled, her mood dropping like a sinking anchor. "I can bond with any Kitlix, I think," Dave said after a minute of deep silence. "Maybe I can bond a Metal-controlling one?" "You are clueless or delusional," Remicra said. "No one can just ''bond'' with any Kitlix they want, especially not a high level Ferrix that I''d need. It takes years of training, alignment correlating to Strength and a natural affinity for metal magic." "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I''m telling you the truth. I''ve done it before. I bonded with a high-level Vitalix earlier today." Remicra snorted. "Right, and I''m the freaking Princess of the Shadow Realm! Next, you''ll be telling me you can fly and breathe fire and that you have green skin!" "I''m serious!" Dave insisted. The dragoness regarded him for a long moment, her tail swishing thoughtfully behind her. Finally, she let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Fine. Let''s say, for argument''s sake, that you''re not completely off your rocker. Even if you could bond with a Ferrix, where exactly do you propose to get one? They''re not exactly lying around like common pebbles." "Maybe the Guild market has one... or maybe I could make or... find one here?" Remicra rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, because every end-town smithy has a rare, powerful magical creature just sitting in the corner." "You have one in your forge, no?" Dave asked. "That''s a very basic, low level, generic Ignix that is bound to the smithy! It barely responds to me!" Remicra snarled. "Use your empty head, human!" She swung a fist at his head as if to give him a bonk, but Dave''s hand intercepted her wrist, closing on it like a vice, stopping her motion. She tried to pull back but Dave''s hand simply didn''t let her go. The dragoness blinked, her eyes widening in surprise as she stared at where their limbs met. Realizing what he''d done, Dave slowly released his grip from her hand. Remicra rubbed her wrist, her gaze dancing between Dave''s face and his ID token with "LV 4 Iron" in glowing script. "You''re... strong," she said slowly. "I''ve had a lot of practice lately. Running from metal bugs, fighting Felislices, you know how it is," Dave shrugged. Remicra''s eyes narrowed to slits as she studied him more intently. "There''s something... off about you," she said slowly, circling around Dave like a predator sizing up its prey. "Your grip strength... doesn''t match your level," she trailed off. Dave felt a bead of sweat trickle down his back under her intense scrutiny. "It''s amazing how quickly you can get strong when your life is on the line every other minute," he added. Remicra snorted. "Nice try, human. But I''ve seen plenty of banged up adventurers come through here, fresh from near-death experiences. None of them developed superhuman strength overnight. Your grip strength is that of a level thirty-something adventurer, which is... impossible." She stopped in front of him, her face directly facing him, standing so close that Dave could smell the metallic scent that clung to her. "What are you hiding?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous. "Why did the Healer''s Hall put you on a ''watch'' list?" [-16-] A Lovely Room
Remicra''s intense gaze bore into him, her scales shifting to a deep, suspicious green. "I''m not hiding anything," he said, knowing full well how unconvincing he sounded. Remicra''s tail lashed angrily behind her. "Explain then," she snarled. "You''re not going anywhere until morning. Try anything unwise and I will break you." Dave took a deep breath, weighing his options. He couldn''t tell her the full truth about his necromantic abilities, but perhaps a partial truth might satisfy her curiosity. Sherlock''s violin played a relaxing symphony in his soul, suggesting he put his trust into the dragon blacksmith. Dave noticed that there was no black bracelet on her hand, nor a token ID number that would tell him how much in debt she was. "Okay," he began. "I already told you that a few days ago, I was summoned to Arx by a magic spell by a crazy God-Emperor. Since then, I''ve been trying to figure out how things work here, how to survive." "Uh-huh?" "Here''s the thing, when a minion of the God-Emperor forced me to put on this black bracelet..." Dave waved his bracelet at Remicra. "It gave me a rather unusual skill. Because of it, I can sort of... redistribute my Attributes. That''s why my grip was so strong - I put everything into Strength when you tried to hit me." "I wasn''t trying to hit you. It was sort of an... impulsive hand-motion," Remicra flashed orange-pink. "Also, redistribute Attributes? What are you talking about? Attributes are static." "Not for me," Dave shook his head. "I can move everything around." "Wait... now I remember. You''ve had this incredibly grating Charisma too... but now there''s nothing at all, huh," the dragoness blinked, her face growing slack. "Last time it vanished altogether too, but I was too annoyed with you to pay attention." "My Attributes are fluid," Dave commented. "You''re lying," Remicra snarled. "That''s not how it works! You can''t just get a skill as soon as you put on a System bracelet. To gain skills, you must kill a multitude of dangerous enemies and absorb a fraction of their magic. It''s basic knowledge! Also, a person''s level correlates to the level of their Attributes." Dave held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I swear, I''m telling you the truth! I know it sounds impossible, but¡ª" "Impossible is right," Remicra interrupted. "Do you take me for a fool, human? I''ve been around long enough to know how things work on Arx. You don''t just wake up one day with the ability to ''redistribute'' your skills. Skills come from what you eat and what you kill and who your parents are. If you were only summoned here a few days ago then you shouldn''t have any skills at all!" "Look, I don''t fully understand it myself. Maybe it''s because I''m from another world, or maybe it''s something to do with how I was summoned. All I know is that I can do it," Dave said. "Prove it, then. If you can really ''redistribute'' your Attributes, show me!" Dave nodded. "Alright, watch me." He concentrated on shifting all his points into Agility. As he did so, he felt the familiar rush of energy coursing through his body. "Agility," Dave said, noting that Remicra was watching him. Without taking a run, he suddenly leapt over a workbench, tapped beam on the tall ceiling and landed lightly on his feet on the other side. "Ta-da!" Dave declared at Remicra. The smith''s gold-violet eyes went wide. "What in the Infinite Abyss?" she muttered. Dave moved around the smithy, his movements still unnaturally light. "Now," he said. "Strength!" He pushed everything into Strength and he walked over to a large anvil sitting in the corner. With a grunt of effort, Dave lifted the anvil off the ground. It was incredibly heavy, but with all his points in Strength, he managed to hoist it above his head. Remicra blinked as Dave slammed the anvil back onto the ground.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Charisma!" Dave took a deep breath and shifted all his points into Charisma. Remicra choked as she felt the full force of Dave''s Charisma wash over her. Her entire body suddenly shimmered with a soft pink hue. A furious pink blush crept across her face and hands as she found herself unable to look away from Dave''s suddenly captivating gaze. "I... what... how..." she mewled, her usual eloquence deserting her. Horrified by her own reaction, Remicra slapped herself hard across the face, which injected red-orange spirals into her body palette. "Dexterity!" Dave announced and quickly switched everything into Dexterity. He grabbed a handful of small pebbles from a nearby bucket. With fluid, precise movements, he began juggling them between his fingers, the stones dancing across his knuckles in an intricate pattern. Remicra watched as the rocks flowed like water across Dave''s hands, never faltering, never dropping. "You know, this is pretty impressive to me too," he commented. "Since... I''ve never been a juggler." "Not possible," Remicra muttered, her tail twitching. "I know it seems that way," he said. "But, this is what I''ve been trying to explain." He suddenly tossed all the rocks high into the air, then caught them one by one, stacking them in a perfect tower on the back of his hand. With a flourish, he let them tumble back into his palm and then deposited them back into the bucket. Remicra shook her head, her scales shifting through a kaleidoscope of colors as she processed what she was seeing. "Enough," she said, her entire body dancing with waves of pink and red. "So?" Dave watched as Remicra bit her lower lip. "I... I believe you," she said after a deep pause. "Now, what is Healers Hall suspicious of?" "I showed something that scared them, I think," Dave explained. "I bonded with a level thirty four Vitalix earlier today to heal some of my cuts. That''s part of why I thought I might be able to bond with a Ferrix to help with the Felislice flake extraction." "Hrmmm," the dragoness pondered. "This level thirty four Vitalix you bonded with... how much did it cost you to rent it?" "It was seventeen silver for an hour," Dave replied. "Not cheap, but it was worth it for the healing I managed to do. I''d be bleeding to death right now if it wasn''t for Healy." "So, you''ve got seventeen more coin on you somewhere?" Remicra asked, eyeing the red number on his token. "Uhm, actually... no," he sighed. "I don''t have any money right now. I''m kind of in debt." "So," Remicra asked, "how exactly do you plan to earn the silver before the living metal kills you? You do realize that an hour isn''t enough to pull out all of the flakes out of you? It will take multiple sessions over the weeks to clean up your body and the sooner we can start the better it will be for you." "I don''t know," he admitted. "To be honest, I''ve been so focused on surviving day to day that I haven''t had much time to think about long-term plans." "Such shortsightedness," she muttered. "Do you always rush headlong into danger without a thought for the consequences?" "Hey, it''s not like I asked to be thrown into this world!" Dave protested. "I''m doing the best I can with what I''ve got!" Remicra yawned then, her jaw opening wide to a row of sharp teeth. "Right," she said. "I''m tired of your nonsense and have lots of work tomorrow. Follow." She grabbed a bundle of cloth from a corner. Dave trailed behind the smith as they ascended the narrow, winding stairwell that coiled like a serpentine spine within the ancient tower. "This is your room," she announced as they entered a room shrouded in the musty pallor of disuse. "Thanks," Dave surveyed his newfound surroundings, noting the glaring absence of a bed. The loft looked long forsaken, the passage of decades evident in the layers of dust that blanketed every surface. "This is not a tavern. Don''t think about staying here beyond a single night. Do not attempt to make yourself at home." Remicra gestured towards a dark mound of moss nestled in a corner beneath a red pyramid-shaped rune, tossing the random assortment of old cloths on the floor. "Rest there. Do not make noise, lest you incur my wrath. Do not go downstairs or upstairs to the roof. The bathroom is in that corner. Depart at daylight. Understand?" Dave nodded. With a final flick of her sinuous tail, the dragoness took her leave, heading downstairs. Dave let out a weary exhale that seemed to echo through the abandoned chamber, feeling like he had been transported into a fantasy land with questionable hygiene standards. He sat down on the mossy lump that was supposed to pass for a bed and contemplated how he ended up here. He could feel the dust particles tickling his nose, and the air was thick with the musty scent of decay. Dave wondered if he was going to develop some kind of respiratory disease but shrugged it off. As he pulled a ragged blanket over himself, he glanced at its questionable texture and considered if any unwashed creatures had used it before him. The toilet was a hole in the wall that faced a chasm, which made going to the bathroom an unusual adventure. Dave wrapped himself in the rough and questionable fabric, gritting his teeth as it scratched against his skin. "Well, at least this place has a roof," he thought, trying to find the silver lining. He spotted glittering lights of distant thermonuclear detonations through a few holes in the roof. With a heavy sigh, he finally surrendered to sleep, hoping to dream something a little brighter than his current reality. [-17-] Sherlock Dave found himself sitting in a leather chair of rather suspicious comfort. He faced an imposing, gleaming metal desk. To the side, stood a silver-haired man, his gaze fixed upon the raindrops that meandered down the windowpane, painting the glass with watery trails amidst pink-tinted clouds. The blinds cast ephemeral shadows across the room that flickered and vanished. Overhead, halogen lights hummed their discontent, adding an electric grumble in the otherwise hushed atmosphere. A 1920s copper and green glass Barristers lamp sat on the metal desk. As Dave turned his head, much like a bewildered owl, he took in a multitude of inexplicable details of the otherwise modern interior, a holographic computer screen and cabinets bursting with a multitude of tagged folders. "Eh?" Dave finally managed to say. Unperturbed, the silver-haired man walked with purposeful grace to a large cabinet, from atop which he grabbed a wooden violin. The instrument seemed to come alive in his hands as he began to play, the hauntingly beautiful melody weaving through the air with the finesse of an expert. Beneath the unassuming lenses of his dark spectacles, green eyes stared back at Dave. "...Sherlock!" Dave exclaimed, recognizing the face of the dead man from the killing field of the God Emperor''s Citadel and the music that''s been playing in his soul for the past several days. "But how?" The question hung in the air, as the strains of the violin continued to sing. With a practiced motion, the detective laid the violin to rest within its velvet embrace and turned his attention to Dave. "And how do you suppose I find myself in your presence?" the detective asked. "Phantomancy?" Dave offered. "Pray tell, what is Phantomancy?" Sherlock arched an eyebrow. Dave hesitated. "Magic that allows me to bring the dead back to life, or, at least their ghosts, in some form. Maybe you exist within my mind as some sort of magical construct?" "Perhaps," Sherlock mused, looking around. "This room, while appearing solid, lacks certain... consistencies. The edges aren''t exactly perfectly sharp, as if smudged by a painter''s brush. And the sound..." He plucked a string on the violin, letting the note hang in the air. Dave listened in, but was unable to determine anything of value. "It is as I desire it to be, but not exactly as it should echo in the confines of this office. It is indeed as if we''re in a facsimile of reality," Sherlock continued. "A construct, perhaps, of your mind or this... Phantomancy you speak of. Do, tell me, Dave, what do you know of quantum mechanics?" Dave blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. "Uh, not that much. Something about cats in boxes?" "A crude memetic over-simplification, but not entirely inaccurate. The point is, reality at its most fundamental level is far more malleable than we perceive it to be." "So, you''re saying magic is just... advanced physics?" Dave speculated. "In a manner of speaking, yes," Sherlock nodded. "Your ability to redistribute your ''points,'' for instance. It''s possible that you''re tapping into some sort of quantum superposition, existing in multiple states simultaneously until you ''collapse'' into one specific configuration." "So... is this a dream?" Dave asked. Sherlock''s gaze sharpened. "An excellent question. This space does posses some dream-like quality to it. As evidenced by your lack of knowledge on quantum mechanics, I possess memories, knowledge, and some sense of self that seems distinct from your own. Yet I exist within your mind. Perhaps I am a quantum echo of a detective, plucked from some parallel universe by the Isekai spell of the Gold Dragon God-Emperor and then further replicated and preserved by your Phantomancy. A Theseus ship of a man that has been disassembled and remade twice." "The Dragon God-Emperor summoned a corpulent woman into you... or summoned you into her," Dave nodded. "I''m not entirely sure. By the time I reached you, she was long dead, and you were dying. Say, how did you even last for so long?" Sherlock tapped his chest. "I have an atomic heart and metal bones. They permitted me to survive longer than an unmodded human would otherwise." A sudden flicker of blue light illuminated Dave''s arm.
[Phantomancy Level 4 skill Unlocked: Dreamspace Communion.]
The ethereal screen announced. Sherlock and Dave exchanged a glance, both clearly able to observe the holographic message. "This environment is indeed peculiar, as am I," Sherlock considered. "Sadly, I cannot recall my name, and most of my memories are gone, as if carved away by some unseen force. Thus, I must consider the implications of my existence in your mind. Why am I here? What purpose do I serve? What am I?" Dave replied, "You''re a detective. The spirit of a man I tried to save." "I have deduced as much," Sherlock nodded. "While I am still uncertain of the true nature of my existence, I will continue to observe and process as much information as possible. Through careful rational deduction, I hope to uncover the truth of the matter and eventually understand the nature of magic." "You talk a bit odd," Dave remarked. "Perhaps this is how the dead talk," Sherlock replied with a sardonic smile. "It is probable that I am less like a man and more like a sophisticated large language model, artificial intelligence software that manifests an answer only when prompted, bound to a single user''s desires." "You know about language models?" Dave inquired. "Indeed," Sherlock affirmed, "As I exist within your mind, I am privy to what you know, and I experience the world as you do. However, my sense of self is incomplete, hollow. It is also intricately woven with your comprehension of the universe and the knowledge you possess. From what I can discern, I am more of an extension of you than an individual entity, a conceptualization of a detective rather than a fully formed person." "Do you recall guiding me to the waterfall?" Dave asked. "I do," Sherlock affirmed. "I can clearly remember your hapless journey to the quaint town of Shandria." "So..." "In this present moment," Sherlock continued, gesturing to their surroundings, "you slumber within the dragon''s den, which has curiously taken on the form of a lighthouse smithy. This dreamscape is a fusion of a fragment of my prior existence and your current reality. Perhaps this was my former office." "You think so?" "It doesn''t match anything from your memories," Sherlock pointed out. "So perhaps this is a piece of my world." "Right," Dave nodded. He got off his chair and came closer to the window and looked out of it at what looked like an absurdly large city. "Hang on... are... are those flying cars?" "They are indeed," Sherlock confirmed. "Perhaps I hail from a world far beyond your own, a distant parallel Earth in which humanity not only succeeded in constructing airborne automobiles but also conquered the very stars themselves." "That¡¯s pretty neat," Dave said. " I guess that the God-Emperor summons people from different dimensions or something?" "A reasonable deduction," Sherlock nodded. "Consider this, Dave. You were summoned from a world without magic, a place where technology was the driving force of progress. I, it seems, come from an Earth where technology has advanced far beyond your own. Yet, we both found ourselves in this new realm of magic and mythical creatures." "Yeah, that is pretty wild," Dave agreed, settling back into his chair. "But that''s not all," Sherlock continued. "While we hail from parallel Earths, nevertheless we are both human. Have you noticed something peculiar about the inhabitants of Shandria?" Dave thought of Remicra and Cedez and the many Healers from Healer''s Hall that he''s befriended. "They''re all pretty... diverse. Lots of different races and species." "Precisely," Sherlock nodded. "But more specifically, they all seem to be fusions of humans and various animals, concepts or mythical creatures." "Now that you mention it, yeah," Dave said. "But what about it?" Sherlock leaned against the desk, his fingers drumming against the metal surface. "Consider the vast diversity of xenotypes we''ve encountered in Shandria," Sherlock began, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. "We''ve seen foxgirls, dragonkin, owlkin, and countless other hybrid beings. At first glance, one might assume this is simply a world where evolution took a different path." "But that''s not the case?" Dave prompted. "Precisely," Sherlock nodded. "Evolution, by its very nature, is messy. It makes mistakes, creates inefficiencies, and often results in creatures that we, as humans, might find incompatible with our aesthetic sensibilities." "Like the blobfish?" Dave offered. "Sure, although the blobfish is less of a blob when it''s deep underwater," Sherlock said. "I was thinking of something like the star-nosed mole. My point is that many Earth creatures, while perfectly adapted to their environments, are far from what most humans would consider aesthetically pleasing. Consider arachnids, various quirky insects and crabs of Earth. Many people have an innate fear of spiders." The detective paused. "Yet in Shandria, every hybrid we''ve encountered is essentially human with two legs and two arms with carefully selected animal or conceptual traits added in a way that makes them particularly appealing to human observers."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Dave thought about the pretty gem-covered dragoness working the forge and even the owl maid with her large, expressive eyes. "You''re right," Dave said. "I hadn''t really thought about it, but it is as if they were... made to be appealing, aren''t they?" "Indeed. And that''s not all. These hybrid beings often possess traits that, from a biological standpoint, just shouldn''t work together. The combinations we''ve observed at the Shandrian streets pretty much ignore the basic principles of biology and physics as we understand them." "So what are you saying?" Dave asked. "I''m saying," Sherlock replied, "that the inhabitants of Shandria appear to be artificially designed. Created, if you will, by some intelligence with the power to merge different species at will, ignoring the constraints of natural evolution. Beauty in the eye of the beholder. A quantum state that changes when being observed." "Observed by... humans like me?" Dave tilted his head, guessing what Sherlock was implying. "Now, let''s consider Remicra," Sherlock waved a pale hand in the air. "You''ve noticed her intense dislike for humans, correct?" Dave nodded slowly. "Yeah, she''s made that pretty clear." "Her hatred for humans stems from the fact that she is owned by a human," Sherlock explained. "Right," Dave nodded. "From what Cedez Astra told us, we can deduce that the High Lords of Shandria are, in fact, humans like yourself," Sherlock pointed out. "Pure humans, untouched by the mythical traits and conceptual changes we see in the general lowborn population." "Are you sure?" Dave asked. "I''ve also noted their portraits through some of the shop windows," Sherlock nodded. "The High Lords are all human and they own most of the shops in Shandria." "And?" Dave squinted at Sherlock. "I believe it''s a matter of observation and reality manipulation," Sherlock explained. "These high mages, through their immense magical power, may be able to alter reality simply by observing it. Generation after generation, they maintain their human form at the top of the social hierarchy, while the lower classes gradually change." Dave''s eyes widened as he processed this information. "So you''re saying... the world changes around them, but they stay the same?" "Precisely," Sherlock nodded. "It''s a form of ''observational evolution'', if you will. The High Lords observe the world, and their observations shape it. But they maintain their own human forms, perhaps out of a desire to remain ''pure'' or simply because that''s how they see themselves." "But why would they change everyone else?" Dave asked. Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "Think about it, Dave. If you had the power to shape the world around you, wouldn''t you be tempted to make it more... interesting? More diverse? Perhaps even more appealing to your own aesthetic sensibilities? Would you prefer a mundane human serving you lunch or... a catgirl maid?" Dave sputtered. "Your observation-evolution theory... it makes a disturbing amount of sense," he admitted after a deep, thoughtful pause. "So, what else have you deduced about this world?" Sherlock paced the room, his footsteps silent on the polished floor. He paused by the window, his silhouette framed against the backdrop of flying cars and towering spires. "I''ve made several observations," he began, turning back to face Dave. "For instance, have you noticed the peculiar nature of the quests in this world?" Dave nodded, recalling the various tasks he''d been offered since arriving in Shandria. "They do seem a bit... odd at times. Like the one Cedez gave me about slaying a dragon and freeing a princess." "Precisely," Sherlock said. "These Quests often follow narrative structures reminiscent of fairy tales or perhaps games. They''re designed to be engaging, to provide a sense of purpose and progression. The same goes for these dark stat-calculating bracelets, the true purpose of which we have yet to uncover." "So you''re saying the quests are... artificial too?" Dave asked. "Influenced by magic of the Highborn observers?" "Maybe," Sherlock replied. "They appear to be constructed to maintain a certain societal structure while providing entertainment and challenges for the populace. It''s as if the entire world is designed to be a grand adventure playground." "But why?" Sherlock steepled his fingers under his chin, his gaze intense. "That, Dave, is the million-dollar question. Why indeed? Perhaps it''s a form of control, a way to keep the population occupied and content. Or maybe it''s something more... something far greater, something that I have not understood yet. More evidence is required. This is all of course, mere speculation, for I am unable to perform complex scientific experiments out in the real world, as I am just a shard of a man bound to your subconscious." "What other deductions can you offer me?" Dave asked. "Your personal sorcery," Sherlock said, "is of a singularly exceptional nature." "I figured as much," Dave nodded. "From what the Healers, Cedez and Remicra told me." "Ah, but it is even rarer than you think," Sherlock said. "Evaluate the following - the august Dragon God-Emperor, in his infinite wisdom, saw fit to abandon the very souls you chanced upon, leaving them ripe for your absorption. Had his imperial majesty been in possession of another skilled Phantomancer, it stands to reason that he would have harnessed the potent energies of all of the departed spirits, not to mention the wealth of knowledge contained within, to reinforce the formidable bastion of his dominion." "A solid hypothesis," Dave conceded. "So Phantomancy is insanely rare?" "I suspect it is rarer than necromancy," Sherlock said. "On the account that none of the millions or perhaps even billions of summoned procured it for their God-Emperor Master." "Could Shandria have a Phantomancer though?" Dave asked. "Why are there no ghosts in town?" "From my observations with you absorbing the Prismatic Beetles, ghosts are attached to bodies," Sherlock pointed out. "They don''t just hover in place after a body is moved. From what I overheard at the market, Shandrian officials burn all corpses and then deliver the remaining crystal heart-cores to the Adventurers Guild. As to what the Guild does with the crystal cores, now that is a mystery that is worth solving." "So, you''re saying that souls might actually be attached to these crystal cores?" Dave asked "It''s a distinct possibility. The Guild collects these cores and we''ve seen no ghosts in Shandria. It''s logical to assume there''s a connection." "And if I could find where they store these cores..." "Then you could potentially access a vast wealth of knowledge and power," Sherlock finished for him. "The souls of countless individuals, each with their own skills, memories, and experiences." "Yeah," Dave nodded. "That does sound nice. Maybe if I build up enough rep with the Guild I could get a core disposal job or something?" "Maybe such jobs exist on the higher level of the cathedral," Sherlock contemplated. "Given to trusted adventurers. However, to become a person of trust, you must learn to better conceal your ''necromantic'' affiliation." "How?" Dave asked. "That I don''t have an answer for," Sherlock spread his hands. Dave thought of what else to ask his mental detective and then his mind drifted to the odd fox. "Cedez," he said. "What do you make of her? She claims to be a ''princess in training,'' but something about that doesn''t quite add up." "Ah, yes," Sherlock nodded. "Let''s examine the facts, shall we? She presents herself as a simple cafe maid, yet she possesses knowledge and abilities far beyond what such a position would typically entail." "She did seem to know an awful lot about me," Dave said. "Like my name." "Perhaps she is a practitioner of Foresight," Sherlock contemplated. "Maybe she ''foresaw'' meeting you before you actually met her." "Maybe," Dave muttered. "And then there''s her claim of being a ''princess in training.'' Now, reference what we''ve deduced about the social structure of Shandria. The ruling class, the High Lords, appear to be pure humans. Yet Cedez is clearly not human, given her fox-like attributes," Sherlock pointed out. "So she can''t be a real princess?" Dave asked. Sherlock shook his head. "Not in the traditional sense of being a collateral descendant, no. At least, not if our deductions about the Highborns are correct. However, her use of the term ''princess'' is intriguing. It suggests a level of importance or desire that goes beyond her current role." "But if she''s not a real princess, and she''s not just a cafe maid, what is she?" "That, my dear Dave, is the crux of the mystery. Her strange ability to amplify your Attributes, her vast Earth knowledge, plus her interest in you are a tantalizing mystery." "Could she be some kind of... I don''t know, magical creature disguised as a foxgirl?" Dave ventured. "An interesting hypothesis," Sherlock mused. "It''s certainly possible. Or perhaps she''s a creation of the High Lords, designed for some specific purpose in mind. Her role at the cafe could be a cover, a way to observe and interact with new arrivals to Shandria flowing through the Adventurers Gate. Cedez is rather perfectly positioned to gather information and perhaps even influence events." "So you''re saying she could be some kind of... spy? Or maybe an agent of the High Lords?" "It''s certainly a possibility," Sherlock said. "If she is, then perhaps she wishes to be free from her position without stating so in an obvious fashion. She could be a magical construct of sorts, a guardian of the front gate, considering that she herself wields no Kitlix." "Right, but there''s still something I don''t understand," Dave said. "Why is Cedez so insistent on pushing me towards Remicra?" "Her insistence on you pursuing Remicra could be a roundabout way of achieving some goal of her own," Sherlock pointed out. "So Cedez might be using me to... what? Get Remicra? But why?" "Another mystery to solve," Sherlock said. "What if Remicra possesses something Cedez needs? Something she can''t obtain directly?" "Like what?" Dave asked. "Remicra is a collared blacksmith." "That, I''m afraid, does not provide me enough information to make a logical deduction," Sherlock admitted. "But it''s clear that Cedez sees you and Remicra as a means to an end. Your unique abilities make you an incredibly valuable pawn in whatever game she''s playing. Perhaps the dragon smith holds the key to liberating Cedez from her job as the Gate spirit? Perhaps she is bound to the cafe with Metallomancy?" "And what of the dragoness?" Dave asked. "Should I trust Remicra? I mean, she''s grumpy and seems to hate humans, but at least she''s been straightforward about it." "Trust is a complex issue," Sherlock nodded. "Remicra may be more honest in her disdain, but that doesn''t necessarily make her trustworthy. Remember, she''s bound by her own constraints and motivations." "Right. But she did give me bandages and let me stay the night, even if it was in a dusty old room." "Indeed," Sherlock said. "Her actions suggest a level of compassion that goes beyond mere self-interest. However, don''t mistake momentary kindness for lasting loyalty." Dave sighed. "So what should I do? I need her help with these Felislice flakes, but I can''t afford to pay her, and Cedez''s suggestion of ''winning her heart'' seems... well, rather absurd." "Perhaps the key lies not in grand romantic gestures, but in finding common ground," Sherlock offered. "Remicra, like you, is trapped in a situation not entirely of her own making. She may respond better to empathy and understanding than to overt attempts at courtship." "Okay," Dave said. "So maybe I could... I don''t know, offer to help her with her work? Show her that not all humans are terrible?" "That could be a start," Sherlock agreed. "But remember, your ultimate goal is to secure her assistance with your Felislice problem. Every interaction should be weighed against that objective." "Right, right. So I need to be helpful, but also make it clear that I need her help in return. But how do I do that without coming across as manipulative?" Sherlock''s lips quirked in a small smile. "That, Dave, is where the art of diplomacy comes in. You must be honest about your intentions while also appealing to her self-interest. Perhaps there''s something you can offer her in return, something that only your unique abilities can provide." ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± The ex-programmer looked at the detective arriving at a deduction of his own. ¡°You used your violin to make me cry in front of Remicra on purpose yesterday?!" ¡°But of course,¡± Sherlock nodded. "It was incredibly imperative that she recognized you as a fellow misfortunate laboring beneath the crushing weight of an indifferent cosmos." Dave exhaled as he regarded Sherlock''s deft machinations with mild irritation. "Remicra, unlike you, was born here," Sherlock added. "She is a manifestation of this inverted world and, as such, harbors the knowledge of its clandestine intricacies and arcane histories. This lighthouse may present itself as a decaying relic of some distant past, but it could serve as a bastion for us, should we succeed in binding Remy to us as our loyal companion." Dave raised an eyebrow at the nickname. "Remy?" Sherlock waved a dismissive hand. "A mere shorthand. Focus, Dave. I find it necessary to remind you - you find yourself solitary in this land, bereft of resources and under the ever-growing suspicion of authorities. An ancient smithy on the town''s outskirts, brimming with metalworking tools, could prove an invaluable asset to a keen mind endeavoring to enhance their likelihood of survival." Dave nodded slowly, understanding dawning on his face. "So you''re saying I should try to... what? Make this place my base of operations?" "Precisely," Sherlock affirmed. A sudden, piercing howl reverberated through the detective¡¯s office, causing Dave to shudder involuntarily. "What on earth was that?" he gasped, his heart thundering within his chest. "If I were to hazard a conjecture," Sherlock said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "it''s a particularly big shadow outside, enjoying its dinner." The howl echoed once more, much louder, and the illusion of Sherlock''s office shattered into wisps of green sparks. Dave jolted awake, his heart trying to leap out of his chest. Cold sweat clung to his skin as he sat up, the musty smell of the abandoned loft filling his nostrils. The howl resounded once again, much closer, leaking through the holes in the roof and cracks in the windows. The rough blanket fell away as Dave stumbled towards the nearest window, drawn by a morbid curiosity to see what could possibly be making such an unearthly noise. The glass was clouded with age and grime, but as he leaned forward finding a missing piece to peer though, he witnessed a scene that stopped his heart. [-18-] Leviathan Nightingale Through the small gap in the glass, Dave beheld a sight that practically defied comprehension. Amidst the gloom, beneath the ring of clouds circling the town loomed an immense entity - a shadow stretching a thousand meters high. It moved with a sinister elegance, its unnaturally elongated appendages reminiscent of a centipede fused with a human fused with an octopus. The creature - if it could even be called that - was a writhing mass of darkness, its body seeming to shift and flow like a river of molten ferromagnetic fluid. Its head and neck was a nightmare made manifest - a crown of writhing black wings and tentacles, each one as thick as a train car connected to the ring of clouds overhead. Amidst this squirming mass, countless silver-blue eyes glowed with an otherworldly intelligence, scanning the world below with predatory intent. Below the chest, thousands of red eyes, each burning like embers in the night, were embedded in its torso. "God damn," Dave choked. "What are you?!" As if in response to his question, the creature let out another bone-chilling howl. The sound reverberated through the lighthouse, causing dust to rain down from the ceiling and the very walls to tremble. Circling this monstrous colossus was a swarm of smaller, but still quite large shadows, each one silently darting and weaving through the air. The entire swarm of shadows was backlit by the gold and red glow of the black hole''s corona, creating a hellish halo above the titanic beast. Dave watched in horrified fascination as the leviathan lumbered across the city. It moved with a terrible, fluid grace, its body seeming to flow over the trees and outer fortifications as if they were mere pebbles in a stream. The swarm of smaller shadows that comprised and constantly disconnected from its form writhed and twisted, continuously reshaped themselves to look like dragons, foxes, lions, centipedes and other alien monsters that spread across the entire city landing on rooftops and rushing across the empty streets. Dave suddenly spotted a non-shadow, brown wyvern beneath the monolithic being, attempting to reach the town''s daunting stone wall. The monstrous shadow suddenly reached out with a skyscraper-sized tentacle hand, and plucked the five-meter tall wyvern from the air. With another chilling wail, the colossus obliterated the wyvern within its grip as effortlessly as a man dispatching a mosquito with his fingertips. The smaller shadows flew away from Shandria into all directions, obliterating scattering wyverns in the distant black hole corona-lit clouds with deep thrumming sounds. Dave recalled how something attacked the wyvern that carried him across the mountains at night. He now knew exactly what it was. A myriad of eyes, akin to the glimmering pinpricks of starlight strewn across the ebony shawl of night of the nearest flying shadow-beast suddenly fixated upon Dave, six wings turning to aim towards the tower he was occupying. "Nope, nope, nope," the isekai''d programmer stammered, hastily retreating from the window, seeking refuge beneath the crimson glow of the protective rune. His entire body was now fully drenched in sweat. There was something profoundly disquieting about the shadow beast and its swarm, an alien intelligence, an abyssal darkness that seemed to devour all hope in its presence. Dave sought solace within the confines of timeworn blankets, his body convulsing in uncontrollable shivers as the cold tendrils of fear danced across his very soul. He suddenly recalled Remicra''s words. "Run now. Before the Leviathan Nightingale spreads its wings across all of Shandria." So this was the monster... no, an entire swarm of monsters that chopped up everyone who went out at night. A crimson rune flickered erratically right above him, its power clearly waning, unable to fully extend its protective aura to the edges of the dilapidated chamber where tenebrous malevolence stirred. With bated breath, Dave peered into the murky gloom, staring into the void for what felt like an eternity. Gradually, as if materializing from the very fabric of darkness itself, three gleaming silver orbs emerged, their unblinking gaze fixed upon him. Dave''s fingers instinctively sought the familiar comfort of his bone knife. A sinister form, woven from the shadows themselves, danced towards him with an eerie, fluid grace. It was a creature both feline and centipede-like in aspect, its sinuous movements mesmerizing and uncanny akin to black ink spilled across reality. The malevolent, small apparition slammed into the barrier of the rune''s red light, as though it were an impenetrable shield, and emitted a guttural hiss of frustration. "Nice try," Dave taunted. "Now scuttle back to your mommy and leave me be." Undeterred, the nocturnal interloper continued to prowl the periphery of the rune''s protective glow, its gaze never leaving Dave, as if daring him to venture beyond the safety of the red light. Dave sighed, resigning himself to the vigil that lay ahead. As the hours crawled by, a silent battle of wills ensued between man and small shadow, each determined to outlast the other. Eventually, however, fatigue claimed its inevitable victory, and Dave''s consciousness succumbed to the irresistible lure of slumber, the hungry shadow still lingering at the edge of his thoughts.
Dave''s slumber was abruptly interrupted by the cacophony of clamorous banging that reverberated throughout the lighthouse''s timeworn structure, originating from the depths below. He opened his eyes, blinking the lingering remnants of sleep away, only to discover that his shadowy companion had vanished into the ether. "Well, at least I haven''t lost any limbs, so I have that going for me," Dave muttered as he stretched, his muscles protesting the exertion after a night of uneasy sleep. Squinting against the dazzling brilliance of sunlight, he noted the kaleidoscope of colors that danced across the chamber, refracted through the dust-laden panes of the stained glass windows depicting a blonde girl. Upon longer inspection the female mage etched into the stained glass reminded him of someone he knew... As he shoved more points into Wisdom to try to understand what he was seeing, his mind snapped to the answer in a flash of insight.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Lari. Dave scrambled to his feet, his heart racing as he approached the stained glass window. With trembling hands, he began to scrub away at the grime that had accumulated over the multitude of years with his scruffy cloak edge, his eyes fixed on the blonde girl that bore an uncanny resemblance to Lari. "It can''t be," he muttered to himself. As more of the image became clear and his raggedy cloak became dirtier, Dave''s breath caught in his throat. The stained glass depicted a young woman with flowing silver hair and piercing blue eyes, her expression serene yet focused. She wore a white robe adorned with a stylized red cross with a crown atop it, and her hands projected green radiance. There was no Kitlix on her shoulder. He traced the outline of her face with his finger, memories of their time together on Earth flooding back. The late-night conversations, the shared laughter, the way she always knew just what to say to lift his spirits, the way she encouraged him to be a better person, to focus on his dreams and goals. It couldn''t be her. Not like this. This was a coincidence, it had to be... maybe it was someone else, a healer who looked like the girl he lost! Dave scrubbed the base of the stained glass harder, exposing a date. [Saint Saria. Shandria, 8085 AXT] He slotted more of his points into Wisdom and the rest into Intelligence, to help his mind recall her face. The violin in his soul resounded with a sorrowful melody as everything clicked into place with blindingly awful clarity. Time. The stained glass was old, incredibly old, faded and cracked, withered with centuries of neglect. "You didn''t die that long ago," Dave choked, his fingers holding onto the cold, stone window frame. "How? How could we be separated by... centuries?" The sunlight streaming through the colored glass cast a kaleidoscope of hues across Dave''s face, as if Lari - or Saint Saria, as the inscription named her - was reaching out to him across space and time. It was her, slightly older, but it was definitely, irrefutably her. Her face was imprinted into the glass by some unknown craftsman''s magic long ago with incredible precision, as clear as a photograph. "Were you reincarnated too?" he wondered aloud. "Did you build a new life here, become a Saint and healer, while I was left behind on Earth? Did my soul take too long to be pulled back into physical existence on Arx?" The stained glass didn''t answer. Dave sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "I miss you," he said softly, pressing his forehead against the cool glass. "I wish you were here to help me make sense of all this magical bullshit." After several more minutes of quiet contemplation, Dave reluctantly stepped away from the window. The mystery of his best friend''s apparent connection to Arx would have to wait. Right now, he had more immediate concerns to deal with. With a final, lingering glance at the stained glass, Dave made his way towards the stairs. He descended the ancient spiral stairwell, each step echoing faintly within the confines of the lighthouse, its steps worn down by countless boots long ago. Soon, he arrived at the lofty chamber on the ground floor, where he saw the dragon blacksmith fully absorbed in her metallurgical labors at the forge. "Morning," Dave said. The draconic smith cast a weary glance in his direction, before resuming her metalworking with single-minded determination, banging even louder as if trying to scare him off with the loud noise. Undeterred, the ex-programmer waited, his eyes tracing the sinuous lines of her form. Eventually, the relentless cacophony ceased, and Remicra turned to face him. "Yes?" she inquired sharply. "Why do you still linger? I clearly stated that you were to depart by sunrise." "I was hoping we could talk," he said. "About what? I thought I made myself very clear last night. I''m not interested in your problems, human." "I understand you have no reason to help me. But I''m not asking for charity. I''m offering an exchange - my skills for your expertise." The dragoness snorted. "And what skills could you possibly offer that would be of use to me?" "Need someone with incredible strength to help move heavy materials? I can do that. Need someone with the dexterity to handle delicate work? I can do that too. Agility to fetch things quickly? Intelligence to help with complex calculations? I can be all of those things," Dave offered. The dragoness made a thoughtful face as if she considered his proposal. "Also, uhm," Dave added, unable to help himself. "Upstairs, in the room where I slept, there''s a stained glass window. It depicts a woman named Saint Saria. Do you know anything about her?" "No," Remicra replied. "I don''t care about your accursed human Saints. Also, I already explained why I can''t remove the metal from your blood." "But..." Dave began. "Yes yes, you can somehow do the stuff that mundane level thirty adventurers can, congratulations." The dragoness waved him off as her entire figure became painted with violet and red tones. "Find another smith, one that isn''t owned." "I can help you," Dave offered. "Don''t you want to be free from your collar?" Remicra''s gold-violet eye visibly twitched. "What?" she hissed through clenched teeth, her scales turning a richer red. "What are you insinuating? How could a pathetic, clueless, tearful, weak manling such as yourself even... No, the very notion of someone like you offering to break my collar is absurd!" Dave couldn''t help but feel like an interstellar spaceman, marooned on a distant world and beset by a decidedly inhospitable creature. He wondered if all dragonkin were as cantankerous as Remicra. "I am a stranger in a strange land," he said. "I am without friends, finances and resources in an unfamiliar land, and I would really prefer not to become some beast''s dinner in the wilds." "I have provided food and shelter for the night. Depart and cease to vex me with your presence, human!" The dragoness snarled. Dave sighed. "I just need a safe place to stay while I figure things out. In return, I''ll be your friend and help you get rid of that annoying collar," he said sincerely. "Out," the dragoness commanded, her scaled finger pointed imperiously towards the door. Dave exhaled a heavy sigh. "I get why you''re hesitant. Maybe being trapped for so long made you forget what freedom feels like. But please believe that I only want to do what''s best for both of us ¡ª to free you from your chains and help me survive." Remicra fixed him with a fiery glare that made Dave rue the absence of a trusty fire extinguisher. "Do you truly presume that you can just conjure my freedom with a wave of your hand? That it''s that easy? Listen up, idiot human: it''s not!" "Just give me a chance," Dave implored, his eyes locked onto hers. "I won''t let you down. I''ll happily do whatever jobs you need. In return..." "No," Remicra huffed. "Out." Dave''s gaze fell to her clawed feet, which scratched at the floor with pent-up aggression, as if she longed to rend him asunder. Before he could say another word, in a swift motion, the dragoness seized Dave and propelled him out the door. As he flew through the air he relocated everything into Agility and landed on his feet like a cat, expertly avoiding further bruises. "Freaking acrobat," the dragoness huffed at his landing. Dave looked at her, a nagging suspicion that he had overlooked something crucial gnawing at his thoughts. Shoving everything into Wisdom, he scanned the meadow, taking in his own footprints etched in the muddy path. He noted the tracks left by other boots, yet there was no trace of Remy''s distinctive clawed footsteps past a certain perimeter. "She is unable to leave the lighthouse," his mind arrived at the answer. "The ward and the collar must be confining her to a specific boundary surrounding it¡ªapproximately five meters outside the door." Sherlock''s violin sang in confirmation of this indubitable fact. A sudden spark of inspiration ignited within Dave as he stepped forward and positioned himself just beyond the invisible boundary of the ward. "Look," Dave gestured at the demarcation line, using Wisdom to try to adjust his tone to sound deeper and more convincing without resorting to use of Charisma magic. "I can go to places you can''t. I can fetch things for you and bring whatever you want. I can even kill more metal bugs for you, or anything else. Isn''t that valuable to you? I doubt that your owner would do all this for you. I can get any kind of food for you!" The dragoness'' violet-gold eyes glinted with a smoldering ire, and Dave mustered every ounce of his resolve to resist the instinctive urge to take a step back. "Fine," Remicra finally conceded, her sharp teeth bared in a snarl. Her scales turned slightly gold and pink. "Buy some Wyrmak Oil and Arboria fruit from the market!" She flashed back into the smithy and flung a pouch with a few coppers at his feet. Then, she retreated into the depths of the lighthouse, claws clicking against the stone floor. Despite the lingering tension, Dave couldn''t suppress a feeling of triumph reinforced by the jaunty tune of the violin. "Alright, let''s go find these items, shall we?" he declared mentally, putting everything into Strength and striding confidently down the muddy path. As he checked inside the small bag offered by the dragoness, he discovered exactly seven coppers inside it. [-19-] Haggling Switching everything to Wisdom, Dave made his way across the bustling market, wincing slightly as his cuts throbbed. As he navigated the throngs of people, he found himself lingering in the more crowded areas, listening to the murmur of conversation and the clatter of commerce that surrounded him. Rather than seeking out the Wyrmak Oil and Arboria fruit that Remicra had requested, Dave turned his attention to a more ambitious endeavor. He sought to identify a pattern, a particular item that he could acquire for a pittance and subsequently sell for a considerable profit. This, he reasoned, would not only allow him to fulfill his obligation to the dragon smith, but also provide a means to amass the funds necessary to chart his own course in this alien world. As he meandered through the labyrinthine marketplace, Dave scrutinized each stall and vendor with a discerning eye. He took note of the ebb and flow of customers, the fluctuations in their expressions, and the subtle cues that betrayed their true opinions of the wares on offer. To the casual observer, he might have appeared to be a mere window-shopper, but in truth, he was engaging in a meticulous process of elimination, gradually narrowing his focus until he could pinpoint the ideal commodity. Via focused application of his borrowed powers of Sherlock, Dave gleaned several noteworthy insights: Equipped with these deductions, the ex-programmer ventured into narrow alleyway defined by peeling paint, dubious odors, and shrouded figures clad in tattered cloaks. His attire, pilfered from a deceased adventurer, combined with the scratches and bandages adorning his body, allowed him to seamlessly blend in with the city''s downtrodden inhabitants. Going through hundreds of ramshackle tables along the side-street markets filled with questionable merchandise he examined each item for sale with Wisdom-amplified sight. After about three hours of such, he ended up at a particularly filthy-looking table in a dim back alley. The old woman tending the lopsided stall possessed more wrinkles than a deflated balloon, long drooping fox-ears, and a scowl potent enough to curdle even the most hardened milk. Dave ambled along the front of the stall, scrutinizing each item on display. As his gaze fell upon a slightly bent, copper flute, the metaphysical strings of the violin in his soul began to resonate with a heightened intensity. As he bent down to examine the flute, he spotted a rainbow-tinted crystal within it coated with several layers of filth. The crystal was remarkably similar to the mana crystals that the Kitlix salesgirl had told him about. "Good afternoon, ma''am," Dave slotted everything into Charisma and greeted the old fox with a disarming grin. "I couldn''t help but notice your impressive collection of... er, unique items. Might I ask about the origins of some?" The woman''s scowl deepened, her lips puckering into a bitter grimace. "No funny business, boy," she sneered, her eyes momentarily darting to his felislice-bloodied bone knife. "I don''t take kindly to those who ask too many questions." Sherlock''s violin chimed in his ear, its melody permeating his thoughts like a mischievous sprite. The violin seemed to warn with foreboding music about the old woman''s ties to the criminal underworld of Shandria. "I know," Dave replied mentally. "Pretty sure that''s dry blood inside the flute." ¡°How much is this flute?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Four silver,¡± the woman replied. "Ah, I see what you''re getting at," he said, adopting a playful smirk with the ease of the Charisma wave he was riding. "However, I''m afraid I must insist on negotiating a more reasonable price for this instrument." The woman narrowed her eyes, her wrinkled hands clenching into gnarled fists. "What makes you so sure it ain''t worth four silver, boy?" Dave leaned forward. "Because, my dear woman," he said, his voice laced with a trace of menace, "many of these items belong to a friend of mine who was robbed in a recent spate of thefts. And let''s just say that he''s not one to take such matters lying down." Dave slid all of his points into Strength and struck his bone knife into the stall, making the entire structure rattle. The bone knife sunk deep into the wood table, making the foxwoman sputter. "This flute in particular," he gestured, "belonged to my associate''s daughter, and I would hate to break her little kitsune heart. I¡¯ll give you seven coppers for it and then we can part ways without something misfortunate occurring. It would be a shame to...¡± The woman''s face paled as she stared at the knife and his scowl. "Alright, you can have the damn flute for seven coppers. Who are you working for, boy? I haven''t seen your face ¡®round these parts..." Dave dropped his bag of seven coppers on the table and grabbed the flute, ignoring her question. He swiftly pulled his knife out of the stall and rapidly departed with the purchased instrument. Sherlock''s melody adopted a tense note. Glancing behind himself, Dave noticed that he was being trailed by a scruffy-looking trio in dark cloaks, their faces featuring the traits of wolf, bear and a porcupine. With the flute clenched in his hand, heart pounding in his chest, Dave slid all of his points to Agility and sprinted down the dusty street. The assailants, summoned by the old fox, were steadily closing in, matching his amplified speed. He weaved between carts laden with exotic fruits as the sound of boots thundering against cobblestones grew louder behind him. Sherlock''s violin chimed in his ear, a calm and collected counterpoint, telling him exactly which alleys to take. Dave skidded around the edge of the market and plunged into the cramped maze of side streets. The scent of roasting meat mingled with the harsh stench of refuse, and he could feel his chest tightening with the effort of his flight. "Right! Up the stairs and jump across the roof!" The tense music moved him. Up he went, clambering up rickety fire escapes and leaping over alleyway walls, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He could hear the baying of his pursuers growing louder as they swore and panted. Dave knew that he could not afford to be caught, so he ran faster than he ever thought possible. Aided by his companion''s musical advice, he leapt across rooftops. Finally, after what felt like an hour of running and dodging, he stumbled to a halt on a deserted street corner, his chest heaving with exertion. The tense music had stopped, violin falling silent. He clutched the flute to his chest, his eyes darting back and forth in search of danger. "That was...huff...quite a workout," he exhaled. Dave carefully unscrewed the slightly bent flute, pulled out the crystal and polished the grime and dry blood from it with his robe. With the mana crystal clutched securely in his hand, Dave walked across the city in search of the most opulent shop he could find. As he crossed the shop''s threshold, the atmosphere underwent a remarkable transformation. The smell of rotting fruit and street dust gave way to the delicate fragrance of freshly-cut blossoms and lavender. Crystal chandeliers cast a gentle, golden radiance upon the room, while the gleaming items adorning row upon row of shelves instilled in Dave a dizzying sense of lavish extravagance. "''Ello there!" A portly gentleman greeted him. "What might I do for you today... sir?" The man''s expression rapidly soured as he took stock of Dave''s disheveled appearance and the lingering scent that clung to him. Faced with the pristine surroundings and the disdainful scrutiny of the storekeeper, Dave couldn''t help but feel woefully out of place; yet, propelled by the gnawing hunger that beset him, he pressed on. Judging from the man''s demeanor, he was on the verge of summoning security, so Dave responded quickly. "Pay no heed to my attire, sir," he explained, switching everything into Charisma and channeling Sherlock''s authoritative speech pattern. "I am presently engaged in a mission of some urgency and have had no opportunity to change out of this thespian garb or wash away the remnants of my stage makeup. Alas, crime doesn''t sleep." The portly gentleman blinked, momentarily taken aback by Dave''s charming voice. "I am a member of the Shandria City Watch," Dave revealed, sliding everything into Dexterity and rapidly brandishing his gate token with an air of authority, spinning it through the air too fast for the proprietor''s eyes to track. Before the man could focus on the token, Dave deftly concealed it once more in his robe, switching points back to Charisma. "Ah," the man exclaimed. "You''re an undercover... Scrutimancer?" "Indeed," Dave played along. "Now, if it''s not too much trouble, I would like to discuss a particular item that has come into my possession," he continued, striving to maintain an air of officialdom. "How may I aid the City Watch?" The man arched an eyebrow. "This mana-amplifying crystal," Dave said, placing the gem with a flourish upon the glass display case that separated them. "Is evidence in a case involving a Ward-breach perpetrated against a rather affluent individual in town. I am currently conducting an investigation in connection with it."Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The gentleman''s nodded as the implications of Dave''s words sank in. "Well, we, uh... we deal in a vast array of high-end merchandise here, and it''s difficult to keep track of every item. We don''t typically handle goods of this nature." "No matter," Dave dismissed, shaking his head. "Could you possibly direct me to a noble establishment that deals in crystals such as this one?" The proprietor hesitated for a moment before replying, "The Glasnovia shop on 187 Goldor Street specializes in crafting artifacts from crystals like these." "Thank you," Dave acknowledged. "Additionally, if you could provide an estimate of this item''s exact type and value, it would greatly assist in the resolution of this case." The man wavered, his eyes flitting between Dave and the crystal. He pulled on a steampunk-looking magnifying glass and examined the crystal through it. "It''s a bit dirty and the runework is hard to see, do you mind if I clean it?" the proprietor asked. "Go ahead," Dave nodded. The man dipped the crystal in some cleaning fluid that made the previously muddy crystal shine like a diamond and examined it once more with greater patience, summoning a cyan Kitlix to his aid. "I would venture to say that this Krynergon mana-amplifier with 12 Enjiras runes is worth somewhere between twenty two, maybe twenty three silver. The clerks at Glasnovia should be able to furnish a more accurate appraisal." Dave nodded, striving to project an air of self-assured poise. "I am grateful for your assistance in this matter. Rest assured that I shall return in my official uniform should I have further inquiries." With that, Dave departed from the shop, feeling as though he had just executed the most audacious heist of the century. Next, he made his way to the Glasnovia shop. Before heading in, he took his Adventurer token off his bracelet, hiding it completely. Upon entering the establishment, Dave was greeted by the sight of gleaming shelves adorned with an array of exquisite crystal artifacts, each more resplendent than the last. "Welcome to Glasnovia," a melodious voice called out, drawing his attention to a blonde, slightly feathered, female, blue-eyed clerk with slightly elongated ears and dark nose who approached him with a warm smile, white robes fluttering in an unseen wind. "I''m a crystallographer mage, Megaliss Hor. How may I assist you today?" Dave cleared his throat, steadying his nerves as he prepared to spin his new tale. "Greetings. Don''t mind my outfit. I am an Adventurer," he began, showing her his token with a slow, casual flourish. "After my escape from a rather nasty monster today, I happened upon this crystal in a nearby river." He presented the crystal for her inspection. The clerk regarded the gem. "An interesting find," she said, her fingers deftly caressing the crystal''s delicate facets. "I can give you twenty coppers for it." "Twenty coppers? Who are you trying to fool?" Dave retorted, his voice dripping with theatrical incredulity. "Please, my uncle''s a highborn crystallography mage! This is a genuine Krynergon mana-amplifier adorned with twelve Enjiras runes. It''s worth as much as twenty four silver to a discerning buyer such as yourself. My uncle could give me twenty five silvers for it with ease, but as you can see," he gestured to his bruised and battered form, "I''m far too worse for wear to journey to his distant residence. I need to shed these damned blood-stained garbs, torn up by a vile beast in the wild-lands, as soon as possible. Thus, I am willing to part with this amplifier for a more reasonable sum." The clerk hesitated, clearly weighing the merits of Dave''s made up connections to crystallography and the proposed transaction. After a moment''s deliberation, she countered, "I can offer you fifteen silver." Dave, feigned reluctance as he mulled over her proposal. "I appreciate your offer, but I was hoping for something closer to twenty? My uncle would give me quite the slapping if I didn''t try to haggle about a quality mana crystal, you see." The clerk pursed her lips as she considered his suggestion. Finally, with an air of resignation, she assented. "Nineteen." ¡°Nineteen silver it is," Dave nodded. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of exceptional triumph as he exchanged the crystal for the silver coins. Dave left the Glasnovia shop beaming, never mind if his face was covered in dried blood. He had pulled it off ¨C he had haggled like a pro and managed to get a fair price for the mana crystal. He couldn''t help but wonder what else he could accomplish with his newfound haggling powers. Maybe he could haggle for a better bed in the night-time dragon''s lair or even convince the Shadow Leviathan to ditch the whole idea of terrorizing people at night with spooky shadow kittens? But, of course, he knew such thoughts were fleeting. The reality of his situation was far less cheery ¨C he was trapped in a world full of God-Emperors, monsters and magic, his only hope of survival relying on his still-developing Phantomancy skill, wit and ability to outrun his pursuers. With a sense of purpose, Dave bought a set of simple, clean, grey robes and new, fitting boots at the market and ventured into a public bathhouse for a wash. The antlered girl manning the entrance desk sold Dave a week-long package encompassing bath and medical restoration services for seven silver. The prices were clearly displayed on an enormous sign for all to see, precluding any attempts at haggling. It felt like years since he had last experienced the simple pleasure of a soap bar on his skin. He secured his bone knife and clothes in a locker that opened and closed with his ID token, and attached his coins, bath token and Adventurer''s gate ID to his black bracelet. The coins and tokens were cleverly designed with large holes for this very purpose and the bracelet could easily open and close. As Dave stepped into the warm embrace of the public bath, any lingering thoughts of insecurity were swept away by the sheer wonder of the scene that unfolded before him. Mermaids floated gracefully in the water, their tails flickering lazily beneath the surface. In the shallower section of the pool, horsemen waded through the water, their equine legs splashing playfully as they conversed with a group of green-skinned girls. The entire interior was an enchanting melange of magic-altered humanity coalescing and coexisting in relative harmony. Boundaries of species and gender held no sway here, and Dave found himself both fascinated and bewildered by the myriad anatomies displayed in all their naked glory. Kitlix inhabited the shoulders of many, watching over their masters. "Do you live here?" Dave approached one of the mermaids. "Nah, I live in town," she replied with an impish grin. "Our job is to cleanse the waters and heal patrons with our innate magics." Dave noticed that a green-tinted Kitlix was wrapped around the mermaid''s neck, behaving almost like a collar. ¡°How did you make your Kitlix do that?¡± He asked. ¡°With sufficient clarity of mind and understanding of fluid dynamics, one can shape a Kitlix into a more handy configuration,¡± the Mermaid replied. ¡°It also helps if your Kitlix started out as a collar, like mine did.¡± ¡°Why is the bath-healing service cheaper than Healer¡¯s Hall?¡± Dave asked. "It''s a matter of scale and specialization. Here, we treat many people at once, and our healing is more... general, you might say. We can ease aches, mend minor wounds, that sort of thing. But for deeper afflictions, you''d still need the focused attention of a trained healer." She gestured around the bath with a webbed hand. "Plus, the water itself is imbued with healing properties. We simply enhance and direct that energy. It''s efficient, but not as precise as what you''d get at the Hall. Mainly, the focus of our healing is on retouching the skin and Auric realignment.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Auric realignment?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Dungeons are very nasty places that can screw with an Adventurer¡¯s¡­ body in awful ways,¡± the mermaid explained. ¡°For example, if you spend too long in a wood dungeon, it¡¯ll make your skin very dry and more bark-like. I specialize in realignment beautification, which brings out your best features. The waters here help to... solidify your essence, if you will. They make you more of what you are." ¡°Oh?¡± Dave arched an eyebrow. "In your case," the mermaid continued, "I''d say we could start by enhancing that rugged pure human charm you''ve got going on. Maybe bring out the warmth in your skin tone, add a bit of definition to those cheekbones. Make those eyes more blue and that hair more curly and ginger. Oh, where are my manners? I''m Aesthetician Corallis. Pleasure to meet you...?" ¡°Dave,¡± Dave said. "Right, Sir Dave. So, what I do is help align your outward appearance with your inner resonance of perfect self. General Auric healing is not about changing who you are, but rather bringing out the best version of yourself. For dungeon divers, this is incredibly important. Those places can really mess with your aura and physical form, decaying your appearance from the outside.¡± As Dave listened to Corallis, he thought of Sherlock''s theory about visual evolution. The idea that the inhabitants of this world were shaped by observational magics suddenly had more legs to it. Here was a mermaid, casually discussing how she could alter someone''s appearance to better match their inner self. "So," Dave said, "The baths here don''t just clean and heal, but also... reinforce how someone is supposed to look?" "As long as you buy the right package," the mermaid agreed. "It''s all about maintaining harmony, you see. We help ensure that everyone looks their best!¡± ¡°And if I wanted to look¡­ different?¡± Dave asked. ¡°A private body modding can be arranged,¡± Corallis smiled. ¡°Do be aware that it won¡¯t be cheap. It takes many sessions with an Aesthetician to modify someone¡¯s appearance. Bringing out specific traits can be a challenge which requires a Cantigeist.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°Cantigeist,¡± Corallis explained. ¡°Are divine spirits embedded within a particular type of gemstones. They can change you from within, realign your pure human Aura to match another trait more and gradually amplify your current top Attributes." "Could you heal someone infected with living metal shards?" "Afraid not," Corallis shook her head. "Such would need to be removed manually by a metal-controlling mage. After the vector of infection is eliminated then the Auric treatment will help the body recover fully." As they talked, Dave noticed other patrons entering the bath. A group of feathered humanoids - perhaps some kind of birdfolk - waded into the shallows, their blue plumage sleek and iridescent when wet. A burly minotaur lowered himself into the deeper end with a contented sigh with a bright red strength-reinforcing Kitlix sitting atop of his curly hair. "So, um, how do you get out of the pool?" He asked Corallis. "We don''t leave until our shift is over," the mermaid shrugged. "Once I pull myself out of the water, my tail transforms into legs. Oh look at me chattering away when you''re so banged up!" She glanced at the color of his bath token, confirming that he had paid for a healing session. "Come into the water next to me; I¡¯ll help fix you right up.¡± Dave winced as he slid into the water, the liquid''s cool embrace sending a shiver down his spine and causing his wounds to sting with a sudden intensity. Yet, almost miraculously, the sharp pain began to ebb away, replaced by a tender, soothing sensation. A soft, healing aura emanated from the mermaid''s Kitlix. "Let go of the edge and submerge yourself completely," she instructed, her melodious voice carrying a note of authority that brooked no argument. With a deep breath, Dave obeyed, allowing the water to envelop him fully as he dove beneath the crystal-clear surface. The mermaid followed suit, her sinuous form cutting through the water with a grace and fluidity that belied the power hidden just beneath her delicate exterior. Suddenly, her arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace that seemed to bridge the gap between their two worlds, binding them together in a moment of shared vulnerability. A flash of magic ensued, a burst of ethereal light blossomed across the water. The radiance shimmered and danced beneath the under-waves like green aurora. Dave grimaced as the mermaid''s enchantment coursed through his body, feeling like his entire top layer of skin and muscles were wriggling and adjusting themselves to fit his body better.
As Dave walked across town, he felt more like himself than he had in days. The bath had not only cleansed him of grime and healed his wounds, but also seemed to have reinforced his very essence. His skin felt smoother, his muscles looked more defined, and even his hair seemed to have a healthier sheen. He couldn''t help but smile as he caught his reflection in a shop window, noting how his eyes appeared a more vibrant blue and his ginger hair had taken on a richer hue. His insides still felt quite bruised, but his outside was absolutely perfect. "Maybe there''s something to this ''Auric alignment'' after all," he commented. As he turned down a quieter street, lost in thought about his report to Cedez, Dave suddenly felt something wrap around his ankle. Before he could react, he was yanked sideways with incredible force. Dark, spindly limbs enveloped him, pulling him into the shadowy depths of an alley. His back slammed against a brick wall, knocking the wind out of him. As he gasped for air, he found himself face to face with a nightmarish visage. A girl - if she could be called that - loomed over him, her body unnaturally elongated and arachnid-like. A set of six long, dark gray pointed ears twitched as she leaned in close, nine blue eyes gleaming with an unsettling intelligence. "What the hell?!" Dave yelped. "Let go of me!" "You smell... like me," she hissed. "Huh?!" Dave choked. "I am Huntsmaw Oraniss and I sense forbidden knowledge on you. It trails from your form, yess. Been following you for a while now, making sure. I am quite certain now. Yesss." Dave pushed everything into Strength and Agility, not expecting anything good from this encounter. Perhaps, this was one of the criminals working with the old foxwoman. "What?" He growled. "The scent of an extra day clings to your flesh," the lanky spidergirl hissed out, her face elongating like an uncanny, half melted black latex mask that was left too long out in the sun, mouth opening wider than humanly possible. Dave''s eyes went wide. How could she possibly know about his experience in Healer''s Hall? "I don''t know what you''re talking about," he ground out, fingers wrapped around his bone knife. "Oh, but I think you do," Oraniss hissed. "And now I shall devour that which belongs to me." She lunged for Dave''s neck, open mouth filled with rows upon rows of jagged, black teeth. [-20-] Seekers of Knowledge Dave''s survival instincts kicked in. Without hesitation, he slashed wildly across Oraniss''s neck with the bone knife. The blade connected with a sickening thud, and black blood sprayed from the wound. Oraniss reeled back, her grip loosening as she clutched at her throat. A terrible gurgling sound escaped her lips as she struggled to breathe, black fluid spewing from the cut, moving almost like... smoke? The violin sang a note of warning and Dave caught sight of a jagged, rusty blade aimed at his side. With a thought, he pushed everything into Agility and Dexterity and intercepted the weapon, his hand wrapping around the spider-girl''s wrist. In another split moment, he pushed everything into Strength. Her wrist unexpectedly snapped like a twig as he squeezed it with all of his soul-amplified power, liquid-smoke pouring from between his fingers. The spider-girl''s multiple eyes widened in surprise as she dropped the rusted blade. "Impossssible," she hissed, bubbling and losing more black blood. "You are only level four! How..." Dave panted, staring back at the unexpectedly murderous spidergirl, not entirely sure if he''d done enough damage to rebuff her advances. "No matter! I will take what is mine!" Oraniss let out a piercing shriek, her body contorting in ways that defied human anatomy. She lunged forward again, her black teeth snapping inches from Dave''s face. Dave thrust his knife-holding hand forward with all of his excessive strength. There was a sickening squelch as the bone knife sunk into her chest, going right through it along with his entire hand. Oraniss''s eyes widened in shock and pain. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she stumbled backward. "No..." she gurgled, black smoke bubbling from her lips and from the hole in her chest. Her spindly legs buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, her body curling in on itself like a dying insect. Dave stood there, panting heavily, his mind reeling from the sudden attack. As he watched Oraniss''s life ebb away, he stood over her, horrified that he had just murdered someone in broad daylight. Sherlock''s violin began to play ¡®Materia Primoris¡¯ from The X-Files, which sent Dave''s mind careening sideways for a minute, the humming tones making him switch everything to Wisdom and realize that the creature that attacked him wasn''t like anyone else he''d encountered so far in Shandria. He had to know why Oraniss attacked him. Dave switched everything to Magic and reached out with his Phantomancy, grabbing his assailant''s shoulder and attempting to absorb the sparks of her life. There was indeed a soul there, and as the ethereal silver blue sparks flowed into his fingers, Dave felt a deep sense of unease. The essence he absorbed felt wrong, fractured, discordant. Instead of a coherent set of recent memories, all he could sense was an overwhelming, all-consuming hunger, a sense of loss, of incompletion, a desire to feast, to kill, to devour knowledge, to fill the missing pieces. "What... what the eff¡­" Dave sputtered, horrified by the alien nature of the soul he had absorbed. Below him, Oraniss''s body began to change. Her spider-like form seemed to lose cohesion, her flesh crackling, bubbling, and melting. In a matter of seconds, her entire being dissolved into a dark, viscous fluid that pooled around Dave''s feet and then began to fade away into black smoke. Dave stumbled back, his heart pounding in his chest. "Holy shit," he sputtered, staring at the vanishing puddle that had once been Oraniss. "What the hell is going on in this city?" He retreated out of the alley. Glancing back he half-expected to see the spider-girl''s remains, but there was nothing left of her body- not even a stain on the cobblestones. Only an empty, raggedy cloak remained. With a shudder, he put everything into Agility and quickened his pace, eager to put as much distance between himself and the scene of the bizarre attack as possible. As he walked, his thoughts raced, trying to understand what had just happened. Before he knew it, his feet had carried him through Adventurers Gate to the familiar sight of the Cambria Snail Cafe. The whimsical, pearlescent, massive shell stood out against the backdrop of endlessly rising mountains, its vibrant colors in direct opposition to the grim concerns occupying Dave''s mind. As he approached the cafe and sat down, a blur of dark fur and mischievous eyes materialized in front of him. Cedez, in all her foxy glory, deposited a steaming latte in front of him. "So, how''s the dragon-slaying going, hero?" She purred, sitting down across from him. "Dragon-slaying?" he finally managed, looking up at Cedez''s expectant face. "More like dragon-annoying. Remicra is about as friendly as a cactus with anger management issues." "Uh-huh?" "Well, for starters, she threw me out. Twice. And when I say threw, I mean literally hurled me through the air like I was a sack of potatoes." "Kinky," Cedez winked. "You spent the night in her abode, yes?" "Yes. I spent the night in an upstairs room that looked like it hadn''t been cleaned since the dawn of time and got a front-row seat to the most terrifying night ever..." "Ah, you saw our resident leviathan," Cedez nodded. "Yep, just your average, run-of-the-mill colossal shadow monster with a thousand eyes that eats everything it catches," Dave waved his hands trying and failing to portray the eldritch several-mile-tall monstrosity that he saw at night. "No big deal." "Yes, yes," Cedez rolled her blue eyes. "That''s normal. Now, has anything odd happened to you since we last talked?" Dave stared at her incredulously. "Odd? You mean besides nearly becoming a midnight snack for a cosmic horror? Or finding a stained glass window of my dead best friend from Earth?" Cedez''s ears perked up at this. "Stained glass?" "There was this window in the room where I slept. It showed a woman who looked exactly like my friend Lari, but it called her ''Saint Saria''. It had a date too. 8085 AXT." "That''s one hundred and eighty-eight years ago," Cedez revealed. ¡°Damn it,¡± Dave signed. ¡°I really did miss her by centuries somehow. Do¡­ people, uh, healers live¡­ that long? Can magic extend life?¡± The foxgirl''s expression turned somber. "People don''t live that long, Dave," she said softly. "Immortality... exists, but it has a horrible price." ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Cedez looked off past Dave into the distance, the sparks of merriment gone from her eyes. Dave sipped on his latte. The foxgirl was silent for once. ¡°It''s incredibly odd now that I think about it,¡± he said, looking up at the endlessly rising horizon. ¡°This inverted planet is absolutely, mind mindbogglingly huge. What are the chances of both of us ending up in Shandria?¡± ¡°There are no coincidences,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Everything is interconnected. This is how magic functions.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Meaning what?¡± Dave demanded. ¡°If your friend lived here centuries ago, she left an imprint of her desires on Shandria,¡± Cedez revealed. ¡°A final wish, one that made sure that you eventually found her.¡± ¡°After two bloody centuries?! After she died?!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°This is just how things work, I''m afraid. You are practically living in your friend''s shadow, her legacy¡­ her last breath. Magic outlives people, propagates their desires in awful, twisted ways long after they''re gone. You found that stained glass because she wanted you to find her or was trying to find you and failed. Sadly, your best friend is long gone, but her magic remains in the world, influencing it, subtly guiding... your path." Dave stared at the foxgirl, the silence between them stretching on. "How do you know this?" He asked. "It''s just something that Murdoc taught me," Cedez shrugged. "He was a dungeon delver back in the day. A girl he loved turned into a dungeon." "What?" Dave sputtered. "He can tell you the rest, if he wishes," Cedez shrugged. "It''s not my story to share." "Fine," Dave said. ¡°So, what else happened today?¡± The foxgirl asked, sliding a cake over to him. "Where do I even start?" he muttered. He recounted his day, from his conversation with Remicra to his haggling in the marketplace. "I had a nice bath with a mermaid Auric healer and started heading your way¡­" Dave paused. "That''s when things got really crazy.¡± ¡°Yeeees?¡± He described his encounter with Oraniss in vivid detail, describing her sudden, inexplicable attack. As he spoke, Cedez''s playful demeanor faded, her smile gone, replaced by a look of barely concealed worry, the dark halo flickering into existence above her head, completely cutting them off from the world. "She said she could smell an extra day on me," Dave said, eyeing the inverted halo. "How could she possibly know about that?¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Cedez rubbed her face. ¡°I was really hoping that this would not happen so soon with someone like you.¡± "What did you hope wouldn''t happen?" Dave demanded. Cedez bit her lip, her tail swishing agitatedly behind her. ¡°Did you kill her and¡­ eat her soul?¡± She asked. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Come now, all the good little necromancers eat souls of the people they murder to gain power,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Answer the question¨Cdid you devour her soul, feast on her knowledge and wishes?¡± Dave shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his fingers tightening around the warm mug of latte. He could feel the foxgirl''s eyes boring into him, searching for the truth he was reluctant to reveal. He looked up at the dark halo above her head and made a decision. "Yes. She wouldn¡¯t stop trying to bite my head off, so I killed her,¡± he answered. ¡°I wanted to learn why she attacked me, so I... absorbed her soul.¡± Cedez leaned forward, deep blue eyes wide. "And what did you feel when you consumed her? What did you learn about her?" "She was... wrong," he revealed. "She was broken. Like a shattered mirror. Hollow. Empty. Incomplete. There was this overwhelming hunger, a desperate need to consume knowledge that belonged to her.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Cedez murmured. ¡°What was she, and why did she try to kill me?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Can¡¯t say,¡± Cedez shook her head. ¡°Hey, come on, this is bullshit!¡± Dave complained. "I nearly got my head bit off back there by whatever the hell that spider-thing was. I deserve some answers!" Cedez''s silver-blue eyes met his, and for a moment, Dave saw a vulnerability there that he hadn''t noticed before. She sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. "You''re right," she admitted. "You do deserve answers. But¡­ Having answers is unhealthy for you at this juncture. The less you know, the safer you are from them.¡± ¡°Them?¡± Dave blinked. ¡°Huntsmaw? That¡¯s what she called herself¡­¡± "Shhhh. You''re not up against anything," Cedez hissed, pressing a finger to her lips. "There was no spider girl. Nobody is hunting you. Focus on the wholesome, simple quest I gave you. Make some lovely new armor with Remicra or something. Don''t worry about it and don¡¯t say that name.¡± "Are you serious right now? You expect me to just forget about nearly being killed and focus on... blacksmithing?" "Yes," Cedez nodded. "Be simple, ordinary, wholesome. Don''t... stand out, don''t deviate from the base narrative. Look at me. I''m just a nice cafe maid, see?¡± The grin that slid onto her face was somewhat lopsided. Dave stared at Cedez, his frustration mounting. Her sudden shift from playful to cryptic was giving him mental whiplash. ¡°You are really screwing with me, you know that, right?¡± He growled. ¡°I can''t just ignore what bloody happened." ¡°Well, you¡¯re gonna have to learn to ignore some questionable things,¡± Cedez said. "But-" Dave started to protest. Cedez held up a hand, cutting him off. "No. You need to trust me on this. The less you know, the safer you''ll be. You¡¯ve got Quests, yes? Focus on your Questing and stuff.¡± "So you want me to just... what? Pretend none of this happened? Go back to playing house with a grumpy dragon?" "Yes," Cedez nodded. "That''s exactly what I want you to do." "And if another questionable thing tries to eat my face for knowing too much or whatever?" Dave asked. ¡°It¡­ probably won¡¯t,¡± Cedez said shiftily. ¡°You don¡¯t seem very sure about this,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Cedez shrugged. "And you really think that''s going to keep me safe? Just... playing dumb and hoping nothing else tries to kill me?" "The less you know, the less you stand out, the safer you''ll be. Just be a normal adventurer, okay?" "Normal?" Dave scoffed. "What about my skill is normal?!" ¡°Why do I need to teach you the basics of not standing out?¡± Cedez waved her hand dismissively, sliding back into her imperious persona. "Do the things that other beginner adventurers do. What is so complicated about hiding in plain sight, Dave?¡± ¡°I understand the basics of not standing out,¡± Dave replied. ¡°What I want from you is an explanation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ consequences,¡± Cedez said. ¡°I took pity on your dying ass, you shook my hand and learned something that you shouldn¡¯t have and got a bit of consequences. This is why I don¡¯t give out handshakes like candy. I thought that you were a big boy who could handle it. You handled it just fine. If another one shows up, handle it the same way. Kill them and eat their soul.¡± Dave opened his mouth. ¡°Wake up, eat breakfast, go on a Quest, kill some monsters, level up, have dinner at a pub with a friend, argue about who has the best beard, rinse and repeat,¡± Cedez outlined. ¡°Fit in. Think of yourself as a mundane Level four adventurer and totally not a necromancer who might or might not be employed by a questionable... uhh¡­¡± Dave''s mind attempted to fill in the blank as Cedez seemed to have trailed off. A questionable¡­ wish-granting genie? A princess pretending to run a coffee shop to interact with her subjects? A ghost haunting the snail''s shell, a girl slain decades ago by necromancer Kells? A Cantigeist bound to the Adventurers Gate by the High Lords of Shandria? A cosmic entity masquerading as a cafe maid the interaction with which summoned lesser dark entities to harass him? ¡°¡­barista! Yes, that''s it. A barista with mysterious and possibly nefarious coffee-related powers,¡± Cedez grinned, snapping her fingers. "A questionable barista? Really? That''s the best you could come up with?" Dave asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m sticking with, yes,¡± she nodded with a sage look. ¡°And I need you to stick to your role and take little steps ''cus if you take a step that¡¯s too big for your boots you might fall over and drown in the abyss.¡± ¡°Are your handshakes like the monkey''s paw, is that it?¡± Dave demanded. ¡°Power and knowledge has a price and there are those who seek to consume it, to take away what they think belongs to them,¡± Cedez answered. "So, what you''re saying is," Dave began slowly, "that by accepting your handshake, I''ve somehow painted a target on my back for these... Hu¡­" ¡°Shhhhhh,¡± Cedez hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t say the name!¡± ¡°You could have warned me ahead of time,¡± Dave crossed his arms. ¡°Nu-huh,¡± the foxgirl shook her black mane. ¡°Talking about them just attracts more of them. Just drop it, okay? Drop it unless you want more consequences for which you aren¡¯t ready. Get stronger first, got it? Hanging around me and asking too many specific questions about specific things? It''s not just dangerous. It''s practically a death sentence." Dave sputtered on his latte. ¡°You want the truth? Fine. The truth is that the chances of you dying a horrible, painful death increase tenfold the moment you decide to stick with me and shake my hand. The truth is that madness isn''t just a possibility, it''s practically a guarantee.¡± She leaned in even closer. "The truth, Dave, is that some knowledge is a poison in Shandria. And I''m the deadliest toxin of all, the kind you should run away from while you still have a chance." "You involved me in this mess to begin with! You can''t just tell me to run away now!" He objected. "I was simply looking out for you, darling! Uhh, sort of like... I look out for everyone who orders lattes and comes in and out of the Adventurers Gate, see?" "Oh, really? You offer every newcomer magical handshakes and cryptic quests?" Dave arched an eyebrow. ¡°Hey, I saved your life," she rebutted. ¡°Pretty sure that I¡¯m still dying,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°And I¡¯ve offered you a solution before you even needed it,¡± she said. ¡°So best get dragon romancing or perish!¡± [-21-] Overseer Dave left the Cambria Snail Cafe feeling mildly frustrated. Cedez''s cryptic warnings and evasive answers had only fueled his curiosity, but he knew he couldn''t afford to dwell on them now. He had a more immediate task at hand - fulfilling Remicra''s purchase orders. As he made his way through the bustling streets of Shandria, Dave couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease. Every shadow seemed to hold a potential threat, every stranger a possible danger. "Focus damn it," he thought. "I''m totally just a normal adventurer doing normal... adventurer things." The declaration sounded rather hollow but he kept repeating it like a mantra hoping that it would reduce his encounters with devourers of knowledge or whatever. Buying the items, he learned that the oil was commonly used by dragonfolk to maintain the health of their scales, while the fruit was a delicacy they particularly enjoyed. As he approached the entrance of the smithy, Dave''s heart pounded with trepidation. After a pause, he shoved the heavy, weathered door open, exposing the inferno of steam, smoke, sparks and dragon blacksmith. Remicra¡¯s eyes instantly narrowed into slits of suspicion as she scanned the contours of Dave¡¯s new outfit, noting the unblemished gray fabric and absence of bandages and bruises on his skin. Her iridescent scales seemed to take on a sinister, blood-rent glint in the flickering light cast by the glowing coals and the Ignix Kitlix stirring inside of the forge. "Did you trick me?!" Remicra growled. "You had money on you all this time?!" "No," he said, pushing the oil and fruit towards her on an old, wooden table. "I simply made money at the market using a bit of haggling." Remicra eyed him warily, her sharp claws clacking against the stone floor. "Haggling, huh?" she said, her nostrils flaring as she sniffed the oil and fruits. "You spent a lot more than seven coppers... these are of premium quality. Why?" "I know that you needed the oil for your skin, so I got you the expensive stuff," Dave replied. "I could spend more money because I turned your seven coppers into twenty silver today." "You smelled like death just this morning... How?!" she snapped. "Simple," Dave said. "I got a mana crystal from a merchant in the shady area of town for seven coppers and sold it to a crystal shop for twenty silver. I turned the money you gave me into more money. As for my bruises, I paid for a healing bath.¡± Remicra''s jaw dropped, her violet-gold eyes widening in disbelief. "Twenty silver from seven coppers without making a thing?!" Remicra uttered. "That''s almost unheard of! What kind of ungodly negotiation magic do you possess?!" "I don''t have negotiation magic, just extra Wisdom and Charisma that I can alternate between," Dave laughed. "I simply paid attention to the world around me for once in my life. Dying and getting reincarnated really changes a person, I guess. I worked hard to make sure to get the best deal possible for us." "Us?!" The dragoness blinked. "Yes, us," Dave said. "Whatever else you want purchased, I can get it for you with the remaining cash." Remicra eyed the negative balance on his bracelet. "It''s fine," Dave shrugged. "I just think of this as a credit card." "I don''t know what a credit card is," she commented. "The Guild isn''t rushing me to pay it off." Dave added. "I just have cash on top to spare, see?" The look on Remicra''s face as he poured the remaining money on the table in front of her was priceless. "Perhaps, after all, you''re not as pathetically useless as I thought," she muttered. "So, what do you want me to get you?" he asked. "Make a list! I have more market investigations to do and the Adventurer''s Guild to visit while I''m at it." Remicra seemed to hesitate, her gleaming scales reflecting the light of the forge. She reached for the bottle of oil and sniffed it before applying it to her hands. Rubbing them together, she seemed to contemplate the offer. "You win this round..." she began, her eyes narrowing in reluctant concession. "Dave," he supplied with a grin. "Dave," Remicra resumed, finally uttering his name in lieu of the generic epithet ''human.'' Dave felt content as Remicra finally relented to his persistence at forging a friendship. She grabbed a nearby piece of soft scrap metal, and with the precision of an artisan, began to jot down items in neat block letters using her sharp claw. Dave accepted the list with a sense of pride far surpassing that of the mission to collect gold teeth issued by the Dragon God-Emperor. "Are you going to tell me who owns you so that I can attempt to buy your freedom?" he pressed. "I cost a lot more than a few silver coins," Remicra replied, glancing with disdain at the money on the counter. "I''m certain that I could make more money with some more creative thinking or perhaps some adventuring," Dave shrugged. "Lord Burgundy Strao," the dragoness exhaled after a deep pause. "He is a Shandrian noble who holds dominion over a third of the city''s businesses."Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "Well, this Lord Burgundy," Dave said, "sounds like a bit of a twit, if you ask me. But fear not, fair dragoness! I shall find a way to free you from his dastardly clutches." "Free me to do what?" she asked with a tiniest quirk of a smile. "Free you... to free you," Dave shrugged. "That," Remicra stated, "is quite possibly the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard. Now, if you would be so kind, please tell me what it is that you truly want from me. Are you planning on keeping me as a pet if you somehow miraculously manage to buy this dilapidated smithy?¡± ¡°Oh, you come with the smithy?¡± Dave mulled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s convenient.¡± Remicra sent a dangerous glare. ¡°I already told you what I want,¡± Dave said. ¡°Resources, local knowledge and a place to sleep... plus someone to help me take the magic metal out of my blood." ¡°I have no resources, I know less than a local urchin since I¡¯m confined to this damned tower and this place is falling apart at the seams,¡± Remicra retorted. ¡°You¡¯d have better luck staying at a pub and leaving me be. I see no rationale behind your insistence on freeing me.¡± "Regardless of how crumbling this tower is," Dave''s eyes went over the shop. "It is a very solid, magically-reinforced structure that weathered untold centuries from what I can see. I''m from another world and I am curious if I could apply my knowledge to improve this workshop." "To what end?" Remicra asked. "You think you''re the only one summoned here?" "I''m aware that there are other summoned that inflicted their culture upon this world," Dave said. "They sell lattes outside of the town gate. A latte is a drink from my world." "Exactly," the dragoness said. "All of your efforts are useless in the grand scheme of things, like a drop of water in a rain shower." "You''re just being crabby because you''re stuck in here," Dave pointed out. "And to counter what you said earlier, you''re clearly more intelligent than you let on." The dragoness silently considered Dave''s words. "Look, Remicra," Dave began. "I''m not sure I can actually free you. But I''d like to try. This place is... well, it''s pretty wild compared to Earth. And you? You''re something else entirely." "What?" Remicra asked. "You threw me out of here earlier like I was nothing," Dave said. "You''re strong, good with metal, and smart." Remicra snorted. Dave replied eagerly, "I''m proposing a partnership. We could combine your metalworking skills with my knowledge of technology from my world. We could really change things around here." Remicra raised an eyebrow. "Change things how?" "Well," Dave said, "we could make weapons that don''t need magic, or even... a flying machine." "You know how to make a flying machine?" Remicra asked skeptically. "Probably," Dave shrugged. "Probably?" she repeated. "Yeah," Dave explained, "I know some things, and I''ll figure out the rest as we go. I just need you to teach me about magic metalworking." "You want me to teach you? You look like you can barely handle the heat," Remicra scoffed. "That''s just because the ventilation in here is terrible," Dave countered, gesturing at the messy shop. "Why don''t we start by fixing up this place a bit? We could make better tools, create new materials, and see what we can do together. Are you not a master blacksmith? Does the prospect of expanding your knowledge not entice you?" "You wish to increase the value of a smithy that does not belong to you?" The dragoness raised an eyebrow. "That doesn''t seem smart. Pretty sure that the human bastard who owns me won''t sell me." "Okay, fair enough," he conceded. "But what if we focused on things that wouldn''t necessarily increase the smithy''s value, but would make your life here more comfortable?" The dragoness regarded him for an extended moment, her eyes scrutinizing his every feature, searching for the faintest trace of duplicity. At last, she nodded her head slowly, as if surrendering to the inevitable. "Alright," she sighed. "I''ll bite. I''ll add some stuff to the list then." "But first, lunch!" Dave announced, slapping another cloth bag onto the table with a flourish. "I suspect you know how to fry a steak on that forge of yours, yes?"
As Dave neared the lighthouse later that evening, returning with purchased goods, the spectral violin within his soul began to play a tense melody, a subtle indication that something was amiss. He slowed his pace and slid everything into Wisdom, his eyes scanning the surroundings. It wasn''t long before Wisdom helped him notice a fresh set of footprints imprinted in the muddy path, leading up to the entrance of the lighthouse. With caution as his guide, Dave circled the towering structure, his senses on high alert. He spotted a small hole in the grimy stained-glass window and approached it, wincing as sharp, rose-like flowers nipped at his ankles. Inside the smithy, a gray figure was engaged in animated conversation with Remicra. As they spoke, Remicra''s mood-ring-like scales shifted through a kaleidoscope of colors. Dave pressed closer to the window, straining to catch snippets of the conversation. As his eyes grew accustomed to the dimly lit interior of the smithy, he saw more details. The visitor was a gray-skinned female, with stony features that looked as if they had been meticulously chiseled from solid rock. Adorning her head was a gleaming arrangement of white and violet crystal spikes. Her cold voice cut through the air, her tone firm. "There was a spike in the ward log last night," she stated. "Are you keeping the tower clear of pests?" In response, Remicra''s scales shifted to a red-orange hue, betraying her unease. "A wild bird might have gotten in at night," the dragoness offered. "A bird? Do you take me for a fool? Your scales suggest that you are concealing something. A visitor, perhaps?" At this accusation, Remicra''s scales rapidly darkened to a deeper red. "Thought so," the crystal-rock female said. "Go to hell, Overseer," the dragoness hissed out. "Alas, you cannot deceive me," the Overseer replied. "The collar disrupts your innate defenses and presents your emotions to me as clear as day. Now, if you would be so kind as not to waste my time, confess as to who was here last night. I have twenty-seven more properties of Lord Burgundy to visit today, and time is a luxury I cannot afford to squander." Remicra simply glared in response. The crystalline girl made a sudden motion, twisting a gemstone on her wrist bracelet, and the dragoness hissed in agony, collapsing to her knees as though the unseen strings supporting her body had been cut. "Who was it?" The Overseer asked, spinning the dial on her armored wrist. "N-nobody," Tears burst from Remicra''s eyes as she rolled on the floor and clawed at the collar on her neck. "J-just a bird... there are holes in the roof... you should probably g-get someone to patch it up." "Do I need to increase the pain further, or will you cease wasting my time?" the Overseer demanded after another minute, her voice cold. "You can''t trick me or the ward. I saw recent footsteps in the dirt! Just tell me their name so that I can find ''em and break their legs!" "FFFF-fine," the dragoness choked out, her claws clenching and unclenching as she struggled to regain control. Dave''s heartbeat sped up. A pang of uncertainty gnawed at him, as he wondered if all of his plans were on the verge of falling apart. The Overseer looked down at the magic-bound blacksmith, her silver eyes gleaming, shark like-gray teeth wide in a malicious smile. One of her steel-armored boots slammed down on Remicra''s hand with inhuman swiftness and the dragoness cried as one of her fingers snapped and twisted at an odd angle. "Stop! I''ll tell you everything!" Remicra cried out, cradling her hand. "A human..." [-22-] Stellaris "An injured human adventurer stumbled into the smithy yesterday," Remicra growled with a hateful look. "He wanted to sell some metal insects." "You''ve offered him the lowest price possible, yes?" The crystalline Overseer demanded authoritatively. "Yes," Remicra replied, nodding her red mane. "I know the rules! I offered him two coppers¡­ for 32 bugs." The Overseer''s stone-textured fingers hovered menacingly over the rune dial designed to inflict a world of pain upon her serf. "And how, pray tell, did this battered adventurer find himself lingering at the very edge of the smithy''s protective ward all night long?" "He was exhausted and it was getting late! The idiot refused to leave!" Remicra growled exasperatedly. "What would you have had me do? I can''t leave the ward to drag him to town!" "Fair enough," the Overseer conceded. "Should it happen again, be more resolute." "I was very insistent, damn it!" The dragoness protested. "I threw him beyond the boundary of the ward!" "This is not a public house for vagrants!" The Overseer declared. "As a consequence of your failure and... attempt at deception, a week''s worth of food delivery shall be withheld from you." "What?" Remicra barked. "If it happens again, knock the vagrant out and let the shadows claim them," the Overseer said impassively. "We cannot allow vagabonds to loiter at the edge of the ward, stirring the shadows and depleting the ward''s mana!" "I understand," the blacksmith lowered her head in begrudging submission. "Good," the stone-faced Overseer stated, "I''ll see you in a week if nothing else... unexpected happens. I''m tightening the ward and leaving this Custodix Kitlix here to watch for further trouble. If any single customer stays longer than thirty minutes inside the smithy per day, I will know, so make sure to kick anyone out who... lingers." Remicra opened her mouth. "Throw a rock at their head or dump boiling water on them from the top of the tower if you cannot reach them," the Overseer said, opening a pouch and letting out a silver-cyan-violet Kitlix out, putting it atop of the shelf. "I don''t care. You are to manage your customers'' duration of stay from now on. Do we understand each other?" "Y-yes, Overseer," the dragoness nodded. The gray-skinned woman turned around and rapidly departed from the scene, silver cape fluttering behind her, jagged crystal formations glittering atop her head like a diamond crown of regal authority. Dave lingered in the bushes, waiting until the echo of the Overseer¡¯s footsteps had faded into the distance before he cautiously stepped into the smithy. Remicra, her scales shimmering with the colors of the setting sun, was rubbing her neck and trembling ever so slightly. "Now I feel bad for haggling with you," he said. "I understand why you gave me such a low offer." Remicra raised her violet-gold eyes to meet his, a myriad of emotions clearly swirling within their depths, but she remained silent. "I brought dinner," Dave said, placing a net filled with a bundle of fresh groceries upon the worn wooden table. "Take it and go," she said, her voice strained. "If Burgundy or his minions discover that you''re staying here and aiding me, they will feed you to the shadows." "I ain''t afraid of a little shadow kitten," Dave said resolutely. "I am not going to abandon you." "You''re an idiot," Remicra sighed. "You''re free. You have a bit of money now. Rent a room at a pub, do jobs for the Guild and forget about fixing this place." "No," Dave said defiantly. "No?" "Six years ago, I was merely a lost cog in a vast, uncaring machine, a wheel that spun without much purpose or function," Dave said, thinking of his job at Serv0tek. "I got into an accident and a¡­ mmm... Healer named Lari pulled me from the brink of death. She became my best friend, my guiding star. She taught me not just how to float about, but how to truly live, how to take chances and make a difference in the world. This smithy, and you... represent my chance to repay that kindness, and I''ll be damned if I simply abandon you to what I see as clear, absolute villainy! I can''t just abandon you, not when I know that she''s watching over me!" "What?" The dragoness blinked. "Who''s... watching you?" "The girl portrayed on the stained glass upstairs... she''s my friend. Lari," Dave revealed. "She lived here, in Shandria, almost two hundred years ago. Saint Saria! I asked you about her earlier, remember?" Remicra opened and closed her mouth. "Tell me the truth," Dave said with sincerity, extending his hand towards the dragoness. "Do you want to be free? I promise I''ll do whatever it takes to help you break that collar." "If the collar is broken, the hexagrammic runework chain within it becomes interrupted," Remicra shook her head. "When this happens the collar gives me a powerful magical shock, disabling me long enough for the Overseer to gate here." "She can teleport around?" Dave¡¯s eyes widened. "Lord Burgundy has many dangerous wizards working for him, including a Waymancer," Remicra explained. "An entire hunter team with a tracker and an enforcer is immediately dispatched via a gateway to my last known location if I use my tools or hands to rip this thrice-damned collar off me!" Dave sighed, his shoulders slumping momentarily before steeling himself. "Then I''ll find a way to free you through legal means," he said. "You''re gambling your life on a foolish, unattainable goal," the dragoness warned. "You''ll get yourself killed." "I''ll die anyway if I don''t get the felislice flakes out of my body," Dave pointed out. "And I''ll get horribly injured in the wild if I adventure without armor again. Hell, a few bugs nearly tore me to shreds." Remicra sighed. "I''m not hearing an answer," Dave insisted. The dragoness came up from the floor on unsteady legs, her scales dancing between red and orange. "I obviously want to be free," she admitted. "But unlike you, I am being realistic about my chances." "At worst, I''ll get killed, and you''ll get pain-zapped for a bit, right?" Dave asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Yes," Remicra answered. "I''m an expensive slave with a highly coveted blacksmithing skill, so I wouldn''t be executed for disobedience. Most slaves are free to visit the town from their stations. My boundary leash is only so tight because I refused to bow down, tried to run away numerous times and now it''s just been made even tighter because of you." She glanced at the Custodix Kitlix occupying a tall shelf and silently staring at both of them. "Listen," she said. "You have to go. You can''t stay here... or this bugger will report you and then an entire Hunter team will gate here to deal with you." Dave looked up at the Kitlix, his mind racing to find a solution. "Alright," he said slowly, turning back to Remicra. "I''ll go for now. But I''m not giving up on you or this place." "It''ll be your funeral then," Remicra sighed. "I''ll be back tomorrow," he said firmly. "I''m leaving this food here for you. I''ll eat at the tavern. We just need to figure out how to work around this new... obstacle." "You''re annoyingly persistent, I''ll give you that. But persistence won''t save you from Burgundy''s enforcers," she replied, shaking her head. Dave paused at the door, turning back to face her. For a moment, Remicra''s scales flickered with a soft pink hue before settling back into their usual violet-blue. "Quit staring at me like a dumb Kitlix and depart, before I have to throw a rock at your head. Shoo," she added. "See you tomorrow, Remicra." Dave said.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He heard nothing in reply as he left. He felt no despair about the Custodix Kitlix timer impediment, not because he saw himself as an all-capable mage, but because Lari''s glass eyes were watching over this very tower, reaching out from two centuries ago, keeping him on the right path.
As the dance of the sun and the black hole above began to paint the sky in hues of orange, Dave made his way through the bustling streets of Shandria towards the Nightingale tavern. The tavern''s warm, golden light spilled out onto the cobblestone street, a beacon of comfort in the gathering twilight. As Dave pushed open the heavy wooden door, he was greeted by a cacophony of laughter, clinking glasses, and the strumming of an instrument that sounded like a mix of a guitar and a violin. His eyes scanned the crowded room, searching for a familiar face. It didn''t take long to spot Dumpich, the apprentice healer, seated at a corner table, a frothy mug of ale in front of him. "Woo! Dave!" Dumpich called out, waving enthusiastically. "Over here, mate!" Dave navigated through the throng of patrons, nodding politely to a group of feathered birdfolk and catlads who were engaged in a heated game of dice. As he approached Dumpich''s table, he noticed the healer''s cheeks were already flushed from his drink. "Glad you could make it," Dumpich grinned, gesturing for Dave to take a seat. "I was beginning to think that you totally weren''t hiding in that closet. That would have been embarrassing if I was talking to a wall, ha ha." Dave slid into the chair beside Dumpich, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. It was good to see a friendly face after the day''s trials. "So, mate," the apprentice Healer began, "how''s life as an adventurer treating you?" Before Dave could answer, the tavern door swung open, and two familiar faces caught his eye. Leon and Terri, dressed in casual, subdued robes, made their way through the crowded room. Their Vitalix Kitlix were perched on their shoulders, tiny crystalline bodies glimmering in the tavern''s dim light. Dumpich''s face lit up at the sight of his colleagues. He stood up and waved them over with enthusiasm that nearly toppled his mug of ale. "Oi! Leon! Terri! Over here!" he called out, his voice carrying over the din of the tavern. "Come meet the vanishing man himself!" "THE Vanishing man?" Terri asked, looking Dave from top to bottom. "What, he''s actually real? You ain''t pulling my hoof?" "Oi!" Dumpich huffed, his voice filled with mock indignation as he hugged Dave tightly as if to prevent him from vanishing again. "When have I ever deceived you, my fair Lady?" Terri rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don''t know. Perhaps that time you convinced me that Kitlix could speak if you fed them enough Intelligence-aligned mana crystals?" Dumpich waved his free hand dismissively. "I still maintain that Kitlix can speak. They just choose not to around you." "Uh-huh," the female apprentice nodded. "Sure." "My esteemed colleagues!" Dumpich suddenly announced with all the gravitas of a town crier. "I present to you the legendary Dave!" Dave became concerned that Dumpich would loudly out his skills to the entire tavern. "The only person I know who can make Sylphaera speechless!" Dumpich declared. "Dave, these are my best mates from Healers Hall - the charming Terri and plant-obsessed Leon!" Dave cleared his throat, offering a sheepish smile. "I think Dumpich might be overselling things a bit," he said. "He does tend to do that," Leon nodded. As they settled into their seats, a curvy waitress in a long black dress with cat ears and a fluffy tail approached their table. "What''ll it be, loves?" she asked. "A round of Stormfall Stout for the table," Dumpich announced grandly. "And a basket of your dragon crisps!" Dave raised an eyebrow at Dumpich. "Ordering for me already?" "Trust me," Dumpich grinned, "you haven''t lived until you''ve tried the Nightingale¡¯s special brew. It''s said to have magical properties." "Magical properties?" Dave asked. "Oh yes," Leon chimed in. "It magically empties your coin purse and fills your head with regret come morning." "Unless you''ve got yourself a Vitalix, of course," Terri grinned, petting her partner. "Yeah, Dave," Dumpich nodded, his own Vitalix rushing to sit atop of his head between his curled horns. "Insta-hangover cures are pretty much the biggest advantage of being a healer!" Dave sighed thinking of Healy. The table erupted in laughter, and Dave felt a warmth spreading through his chest. For a moment, he could almost forget the dangers that lurked outside, the mysteries that plagued him, and the challenges that lay ahead. Here, in this cozy tavern, surrounded by his old-new friends, he felt... normal. Like he belonged. Dumpich raised his mug when the maid returned with drinks for everyone. "To new friends, vanishing acts, and questionable life choices!" As the group clinked their mugs together. Dave took a sip of the Stormfall Stout, enjoying the strange, somewhat alien, rich flavor. He couldn''t help but smile as he listened to the banter between the healers. "So, Dave," Terri leaned in, her green antlers catching the soft tavern light, "Dumpich tells us you''ve got quite the talent for healing. Care to share the secret of getting a Kitlix way past your stated level?" Dave chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, you know, just lucky I guess. Right place, right time, that sort of thing." Dumpich snorted into his drink. "Luck, he says. As if anyone could just waltz in and bond with a thirty four Green by sheer chance." "Honestly, my life lately has been extra-full of weird bullshit," Dave said. "It doesn''t stop. As soon as I think that things get somewhat normal, either something surprising or horrible happens." "Sounds like a dark curse of the Spiderhoff Wintertide Witch," Dumpich wiggled his fingers, making Terri giggle into her drink. As the evening wore on, the atmosphere in the tavern grew livelier. The violin-guitar hybrid instrument that had been providing background twinkling of a musician adjusting their instrument became more focused, louder and clearer. The round Kitlix-lamps suddenly dimmed, and a Kitlix spotlight illuminated the small stage at the far end of the tavern. Dave''s jaw dropped as he recognized the dark gray figure seated on a simple wooden chair. It was Cedez, wearing a black dress covered in sparkling blue gems. She was holding a jet-black instrument covered in silver-blue runes. The instrument looked like a cross between a guitar and a violin, its shape both familiar and alien. When Cedez began to sing in addition to playing the instrument, her voice crystal clear and melancholic, Dave recognized the lyrics. "I''ve heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don''t really care for music, do you?" Dave felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him as Cedez stared right at him. "Your faith was strong but you needed proof You saw her bathing on the roof Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you" Dave''s heart stuttered. "I did my best, it wasn''t much I couldn''t feel, so I tried to touch I''ve told the truth, I didn''t come to fool you And even though it all went wrong I''ll stand before the Lord of Song With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!" Cedez sang. Dave felt a lump forming in his throat. As the last notes faded away, the tavern erupted in applause. Dave found himself clapping along mechanically, his mind reeling from the words that seemed to be meant for him alone. "Dave-o," Dumpich''s voice cut through his reverie. "You alright there, mate?" Dave blinked, turning back to his companions. "I... yeah, I''m fine. That song just... it reminded me of home." Terri leaned forward, her antlers catching the dim tavern light. "You recognized it? Is it from where you are from?" Dave nodded, taking a long swig of his ale to compose himself. "Yeah, it''s a pretty famous song from Earth. I just... I didn''t expect to hear it here. Also, I didn''t expect to see... her." "Oh, you know Lady Stellaris?" Dumpich grinned. "She plays at this tavern every night and never disappoints. She''s the primary reason why I drag these two here!" Dave stared at Cedez - or Lady Stellaris, as Dumpich had called her - his mind whirling with questions. She met his gaze for a brief moment, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "You know her?" Terri asked, her green eyes wide with curiosity. Dave hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "We''ve... met," he said carefully. "I didn''t know she was a musician." Dumpich laughed, clapping Dave on the back. "Oh mate, you''re in for a treat then! Stellaris is a legend around these parts. They say her music can heal the soul... or totally break it, if you fall for her. She''s eternally single, rebuffing all suitors. Maybe that''s why her music is so wicked sad." Cedez shelved her strange instrument and walked over to their table, her black dress shimmering with each step. To everyone''s surprise, she pulled up a chair and sat across from Dave, her silver-blue eyes examining him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "I couldn''t help but notice you seemed quite moved by my performance. Are you perhaps a fellow musician?" "Uhm," Dave said as everyone''s eyes focused on him. He stared at Cedez. She didn''t look the same. This woman, while bearing a striking resemblance to Cedez at a distance, was not the same person he had met at the Snail Cafe. Her skin was dark, yes, but it was skin, not fur. Her hair was longer, cascading down her back in silky black waves. Dark freckles dotted her cheeks and nose, a feature he was certain Cedez didn''t possess. Even her ears, while still pointed, seemed less fox-like and more like that of an elf. In fact, she had four ears, two smaller ones peaking from beneath her black hair bound with diamond-covered bands. Dumpich, oblivious to the tension, beamed at the singer. "Lady Stellaris! What an honor to have you join us. Dave here was just telling us how your song reminded him of home." "Is that so? And where might home be for you... Dave? " She asked. "A place called Earth," Dave exhaled. "Earth?" Stellaris repeated. "I don''t believe I''ve heard of it. Is it beyond the Misty Mountains?" "You could say that," Dave replied dryly. As Dave stared at Lady Stellaris more closely, he felt a sudden, growing sense of unease. Sherlock''s violin began to play a soft, warning melody in the back of his mind, warning him about something Cedez told him earlier. Dave shifted all his points into Wisdom. Stellaris leaned forward, her silver-blue eyes studying Dave with an intensity that made him feel like a specimen under a microscope. "So, Dave," Stellaris began, "tell me more about this Earth of yours. It must be quite a place to produce such... unique individuals." Dave felt his heart racing as Stellaris leaned closer, her silver-blue eyes locked onto his. The sounds of the busy tavern around them seemed to fade away, the chatter and laughter becoming distant and muffled. He was acutely aware of every detail - the soft shimmer of her dress, the faint scent of lavender that surrounded her, the way the Kitlix lanterns reflected in her ocean-blue eyes. Eyes that belonged to Cedez. Body that didn''t. Her gloved hand covered in blue diamonds suddenly reached out to cover his. A blue notification window flashed from his bracelet.
[Nightingale Tavern - Quest: Accept this Quest. Be mine. Forget Cedez Astra. Reward: Being alive. Failure Clause: Exposure as Necromancer. You have ten seconds to decide. Nine...] [Accept: Y/N?]
[-23-] Collared Dave slid most of his points into Intelligence, keeping some in Wisdom for Sherlock to function. The world around him seemed to slow ever so slightly the cacophony of the tavern fading to a distant murmur as he mentally consulted with Sherlock, his mental processes accelerating. The phantom detective''s violin began to play a tense, urgent melody in Dave''s mind, its notes a warning of impending danger. Dave''s eyes darted between Stellaris and his companions, who seemed frozen in time, oblivious to the silent battle of wills unfolding before them. The Quest notification hovered in his peripheral vision. [Eight...] Sherlock''s violin crescendoed, its frantic notes urging Dave to think, to analyze, to find a way out of this dangerous predicament. "She''s not Cedez," Dave thought frantically. "But she knows about Cedez - Lady Astra. And she knows I''m a necromancer. How? Why?" [Seven...] The violin''s melody shifted, becoming more intricate, weaving a tapestry of sound that seemed to suggest caution, misdirection, playing along until he could understand more. Tricking Stellaris. Outsmarting her with... Phantomancy. [Six...] Dave suddenly arrived at the necessary solution, a hack that would allow him to accept the Quest without actually accepting it. He pushed everything into Sherlock, including the broken soul fragments he had absorbed from the spider-girl. His consciousness seemed to recede, taking a backseat as Sherlock''s presence expanded, filling every corner of the frontend of his mind. [Five...] Sherlock, now in control of Dave''s body, straightened up imperceptibly. His eyes now held a calculated gleam. "Lady Stellaris," Sherlock said, Dave''s voice carrying a new timbre of confidence. [Four...] "I..." [Three] "Accept!" [Two] [. . .] The Quest flashed with Green. "Accept what, mate?" Dumpich blinked at Dave. "My offer of courtship of course!" Stellaris grinned as she quickly moved to fasten a leather collar around Dave''s neck, the red gems studding its surface glinting ominously in the tavern''s dim light. As the clasp clicked shut, Dave felt cold web-like threads that seemed to reach past his physical form. The magic of the collar dug deep into his very being, probing and grasping at the essence of Sherlock at the front of his mind, binding everything that Sherlock was to the absolute will of the singer. Dave gradually pulled all of his collected soul bits out of Sherlock, reducing the detective to a mere violin, a bound echo in the back of his head. The world snapped back into focus, the sounds of the tavern rushing back like a tidal wave. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, as he found himself face to face with Stellaris, her alluring silver-blue eyes boring into his. Dumpich, who had been watching the exchange with wide eyes, finally spoke up. "Uhh, what just happened?" "Not much," Stellaris smiled. "I simply... made my claim. Can''t let this dashing man go, I''m afraid." Dave turned to his friends, forcing a smile that he hoped looked more convincing than it felt. "It''s fine, Dumpich. We''re just... making some new arrangements." Dumpich, always quick to jump to conclusions, let out a boisterous laugh that seemed to shatter the tension at the table. "Oh ho! I see what''s happening here!" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Holy Arx! Our Dave''s gone and snagged himself a high-class lady in a flash! And here I thought that... Damn, seriously. I''m jealous, mate. I see what your Quest was all about now, ha! Would have never guessed that Lady Stellaris was your mysterious benefactor, of course!" Stellaris, however, seemed more than happy to play along with Dumpich''s assumption. She slid closer to Dave, her arm snaking around his waist in a possessive gesture. "Oh, you know how these things go," she purred. "Sometimes you just meet someone and... click." She punctuated her words by tapping the collar around Dave''s neck, the soft ting of her black nail against metal sending a shiver down his spine. Terri, who had been watching the exchange with wide eyes, finally spoke up. "Yeah, this is... unexpected," she said with a small frown. "Congratulations, I suppose?" Leon raised an eyebrow. "Isn''t this moving a bit fast?" Stellaris laughed. "Oh, you misunderstand, Leon," she said. "We''re not dating... yet. This is merely a claim, a promise of sorts between two people who understand each other. Besides that, I''m quite certain that Dave here will accept my offer with grace. Won''t you, darling?" "Of course," Dave lied. Dumpich, still grinning from ear to ear, raised his mug. "Well, here''s to new beginnings, eh? May your courtship be as smooth as this ale!" As the others raised their mugs in a toast, Dave did the same. Stellaris''s arm was still wrapped around his waist. As the night wore on, the pub''s windows gradually darkened, the bustling atmosphere slowly giving way to a quieter, more subdued mood. Dave watched as patrons began to filter out, their laughter and chatter fading into the night. The healers, too, prepared to depart. Dumpich, his cheeks flushed from ale and excitement, clapped Dave on the shoulder. "Well, mate, looks like you''re in for quite a night," he said with a wink. "Good luck with your lady friend. Don''t do anything I wouldn''t do!"You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Dave forced a smile, the weight of the collar around his neck tingling ever so slightly. "Thanks, Dumpich. I''ll... see you around." As the last of the apprentice Healers and other regular patrons filed out, leaving only a few overnight guests, Stellaris''s grip on Dave tightened. She leaned in close, her breath hot against his ear. "Time for us to retire, don''t you think?" Before Dave could respond, Stellaris was pulling him towards the stairs. Her grip was surprisingly strong, and Dave found himself stumbling to keep up as she practically dragged him up the stairwell to the second floor. They reached a door at the end of the hallway, which Stellaris pushed open with a flourish. "After you, darling," she purred, gesturing for Dave to enter. The room beyond was awash in shades of red. A large, heart-shaped, ornate bed dominated the space, its crimson sheets looking both inviting and ominous. Heavy curtains of the same blood-hue hung from the windows, casting the room in a soft, reddish glow. As Dave stepped inside, the first night bell resounded outside. The siren of entwined night bells began to wail outside as steel window shutters slid closed with an ominous finality. Stellaris turned to Dave, her silver-blue eyes glinting in the dim light of the room. "Wait for me here until I return," she ordered. "Sure," Dave replied as his collar tingled. Her lips came close to his face again as she whispered, "Have lovely dreams of me, won''t you?" Before Dave could respond, Stellaris had glided to the door. With a final, enigmatic smile, she slipped out, the lock clicking into place behind her. Dave stared at the shut door, his heart pounding in his chest. The room suddenly felt claustrophobic, the lavish red decor oppressive. He tugged at the collar around his neck. "What the hell just happened?" he muttered to himself. "Why is there... two of her?" Dave approached the window, peering through a tiny gap in the metal shutters. Outside, the streets were emptying rapidly as the night bells continued their haunting melody. He shuddered, recalling the shadow leviathan and its flock. "Sherlock," he thought, "I could really use your input right about now." The phantom detective''s presence in his mind felt faint, almost muted. The violin''s melody was barely audible, like a radio station caught between frequencies, seemingly repeating the same musical tone that sounded like: "Stay in the room." Dave sighed, turning back to survey the room. His eyes fell on an ornate, gold-framed mirror hanging on the wall. As he approached it, he caught sight of his reflection - slightly disheveled, weary, and wearing a dark leather collar. Dave grabbed the collar, his fingers trembling slightly as he worked the clasp. The tingling intensified, sending shivers down his spine. Sherlock''s violin screamed, wailed, cried for mercy. But since the collar wasn''t actually affecting Dave, he managed to shove everything into Strength and pry it open with a satisfying rip of dark leather. Immediately, Sherlock''s music returned in full force, sounding very annoyed. The phantom detective''s presence flooded back into Dave''s consciousness, bringing with it a wave of musical irritation. Dave let out a sigh of relief, tossing the torn collar onto a nearby table. He walked over to the plush bed and lay down, sinking into the soft crimson sheets. Staring up at the ornate ceiling, he shoved all of his points into Wisdom and activated the Dream Communion skill.
Dave found himself in Sherlock''s office, the familiar surroundings a stark contrast to the red-tinted room he had just left behind. The detective sat behind his desk, his posture rigid and his expression grim. What caught Dave''s attention immediately, however, was the angry black and red burn encircling Sherlock''s neck, a reminder of the collar''s recent influence. "I see you''ve managed to remove that infernal device," Sherlock said, his voice raspier than usual. He gestured to a chair across from him. "Have a seat. We have much to discuss." Dave sank into the offered seat, staring at the badly burned skin on Sherlock''s neck. "I''m sorry," he began, "I didn''t realize the collar would affect you like that." Sherlock waved a dismissive hand. "What''s done is done. The important thing now is to understand the gravity of our situation." He leaned forward. "That woman, Stellaris, is clearly not who she appears to be." "I gathered that much," Dave replied. "But who is she? And why does she look so much like Cedez?" Sherlock steepled his fingers. "Whatever she is, she poses a significant threat." Dave nodded. "She knew about my necromancy. And about Cedez." "It seems our activities have not gone unnoticed. Someone, or something, is watching you VERY closely. Perhaps Huntsmaw Oraniss worked for Stellaris. Yes. Same dark body, same blue eyes, similar features." "Same as... Cedez," Dave nodded. "Exactly," Sherlock agreed, rubbing his scorched neck. "They''re from the same magical family, maybe?" Dave suggested. "A cheeky fox barista, a half-melted insane spider and a posh elf singer?" Sherlock arched a white eyebrow. "No. Maybe a coven, or whatever correlates to a local magical mafia, potentially operating from this very speakeasy." "What does the magical mafia want with me?" Dave asked. "Your necromantic abilities, most likely," Sherlock replied. "Such power would be invaluable to any criminal underworld organization." "So, Cedez is part of this magical mafia or whatever," Dave said thoughtfully, "but maybe she''s more of a free agent, or someone who is trying to break free from their influence if Stellaris told me to forget her." "Indeed," Sherlock nodded. "It would explain her cryptic behavior and her insistence on you maintaining a low profile. She''s walking a tightrope, trying to help you while avoiding detection from her... associates." Dave leaned back in his chair, watching neon-sign tinted raindrops perpetually patter on the window. "What do you suggest I do next?" Dave asked. "You cannot remain prisoner here. The options are to kill Stellaris or to play along or to run," Sherlock said. "All three carry significant risks, but inaction is not an option." "Walk me through them," Dave requested. Sherlock stood, pacing behind his desk as he outlined the first option. "Murder. Quick, efficient, and potentially informative. Put everything into Dexterity and Agility and accelerate your hand then slide everything into Strength and stab Stellaris in the heart when she returns. Once she''s dead, you can absorb her soul and gain valuable insights into her nature and motives. It is possible that she will melt too, leaving no body behind." "You think so?" Dave asked. "I''m fairly certain." Sherlock nodded. "That her veins will be full of that black fluid. Whatever the three of them are, they are clearly distinctively different from all other citizens of Shandria." "That''s... pretty extreme," Dave winced. "What if Stellaris is not actually evil and doesn''t melt into a puddle of goo like a wicked witch?" "Consider the evidence," Sherlock countered, tapping his blackened neck. "She practically enslaved you with that collar, offering you no choice in the matter under duress of being exposed as a necromancer. Her intentions are clearly far from benevolent." "Fair point," Dave conceded. "But what about the consequences? Wouldn''t killing her draw unwanted attention?" Sherlock nodded. "Indeed. Which brings us to the second option: deception. Play along, pretend to be under her thrall. This could give you time to gather more information, possibly even infiltrate whatever organization she''s part of. You''d have to fix the collar to hide the fact that it''s broken." Dave drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "That seems less... murdery. But it''s risky too, right?" "Extremely," Sherlock confirmed. "One misstep and you could find yourself truly enslaved, or worse. The third option is to put everything into Strength, punch through a wall and run." "Why a wall?" "The door appears to be reinforced, but people don''t necessarily reinforce walls," Sherlock pointed out. "Of course, the third option leaves you with a big problem - Stellaris or her minions will chase after you or simply expose you as a necromancer to the authorities." [-24-] Charismancy Dave leaned back in Sherlock''s plush, leather chair, mentally going over his brief life in Shandria. "Wait a minute," he said. "If this... witch coven mafia, or whatever they are, wants my Phantomancy abilities so badly, why would they risk exposing me to the authorities? Both Cedez and Stellaris threatened me with exposure. What if I just told them to piss off?¡± Sherlock¡¯s green eyes looked at Dave from behind dark glasses. ¡°A solid point,¡± he said. "The threat of exposure might be just that - a threat. Empty words to coerce you into compliance." "Right," Dave continued. "If Phantomancy is as rare as we think it is, they''d want to keep me functional and out of prison. Exposing me would be counterproductive to their goals. Stellaris collared me to control me, her threat was empty.¡± ¡°And yet you fell for it,¡± Sherlock nodded. ¡°You could have helped,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°Need I remind you,¡± Sherlock waved a hand. ¡°I am but an incomplete person, a glove that you¡¯re wearing. At best I¡¯m the rational side of you, the concept of your own Wisdom magnified by magic. If you fully don¡¯t realize something, I won¡¯t necessarily realize it either. Besides that, you getting captured by Stellaris has great value. While she thinks that you are magically bound she will spill many secrets. In reality, you hold a greater position of power, able to make completely unexpected moves.¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Dave said. ¡°Anyway, I reckon that maybe we have more leverage here than we thought.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Sherlock affirmed. ¡°You represent great value as the only wielder of Phantomancy in Shandria. Which opens up new possibilities. Also, instead of killing Stellaris or running away..." "We could capture her," Dave finished the thought. "Test what she is, try to get some answers." "A risky move, but potentially very informative. If she is indeed some sort of magical construct or a shapeshifter, subduing her could provide valuable insights into our adversaries." "But how would we go about capturing her?" Dave asked. Sherlock stroked his chin thoughtfully. "With enough Strength, you could likely overpower her. You might be able to improvise some restraints from items in the room." Dave glanced around the dreamscape office, as if he could see the red-tinted room beyond. "There are curtains we could use as makeshift ropes," he suggested. ¡°A solid idea,¡± Sherlock nodded. "Okay, so what''s the plan? Wait for her to come back, then ambush her?" "Essentially, yes," Sherlock confirmed. "But we need to be prepared for various scenarios. What if she doesn''t come alone? What if she has magical defenses we haven''t anticipated?" Dave frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend to be collared,¡± he said. ¡°Bind the back of the collar behind my hair with a little curtain-slice rope. If she¡¯s alone, I¡¯ll strike. If she has backup, I¡¯ll wait until we are alone.¡± Dave and Sherlock continued their discussion, making several new deductions. They theorized that Stellaris, Cedez, and Oraniss might be part of a larger network of magical beings, each with their own agenda, potentially fighting amongst each other for control over Shandria¡¯s underworld. They also considered the possibility that the collar might have some tracking or monitoring capabilities, which could be a problem. As their conversation wound down, Dave felt himself drifting back to consciousness. The dreamscape office faded away, replaced by the crimson-hued upstairs room of the Nightingale tavern. Getting up, he put the collar back on, securing it with a slice of curtain from behind. The magic of the collar was broken as the hexagrammic runework was torn and it didn''t even tingle on his neck. Time passed, and eventually, daylight began to break through the slats of the steel shutters, painting thin lines of gold across the red-draped room. Dave had spent half of the night in a state of hyper-vigilance, alternating between pacing the room and sitting tensely on the edge of the bed.
With the first light of morning breaking through the steel shutters, the door clicked. Dave''s heart rate spiked as he watched the handle turn. Stellaris glided into the room, wearing the same black dress studded with blue gemstones. Her silver-blue eyes sparkled with an unsettling cheerfulness as she regarded Dave. She was alone. "Good morning, darling," she purred. "I trust you slept well?" Dave forced a smile. "As well as can be expected," he replied, sitting up on the bed. "I hope your stay was comfortable," she said. "It''s necessary, you understand. For both our sakes." ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Dave said, sliding all of his points into Wisdom to interrogate the singer. ¡°Why did you collar me? Is Cedez Astra your competition or something? How did you even know that I''m a Necromancer?" Stellaris spun a chair around, its wooden legs scraping against the floor. She sat down, resting her elbows on the chair''s back, her silver-blue eyes never leaving Dave''s face. The morning light filtering through the shutters cast striped shadows across her features, giving her an almost predatory appearance. "You see, Dave," she began, "you''ve made quite an impression since your arrival in Shandria. More than you realize, I''m afraid."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "What do you mean?" Stellaris''s dark lips curled into a knowing smile. "The guards at the gate, the Guild Secretary. The Healers, baffled by your unusual abilities. Even that simple dragon blacksmith, puzzled by your switching abilities. Separately, these incidents might not mean much, but together..." She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air. "You''ve been watching me," Dave said. "Shandria has many eyes. Watching, listening, piecing together the puzzle that is Dave Walter," Stellaris nodded. "You see, there are others in Shandria who sort of suspect you. But they lack the network, the resources to put it all together. They''re like blind men touching different parts of an elephant, each convinced they know the whole picture." "You have access to this network of eyes then?" ¡°Yes,¡± Stellaris''s smile widened. "Let''s just say I have a broader perspective. Which is why I collared you. To protect you." "Protect me? By binding me?" "Oh, darling," Stellaris cooed. "This isn''t enslavement. It''s a shield, a claim. You see, there are others out there who would do far worse than collar you. They''d simply... consume you." "Like Oraniss tried to do," Dave muttered. "Precisely. Oraniss was... overzealous. There are many Huntsmaws like her who only wish to feast. In this world of shadows and monsters, sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you don''t." ¡°I don¡¯t know you,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°I barely know Cedez.¡± ¡°There will be plenty of time for us to get to know each other,¡± Stellaris said. "Astra is not who she appears to be. She''s dangerous, Dave." "How so?" "She''s been manipulating you from the start. That little caf¨¦ of hers? It''s just a front. A way to gather information, to ensnare unsuspecting newcomers like yourself." "But she helped me," Dave stated ¡°Warned me about dangers¡­¡± ¡°All part of her manipulation,¡± Stellaris said. ¡°Cedez is playing a long game. She feeds you bits of truth mixed with lies, gains your trust, all while pushing you towards her own agenda. She''s grooming you, molding you into a weapon she can use. I¡¯m much more straightforward, see? I know that you¡¯re a weapon and I¡¯m going to use you to kill all the others.¡± "Who are the others?" "It''s best not to speak of the others, darling. They have ways of... foreseeing plans if their names are mentioned. We must handle them one by one, carefully cutting them out of existence like a surgeon excising an infected tumor.¡± Again, like Cedez, Stellaris seemed to shove Earth-metaphors into everything. Dave nodded, trying to keep his expression neutral despite the churning in his stomach. "I see. And what would you have me do?" ¡°Kill the princess." "Which princess?" Dave blinked. "Cedez Astra. I need you to trick Cedez into entering her cafe''s shell. Once inside, you must kill her and consume her soul." She said this as casually as if she were ordering coffee. "You want me to¡­ kill Cedez?" "Yes, darling. It''s quite necessary, I''m afraid," Stellaris purred. "Oh, and don''t forget to bring back all of her magic outfits, books, and tools. We can''t leave such valuable resources behind. Kill her caretaker mage too¡­ Murdoc the Snailmancer.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Dave nodded, pretending to go along with the double murder plan. She stood abruptly, her dress shimmering as she moved. "Wait here," she commanded, before gliding out of the room. Dave sat in stunned silence. Moments later, Stellaris returned, a dark leather backpack in her hands. She placed it on the bed next to Dave. "This bag has expansion runework, it will fit lots of stuff in. It should be more than sufficient to carry everything. Dump all of her clothes into it after you consume her." Dave stared at the bag. "Come on, you''ve done it once," the dark elf said. "You can do it again. Just stab her in the heart with that bone knife of yours and eat her soul." Dave looked back at Stellaris. "What if she resists?" he asked. Stellaris began to pull off one of her gloves, revealing a bare, gray-skinned hand. "Well, we can''t have that, can we? Perhaps you need a little... boost." ¡°You can amplify my power, like Cedez?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She extended her hand towards Dave. "I can magnify one of your Attributes. Which would you prefer to use? Strength to overpower her? Agility to outmaneuver her? Or perhaps Charisma to become invisible?" ¡°Charisma can make a person¡­ invisible?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Oh, of course, my simple Earth-man, you don¡¯t know how Charisma magic works yet! Think of Charisma as an instrument that can create a specific kind of a standing magical wave,¡± Stellaris explained. ¡°A violin that can play a certain tune. The limits of it are based on the musician¡¯s power and talents in understanding how to wield it.¡± Dave listened intently as Stellaris paced the room. "You see, darling," Stellaris began, "Charisma magic is quite handy, like a symphony of influence. Each ''tune'' you play affects the world. Everything around you can be affected in different ways by it.¡± She held up one finger. "Take the Bond of Trust Resonance, for instance. With this tune, you can create an instant connection with someone, making them feel as if they''ve known you for years. It''s particularly useful for gathering information or manipulating people into doing your bidding. Sadly, such effect is temporary and some people can notice the Charisma use." Dave nodded. ¡°A talented Charismancer needs no Veritix Kitlix,¡± she explained. ¡°A Truth Compulsion Resonance forces a person to be honest, no matter how much they might want to lie. Charisma doesn¡¯t just apply to other people. Think outside of the box¨Cby using Charisma on yourself, you can enhance your own senses. Hear whispers from across a crowded room, see details others might miss. The Song of Strength used on yourself can make you stronger without actually having points in Strength.¡± ¡°Charisma can amplify other Attributes?¡± Dave blinked. ¡°Yes. A truly talented Charismancer can amplify others or themselves. You accidentally used the Glamour of Prestige Resonance when you convinced that salesman that you were a Scrutimancer.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Dave said. "Right. Were you watching me?" ¡°I was. What you projected was an authority song, making others perceive you as someone of great importance. With it, guards step aside, doors open, people hang on your every word and help you out." Dave nodded along. ¡°The Siren''s Call is a tune that could lure people or animals into traps. The Confidence Infusion song can bolster one''s own self-assurance to superhuman levels. Charisma that amplifies your Wisdom produces Songs such as Echoes of the Past,¡± Stellaris explained. "It allows you to use Charisma on objects, gleaning information about their history or previous owners." ¡°Sounds useful for investigating things,¡± Dave nodded. "Then there''s the Animal Whisperer tune, which lets you control beasts. Quite handy in a pinch in the wilds,¡± Stellaris added. ¡°Or the Radiance of Youth, a tune that could make the user appear younger. The Highborn Lords have personal Charismancers on call that make them look more youthful and dashing.¡± "Are all Charismancers this versatile?" Dave asked. "No," the elf shook her head. "Many focus on amplifying a single tune as their day job. However, I believe that you will be able to produce any of these tunes due to your... rare skill." ¡°I see,¡± Dave said. ¡°What exactly are you, Stellaris?" "My, my, aren''t we full of questions today? But I suppose it''s only fair to tell my Champion what I am. I am, to put it simply¡­ a princess of Shandria." "A princess? Aren''t the rulers of Shandria all human?" ¡°They are,¡± Stellaris nodded, dragging a slender finger across her neck in a gesture of decapitation or perhaps enslavement. ¡°We¡¯ll handle the pesky humans once Shandria is fully mine.¡± [-25-] The Ghosts of Shandria "So¡­ are there many princesses in Shandria or something?" Dave asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the singer nodded. ¡°But soon, there will be only one." The violin in Dave¡¯s soul began to play the Highlander TV Series theme song. ¡°Is Oraniss a princess too?" ¡°Oraniss is a mindless Huntsmaw,¡± Stellaris shrugged. ¡°Huntsmaws are simply lesser obstacles to be removed." ¡°Just so you know,¡± Dave pointed out. "I''m not exactly a professional killer." ¡°Alas,¡± Stellaris shrugged. ¡°Only a Necromancer can remove someone like her from existence¡­ permanently. I tried to vanish Astra from the Equation before using hired assassins, but she didn¡¯t die.¡± "I see," Dave said, feigning understanding. ¡°With you by my side, it will be much easier,¡± the dark elf nodded. Dave¡¯s stomach growled. Stellaris tilted her head. "Oh, where are my manners? You must be hungry after such a long night. Shall we get some breakfast? You can shake my hand and begin your mission right after. I suggest amplifying your Charisma and focusing on becoming invisible. Astra or her caretaker might know that you''re coming. Best stab her while her back is turned." "Sounds good,¡± Dave lied. "Excellent," Stellaris purred, quickly pulling her glove back on. "Let''s go down to the kitchen and order something yummy.¡± As Stellaris turned, Dave saw his opportunity. He had prepared for this moment, having quietly made a makeshift weapon during the night. Hidden in his gray sleeve was a sock filled with silver and copper coins, wrapped tightly in a strip of curtain to make it more sturdy - an improvised blackjack of sorts. The moment Stellaris''s back was turned, Dave pushed everything into Agility. Time seemed to slow as he reached into his sleeve, grasping the handle of his homemade weapon. In one fluid motion, he closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. Just as Stellaris moved, perhaps sensing the sudden movement, Dave shifted all his points into Dexterity to begin the motion and Strength to conclude it. He swung the coin-filled sock with all his might, aiming for the back of Stellaris''s head. The makeshift mace connected with a sickening thud. The dark elf''s eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening in a silent gasp as she crumpled to the floor. Pulling out sliced sheets of rope from under the bed, Dave quickly tied up the singer and shoved her into the bag. His heart raced as he fled the Nightingale tavern, the weight of the enchanted backpack heavy on his shoulders. With all his points pushed into Agility, he moved through the streets of Shandria like a blur, dodging carts and weaving between startled pedestrians. Within minutes, he arrived at the familiar sight of the Cambria Snail Cafe, panting heavily. Cedez was standing behind the circular counter of her cafe. Her usual playful demeanor vanished as she stared at Dave with worry, blue eyes settling on his collar. Murdoc leaned forward, hands tight on the ropes leading to the snail, his Kitlix glittering on his shoulder. Giant glistening eyes of the snail turned to Dave, lightning dancing between them. ¡°Are you here to chop my head off?¡± Cedez asked, dark cloud-rings flickering above her wrists as a dark ring floated over her head. ¡°''Cus I¡¯d prefer an amicable solution.¡± Without a word, Dave reached up and unclasped the black collar from his neck, letting it fall to the ground with a dull thud. Cedez visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping as she let out a long exhale. "Thank the Abyss," she muttered, stepping out of the cafe. ¡°Murdoc, we¡¯re good, relax. He''s not under her control. Soo¡­ where¡¯s Stelly?¡± Dave pointed at the bag. The eyes of the cafe maid went wide. ¡°What, really?¡± She asked. Dave nodded. The foxgirl quickly slid onto a chair across from him, a dark halo igniting over her head, cutting off the sounds of other customers. Dave unzipped the bag and tilted it towards Cedez, revealing the bound and unconscious form of Stellaris. "Seriously, what the hell is this?" Cedez swallowed. "You actually did it," she whispered. "I didn''t think that... I mean, I really hoped you wouldn''t fall for her tricks." ¡°Tricks?¡± Dave raised an eyebrow. "Says the girl who sent me on a ridiculous dragon-slayin'' quest in the first place."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Cedez winced, her ears flattening against her head. "It was supposed to be metaphorical, a way to guide you without... without putting you in direct danger because of me. I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d end up in her pub. You were supposed to stay with Remicra¡­ and stuff. Why did you go to Stella¡¯s pub, Dave?¡± ¡°Remicra¡¯s Overseer tightened the Ward and added Kitlix security, so I went to stay in a pub and have dinner,¡± Dave snapped. ¡°With my friends. Your vague-ass metaphors nearly got me enslaved. Stellaris collared me and told me to kill you. What''s really going on here, Cedez?" The foxgirl sighed. "Stellaris and I, we''re part of¡­ a game, you could say, with very high stakes." ¡°Uh-huh, you¡¯ve got a real Game of Thrones happening over here or something,¡± Dave crossed his arms. ¡°Seriously, am I just supposed to avoid anyone with blue eyes and dark gray skin, is that it?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Cedez offered. ¡°You don¡¯t sound too sure over there, Miss Princess,¡± Dave said. ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± Cedez rubbed her head. ¡°I¡¯ve had a perfect plan laid out in my mind and everything, a dream I¡¯ve had since I was young, a path that was supposed to sort everything out nicely. You arrive in Shandria, stay at Remicra¡¯s place, make armor, we sell it¡­ but it just keeps sliding further and further away because some things just aren¡¯t the same as in the dream!¡± ¡°How many competing princesses are out there?¡± Dave demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cedez shook her head. ¡°How many Huntsmaws are out there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What the hell are you and her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°How do you not know what you are?" Dave asked with an incredulous look. "How can you not know something so basic? You and this bagged idiot obviously know that you¡¯re Shandrian princesses or whatever.¡± ¡°Actually, that''s just an assumption,¡± Cedes said. ¡°One running between a few of us who are more or less stable and sane. There are others with other assumptions and goals. Look Dave, to be honest, I have no clue what I am or what she is.¡± ¡°How did you know my name?¡± Dave demanded. ¡°A dream I¡¯ve had,¡± Cedez said, lowering her eyes. ¡°How did she know my name, know about my skills?¡± Dave pointed at the bag. ¡°The same¡­ shared dream I suspect,¡± Cedez said. ¡°A dream that skewers us, a dream that makes us what we are.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°We¡¯re obviously quite¡­ different from mundane citizens of Shandria. Wrong in some horrible way,¡± Cedez spread her hands. ¡°We can¡¯t be killed with mundane means, Kitlix can''t see us and whenever I touch someone¡­ they become amplified.¡± "So you''re telling me," he said slowly, "that you and Stellaris are some kind of... magical beings? And you don''t even know what you are exactly?" Cedez nodded. "It''s not as glamorous as it sounds, believe me. We''re... stuck. Trapped in roles we didn''t choose, playing out a game we don''t fully understand. Hell, we tried killing each other, but that just makes things worse.¡± "Okay, let''s start from the beginning," Dave said. "You said you had a dream about me. What exactly did you see?" Cedez''s ears twitched nervously. She looked around shiftily, before leaning in close. "I saw you, Dave. I saw you arriving in Shandria, confused and lost. I saw flashes of potential futures - you becoming a great hero, or a terrible villain, or... something in between. But most importantly, I think that you are the key to breaking this cycle we''re trapped in. As long as you¡­ survive.¡± ¡°Cycle of?¡± ¡°Undeath,¡± Cedez said simply. ¡°Unlike mundane magi we are¡­ immortal. Some like Stellaris think there¡¯s a way to break this cycle with violence. She thinks if the competition is permanently taken out of the picture, then perhaps the last one remaining can ascend¡­ to rule Shandria.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Dave tapped the table thoughtfully. ¡°And do you want to rule Shandria?¡± ¡°Not particularly,¡± Cedez shook her head. ¡°Stelly does though.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Dave said. ¡°Have you tried leaving Shandria? Don¡¯t you have a giant snail to ride on?¡± ¡°I cannot leave the city,¡± Cedez shook her head. ¡°Believe me, I tried. Murdoc and I tried everything. I am bound to the city¡­ just like the rest of ¡®em.¡± "But why does Stellaris think she''s a princess? Where did that idea even come from?" Dave demanded. Cedez''s eyes darkened. ¡°Nineteen years ago, Shandria had a princess. Her name was Natalie Oppaz, but she called herself¡­ Nilix Astrix. She was killed by a Necromancer. Since then, the High Lords of Shandria ruled the city in her name.¡± Dave¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It is quite possible that Stelly and I are¡­ ghosts,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Persistent magical echoes left after Natalie¡¯s death, bound to the city until¡­ our mission of revenge is fulfilled.¡± ¡°So you think that you¡¯re just gonna vanish or something once you get your revenge?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just another theory. I can spout guesses all day, but it won¡¯t make them any more or less real.¡± Dave frowned. ¡°The Quest I gave you is unclear because I personally don¡¯t have a clear path forward,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°If I am indeed the result of a Necromage killing the city¡¯s princess, then perhaps another Necromancer¡­ One less insane and less greedy for power, can help sort me out. It all boils down to the simple fact that I need a hero, specifically one with incredibly illegal powers.¡± A leather glove finger pointed at Dave¡¯s chest. ¡°Why not just tell me all this from the start?" Dave asked with a frown. ¡°The more I tell you about us, the tastier you¡¯ll smell to the Seekers of Knowledge who call themselves Huntsmaws,¡± Cedez sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to involve you in all of this so quickly. I was hoping to take my time, but things just keep sliding out of my control. You didn¡¯t shake her hand¡­ right?¡± ¡°I did not,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Good,¡± Cedes exhaled. ¡°That would have made you even tastier. She is higher level than me, so the kickback would have been worse." ¡°What should I do about her?¡± Dave eyed the bag under his feet. ¡°The safest path forward for you is to kill her and to eat her soul,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, she¡¯ll just melt out of those ropes, reconstitute in her pub and then hire hunters to collar you. It won¡¯t be a simple leather collar this time. She¡¯ll probably bind you with greater magics and a magisteel collar. She¡¯s not going to give up on her mission of unmaking her competition.¡± ¡°Gee, I really didn¡¯t expect to become a local soul-eating demon in my second life,¡± Dave joked, trying to lighten the situation. ¡°You¡¯re much too adorkable for that,¡± Cedez grinned. ¡°More of a local friendly Ghost-buster if anything.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°Not sure if I can just stab her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not a person,¡± Cedez pointed at the bag. ¡°She¡¯s a very angry ghost, one that wants revenge against everyone who slighted her. If you cut her up, she¡¯ll bleed dark smoke¡­ just like me.¡± ¡°And you? What do you want?" ¡°I want to be free,¡± Cedez confessed. ¡°I want to live¡­ I want to have many friends, I want to fall in love. I want to have a family. I want a lot of things¡­ so many things that I cannot have because of what I am.¡± [-26-] The Mowgli of the Shadows Dave pondered the words of the potential ghost of the princess of Shandria. ¡°What do you think, Sherlock?¡± He mentally asked the heart of his Wisdom. The violin responded with a song he recognized. ¡°If you¡¯re really her,¡± he said. ¡°Then there¡¯s a way to test it.¡± ¡°Do tell,¡± Cedez smiled. ¡°I want you to sing for me,¡± Dave said. ¡°Oh? Which tune would you like me to sing?" ¡°The same song Stellaris sang in the bar to me.¡± "Can do," Cedez nodded. The inverted halo above her head flickered and vanished from existence, the sounds of the cafe flooding back in. She ran towards the metal stairwell and vanished upstairs with a swish of black tail. In another moment, she slid back down across the railing, a dark violin-guitar in hand. Her gloved fingers struck the strings, carrying the music across the cafe. Then she opened her mouth. ¡°I heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord..." Her voice joined the music, rushing like a spring brook, capturing the attention of every adventurer at the cafe. Dave and Sherlock listened. Every word, every intonation, every chord was exactly the same as yesterday. ¡°Maybe there''s a God above But all I''ve ever learned from love Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you...¡± The song was perfect like before, captured Dave¡¯s soul in its orbit, danced across the cafe across every sunlight beam, bounced off the pearlescent shell of the giant snail and echoed towards the Adventurers Gate, making the helmeted guards within smile. ¡°It''s not a cry that you hear at night It''s not someone who''s seen the light...¡± Dave¡¯s lips whispered the chorus along with Cedez. He knew this song far too well. In another minute, she concluded and sat down across from Dave with a flourish to the applause and whistles of the gathered adventurers. ¡°Satisfied?¡± She asked, her dark halo returning, cutting off the sound of their cheering. "Yes." He nodded. "You''re either ridiculously good at copying each other''s singing or you''re actually the same person. There is a difference between you though... a variance in your desires, unless you are lying to me. Why is that?" "I''ll entertain you with another theory," Cedez offered. "We''re like... fragments. Shards of a broken mirror, each reflecting a different aspect of the original princess. I represent her desires for companionship and freedom. Stellaris..." She glanced at the bag. "She embodies Natalie''s thirst for power over others." "So, what you''re saying is, you''re both incomplete?" "Maybe," Cedez shrugged. "You want me to try to put you back together or something?" Dave asked. "Uhm," Cedez frowned. "I''m not sure if that''s such a good idea. I... like being me. I don''t want to be more like her, don''t want to own you. Unlike her, I actually had a pretty good grandfather." She glanced in the direction of Murdoc. "Let''s say I believe you''re both fragments of this Shandrian princess. What exactly do you want me to do? Because I''m not super comfortable with the idea of just... stabbing people and consuming souls left and right." "She won''t hesitate," Cedez nodded at the bag. "If you let her go, she won''t stop coming after you, after me, after Murdoc... She wishes to unmake anyone she sees as a threat to her rise to the top.¡± "And you know this how?" "Because we dream of each other at night," Cedez said. "When I look at her or at you, I can recall some parts of this shared dream, otherwise it''s just a blur." "How do I know you''re not just manipulating me too?" "Fair question," Cedez admitted. "I suppose you don''t. But I haven''t tried to collar you or force you into anything. I''ve simply been trying to guide you subtly..." Dave frowned. "Even if my methods were... imperfect," Cedez waved a gloved hand, strumming her guitar-violin to produce a few catchy notes. "I''m still nicer than her¡­ right?¡± Dave nodded, then had an idea. "What if... we tried talking to Stellaris? If you''re both fragments of the same person, maybe there''s a way to... I don''t know, cooperate? Find some middle ground?" "Fine," Cedez sighed. "If you want to talk to her, let''s go upstairs. We can talk to her when she wakes up. Follow." Dave followed Cedez up the winding staircase, the weight of the bag containing Stellaris heavy on his shoulders. As they reached the top, Cedez waved Murdoc over. The grumpy-looking wizard nodded, then to Dave''s surprise, also climbed inside the enormous snail''s shell from where he had been sitting. Curious, Dave stepped through the round door after Cedez. His eyes widened as he took in the unexpected sight. Inside the shell was a cozy apartment, its walls shimmering with the same pearlescent texture as the snail''s exterior. Round lamps housing a few glowing Kitlix illuminated the circular space with a soft light. The crystalline kitten-dragons turned their heads to Dave, looking at him with glowing eyes. "This is your place?" Dave asked, looking around. "Murdoc''s mostly," Cedez replied with a shrug. "I don''t actually get to sleep here since I''m a ghost or whatever. Plus... I can''t control Bessie or any of the Kitlix here.¡± The emerald-robed, old wizard settled onto a white leather couch, his eyes wary as he watched Dave and Cedez. Dave pushed more soul shards into Strength and with a grunt lifted the unconscious Stellaris out of the bag and placed her on the couch opposite Murdoc. Murdoc looked over the ropes and whispered something to his Kitlix. His familiar glittered with violet sparks. A few glistening, pale tentacles emerged from the round hollows in the glittering walls, wrapping themselves around the limbs of the passed out elf. ¡°Do you have a couple of vials that could be corked and a needle? I want to test something,¡± Dave said to his host. Murdoc nodded, then ordered his Kitlix. A moment later, another thin, semi-transparent tentacle emerged from a hole in the wall, grabbed a glass vial from a nearby shelf and a needle from another and handed it to Dave. Dave pulled the dark elf''s glove off slightly and carefully poked Stellaris'' wrist with the needle. Dark fluid, reminiscent of ink or smoke given liquid form, dripped from the cut into the vial. In another moment, the bleeding stopped as the cut sealed itself.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. He quickly corked it, watching it intently. To his surprise, the substance didn''t vanish or dissipate as he had half-expected it to, simply swirling in the vial as dark smoke coalescing at the bottom and moving like a spiral. Cedez leaned in, her fox ears twitching with curiosity. "Whatcha doing?" "Testing her blood," he replied, holding the vial up to the light. "You said you bleed dark smoke, right? I wanted to see how it behaves outside of your bodies." "And?" Cedez prompted, her tail swishing back and forth. "It''s not disappearing," Dave said. "Give me your hand." Cedez hesitated for a moment before pulling off her glove and offering a hand. Dave poked her finger with the needle, making her wince. The same dark substance oozed out, dripping into the second vial. "Interesting," Dave muttered, comparing the two vials. "They look identical." Murdoc leaned forward, his bushy, silver eyebrows furrowed. "What are you thinking, lad?" Dave waved both of the vials. "If you''re both fragments of the same person, then maybe... maybe this substance is the key to understanding what you are." He turned to Cedez. "You said you can''t leave the city, right? What happens if you try?" "Nothing," she said. "Nothing?" Dave arched an eyebrow. "Nothing happens until... nightfall," Cedez nodded. "At night, I simply stop being me, melt into smoke and wake up alone, confused and naked at a random rooftop in Shandria." "What happens if I mix these?" Dave asked, wiggling the vials in his hands. ¡°Try it,¡± Cedez said. Dave poured one shadow fluid into the other. There was indeed no effect. He quickly corked the combined vial before it evaporated. They both mixed without any problems, creating a thicker spiral. Dave activated his Phantom Sight ability, focusing intently on Cedez and then the vial of dark smoke-fluid. At first, he saw nothing unusual. Pushing all his points into Wisdom, he squinted harder, straining his Phantom Sight. After a minute of a headache inducing glaring, he noticed the tiniest sparks of silver soul shards flickering within the vial. Turning his gaze back to Cedez, Dave noticed she glittered ever so slightly in his enhanced vision. Stellaris exhibited the same subtle shimmer. As he leaned down to examine Stellaris'' dress, a realization struck him. "Hang on... these gems are full of soul shards," Dave said. He glanced back at Cedez. "Yours too. Who made your dress?" "I did," Murdoc answered from his seat on the couch. "How?" Dave asked. "Long ago," Murdoc began, his eyes distant. "I was twenty three, and my fianc¨¦e, Darra, was an adventurer. I worked on the outskirts of Shandria as a Snailmancer at a snail-breeding farm. One day, she... she didn''t return from one of her expeditions into the wilds." Dave noticed Cedez''s ears droop slightly as she settled onto the floor next to Murdoc, curling her tail around herself. "I spent all of my savings on a Scrutimancer, went searching for her in the wilds, to no result. I didn''t give up. I went out as often as I could to look for her. After a few weeks of searching, we found the bodies of the others torn up by a Thundersnarg, but not hers.¡± The old wizard paused. ¡°I hadn''t given up, kept looking for her, bred a snail that could track a person. By the time I found her body¡­ a decade had gone by," Murdoc continued, his voice thick with emotion. "She had fallen into a crevasse, got separated from the rest and had... become a dungeon.¡± ¡°A dungeon?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Magic burned into the very land itself. Her skill, Swordmancy... became bound to the land, her bones and crystalline heart core fused into the deep crevasse. She became part of the local cave system. There were blades of grass as sharp as swords that tried to cut up my companion''s feet. Bushes with blades as their leaves. Flying insects shaped like living swords. They didn''t touch me, so I thought that maybe... maybe there was still a chance to speak to her, to bring her back.¡± The wizard fell silent for a moment, closing his eyes. "I thought that I heard her voice in the grass, saw her pale hair flickering in the gloomy cavern pierced by a single beam of light." The wizard''s hands trembled slightly as he spoke. "For many years after, I foolishly sought a solution, refusing to give up on her. I delved into forbidden magics, consulted with people and creatures I''d rather forget. Eventually, an Alchemist told me that absolutely purified mana crystals could theoretically capture an imprint of a person.¡± ¡°Did it?¡± Dave asked. ¡°No,¡± Murdoc sighed heavily. "It didn''t work. The crystals I produced¡­ simply became contaminated with Swordmancy when I left them in the dungeon cavern. They didn''t bring her back. It... was only her skill that remained. She was gone.¡± The wizard paused again. ¡°It was then that I met Archmage Kells. The Charismatic bastard promised me that he could save her, could save everyone from death, bring all that were lost. Many of us lowborns supported his... revolution, helped his rise to power, but it was for naught. ¡°Kells and his undead army slaughtered the City Watch, stormed the palace and executed everyone within, declaring himself Supreme Sovereign of Shandria. His Republic didn''t last very long. The surviving High Lords opened a gate and summoned help from other cities of the Shadow Empire. Archmage Kells was obliterated by their combined might, the entire palace reduced to rubble along with his undead and living minions." Dave absorbed the words of the old mage. "Then, about ten years ago," Murdoc continued, his gaze shifting to Cedez, "I found this dark young fox on my rooftop. She was trying to steal my cloak that was hanging out to dry." "It was a very nice cloak," she nodded, tail wiggling. Murdoc chuckled softly. "She seemed lost and confused. Couldn''t speak properly, couldn''t remember who she was. I thought her a victim of some Highborn prick''s games, that her mind was purged of the crimes perpetrated against her with a spell. So, I didn''t report her to the Watch, worried that they would just dispose of her by feeding her to the shadows.¡± "You took her in?" Dave asked. Murdoc nodded. "I tried using one of the leftover purified crystals to help her remember who she was. Purified mana can help center a person''s magic, sing it back to them, stabilize their mind if it is fractured. She liked playing with the shiny gems. It seemed like it was helping." Cedez nodded along, pawing at the large blue gem hanging from her leather collar. "At night, to my great surprise, she vanished into smoke. But come morning, she was awake and holding onto that big crystal, staring at me with those big blue, lost eyes." Cedez looked at Dave and then smiled at the Snailmancer. "I raised her as the granddaughter I never had," Murdoc said. "Watched her grow up, taught her right from wrong." "She aged?" Dave asked. Murdoc whispered to his Kitlix and a snail tentacle grabbed a picture hanging on a wall and handed it to Dave. A younger, skinnier Cedez was there sitting next to Murdoc on the snail''s shell. "She amplified my Snailmancy tenfold, which helped me find Bessie," Murdoc said, pointing at the nearest glossy tentacle. "We both caught her in the wilds, bound her to my little Wickx." The Snailmancer pet his Kitlix. "So these crystals," Dave began, piecing things together as he stared at the diamond-like gems on Cedez, "they help anchor her?" Murdoc nodded. "In a way. They seem to help her retain... herself, store her long term memories." Dave''s gaze shifted to the still unconscious Stellaris. "And her? How does she have similar crystals?" "She probably just copied what we were doing," Cedez shrugged. "Got the info through the shared dream." "So then... both of you were lost until you were able to anchor yourself," Dave said. "If you had different memories for ten years, then you must have diverged since." Cedez nodded. "Murdoc, have you ever encountered any other... beings like her?" "Aye, lad. There were others. Not many, mind you. They''d appear in the city from time to time, confused and lost. Some of them attacked me, trying to eat me, but Bessie chased them away with her lightning. A few years after we opened the cafe they gave up on trying to eat me, forgot about me. They don''t like people much, I reckon, and there''s constantly adventurers here." ¡°And her?¡± Dave pointed at Stellaris. ¡°She or another anchored girl hired an assassin,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°Bastard used invisibility and shot Cedez through the heart with a poisoned arrow from a distance when we were closing the cafe. Watched her die in my arms. Come morning, she was alive and well again, holding onto her gem." "Dying hurt like a bitch," Cedez voiced. ¡°I should have shot your ass too, old man,¡± Stellaris hissed out, opening her eyes and wiggling in her bonds. Cedez leapt from the floor, black spirals forming over her hands, fingers pointed at Stellaris. Murdoc tensed up, the Kitlix on his shoulder twinkling. Eyes on stalks emerged from the wall, lightning dancing between them with a crackle of electric discharge. ¡°You were supposed to kill her,¡± Stellaris spotted Dave. ¡°How in the Abyss have you gotten free? The collar bound your soul to serve me, I felt it connecting!¡± ¡°I don''t appreciate being collared,¡± Dave said. ¡°You agreed to my Quest!¡± The dark elf snarled. ¡°You''re supposed to be my personal death-knight! You have to kill Astra, help me retake my city!" Stellaris glared at Cedez who glared back. ¡°Your city?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Yes, my bloody city!¡± Stellaris growled. ¡°Shandria belongs to me! It was taken from me by that Kells bastard and the High Lord pricks that permitted him to fester in the sewers below! You belong to me, Necromancer!¡± "I belong to no-one," Dave shot back, his bone knife already in his right hand. "Collars don''t work on me, so please stop trying to claim me. I''m not your personal assassin." "If you choose to align yourself with these fools, then I shall devour you here and now, Necromancer!" Stellaris hissed dangerously. Shadow blades erupted across her figure, snapping the makeshift ropes and carving through the tentacles holding her down. She leaped at Dave, a shadow blade manifesting in her hand pointed at his neck. [-27-] Slain Dave shoved everything into Agility, his muscles tensing as time seemed to slow around him. Stellaris''s shadow blade whistled through the air, slicing through the topmost strands of his ginger hair as he ducked beneath it. The severed locks drifted slowly to the ground, evidence of how close he''d come to losing his head. In the same instant, a long shadow-chain flew from Cedez''s hands, cutting through the air with a sinister hiss. Stellaris, her movements fluid and graceful despite her rage, twisted mid-lunge to slice through Cedez''s attack. The chain wrapped around the shadow blade and both weapons detonated in a dark, fading wisp. Before Dave could even process what had happened, a blinding flash erupted from Bessie''s stalked eyes. A deafening bolt of lightning flashed the room, finding purchase on Stellaris''s ornate dress. The fabric ignited instantly, flames licking up her body as she let out an agonized cry. Yet even as her dress burned, Stellaris''s determination didn''t waver. Her silver-blue eyes, now reflecting the dancing flames, locked onto Dave with murderous intent, intent on removing him from the hands of Cedez and Murdoc. She lunged forward again, a second shadow blade forming in both of her hands pointed squarely at his chest. Dave swung his entire body sideways. Stellaris, now a terrifying vision of flame, dancing electrical currents and boiling shadows, bore down on him. Her teeth, unnaturally sharp, snapped at his neck as she closed the distance. In that moment of desperation, Dave''s survival instincts took over. His hand moved of its own accord, the bone knife he''d been clutching finding its mark in Stellaris''s side, all of his points switching to Strength. The blade sank deep before Dave¡¯s mind even caught up with what his accelerated body had done. Stellaris''s eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening in a silent scream as Dave¡¯s hand closed around her leather collar, pushing her away from biting him. Uneven, dragon-like shadow jaws emerged from the sliced chest of Stellaris trying to chomp off his hand, but Dave activated Phantom Absorption, devouring the brilliant soul-shards burning within the shadow-beast''s maw. Without the soul-shards to focus them, the teeth turned into wisps of decaying smoke. Cedez closed in, grabbing onto Stellaris with more shadow chains, snapping more of the shadow-blades that Stellaris tried to produce. Stellaris''s struggles grew weaker, her once-fierce expression melting into one of fear and, finally, acceptance as her thrashing ceased. More brilliant soul-shards, like fragments of starlight, began to flow from her deep wound into Dave''s hand. Each shard brought with it a flash of memory, emotion, or knowledge - fleeting glimpses into the life and mind of the singer. Finding the key to having permanent memory, the key to persistence within the dream. Stealing a purified gemstone by robbing and murdering an Alchemist who produced it. Murdering the City Watch guards that tried to hunt her down. Murdering a Scrutimancer who came to investigate the murders. Robbing the Arx Bank and murdering the security guards with blades of shadows. Learning about the others. Learning about the death of the princess, dreaming about being her. Renting a reinforced room from Lord Burgundy¡¯s rep to make more underworld connections through the Nightingale pub connected with the catacombs of Undertown below. Learning about the Night Guilds, recruiting assassins to start to eliminate her competitors for the crown of Shandria. Irritation as they refused to die permanently. Learning about Necromancer Dave. Desiring to own him, to use him as the final solution to her problems. As the last of the dark elf''s essence drained away, her physical form began to crumble like ash, her innards spilling out into pouring black smoke that Cedez absorbed, not letting any of it get away. The gems adorning Stellaris''s dress flickered and faded as the empty outfit fell to the floor. Dave stumbled, overwhelmed by the influx of information. His mind reeled, trying to process the fractured fragments of Stellaris''s horrid life of an unending carousel of betrayal, trickery and murder. In another minute, the memories of being her faded away. ¡°See? What¡¯d I tell you?¡± Cedez exhaled, panting beside Dave. ¡°Too bloody determined¡­ no room for cooperation.¡± "Yeah,¡± Dave heaved. ¡°I feel like I''ve been hit by a bus... a bus full of homicidal, angry princesses with a penchant for shadow puppetry. She really believed she was the rightful ruler of Shandria and that everyone else was just... an obstacle to be eliminated. I do hope that you ain¡¯t like her.¡± ¡°Come on, me? A backstabbing princess? I can barely manage not to trip over my own tail half the time while delivering lattes,¡± Cedez joked. With an exhale, she flopped onto the white couch, curling up into a dark ball. ¡°Welp, that was way too much Shadowmancy for reasonability. I¡¯ma rest now and recover my mana. Plz no bug the fox.¡± Her eyes closed. Dave looked at the lightning-torched empty dress. "So, what do we do with her gems?" ¡°Dunno,¡± Cedez opened a single blue eye. ¡°Feel free to absorb any residual soul outta them. I don¡¯t want anything to do with what she is. I like my life as myself, thank you very much.¡± He sighed and leaned down, absorbing the sparks from the gemstones within the burned dress. "There," he said after a few minutes. "Got all of them, I think." A view of a gemstone encrusted hexagram flashed in Dave¡¯s newly attained memories. A backup, a way to come back if the dress was destroyed.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°She¡¯s got another backup...¡± he muttered. ¡°Hrm?¡± The blue eye of the tired-looking foxgirl settled on him. ¡°I think we have to go into the room she rented at the pub,¡± Dave said. ¡°Destroy the gemstone hexagram under the floorboards, make sure she doesn¡¯t return.¡± ¡°Ugh, responsibilities,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Really didn¡¯t want more of them.¡± [Phantomancy Level 5 reached!] Dave¡¯s bracelet announced suddenly. ¡°Stats,¡± he thought. Going over his stats he noticed the new affliction [Felislice Infection. State: Larvae growth] there and that he now had over [35.8956] soul-shard bits to move around. He placed all of the new shards into Vitality, feeling that he pulled several of his muscles while fighting against Stellaris and sat next to Cedez on the couch. Murdoc picked up the remnants of the dress and gave it to a snail tentacle. Bessie slipped the burned dress onto a hanger and shoved it into a closet. The old wizard settled into a nearby armchair, his weathered hands clasped in his lap. "Hrm," he voiced, his voice gravelly as a transparent tentacle held a steaming cup of tea which he accepted. "I''m getting too damn old for all of this excitement. Thankfully ol'' Bessie makes excellent chamomile tea." Dave nodded wearily. "I definitely didn''t plan on stabbing anyone today," he admitted. "Few of us ever do. But sometimes, it''s kill or be killed,¡± the old wizard pointed out. Dave frowned. "She''s a good lass, you know," Murdoc said, waving a tea-free hand at Cedez. "Despite¡­ the darkness she carries in her soul.¡± "Darkness?" Dave thought, contemplating the insatiable madness he absorbed from Stellaris. "Seems like," Murdoc began, his tone casual but with an undercurrent of seriousness. "You seem to have gotten yourself rather entangled in our little family''s affairs." "I suppose I have," Dave admitted, shifting slightly under the old man''s steely-gray gaze. "So, Sir Dave, what exactly are your intentions towards my granddaughter?" Murdoc asked. "I... uh... intentions?" "Yes, intentions,¡± Muroc nodded. ¡°You''ve been spending quite a bit of time around her, haven''t you? And now you''ve gone and killed two of her... cousins, for lack of a better word." Dave fumbled for words, acutely aware of Cedez''s curled up fluffy tail next to him. "I... we''re just friends, I guess.¡± The old wizard''s eyes narrowed. "Just friends, hrm? And do you always stab people for your friends?" "That was self-defense," Dave protested. ¡°Stellaris tried to bite my head off!¡± Murdoc leaned forward in his armchair. "Listen here, lad. Cedez might be... different from us, but she''s still my granddaughter. I''ve watched her grow, taught her everything I know. If you''re planning on sticking around, I need to know you''re not going to hurt her." "Pffff, leave him alone, Gramps," the Cedez-ball commented, large dark ears twitching in the direction of their conversation like a pair of radar dishes. "Dave''s just a poor, confused Earth boy. He probably doesn''t even know which end of a Kitlix to pet." ¡°What, Kitlix have specific petting ends?¡± Dave asked. "See what I mean? Totally clueless. Besides, if anyone should be worried about intentions, it''s me. I mean, have you seen how he looks at Remicra''s forge?" "I do not look at her forge!" Dave protested, his face reddening. "Oh please," Cedez teased. "I''ve seen you eyeing those steamin'' bellows. It''s indecent, I tell you!" Murdoc''s stern expression cracked slightly, a hint of amusement creeping into his eyes as Dave tried to come up with an effective comeback and failed at it. "You''re too easy to tease,¡± the dark fox giggled. ¡°But seriously, Gramps, Dave''s a good guy. He didn''t have to bring Stellaris all bagged up in here, you know. He could have just..." She made a distinctive slurping noise, sticking her pink tongue out. ¡°I do not slurp souls like that,¡± Dave complained. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the Mister strong and silent soul-crunchin¡¯ type,¡± Cedez grinned, without opening her eyes. ¡°Oh, how does it feel to be a certified princess hitman? Should we get you a tiara or something?¡± ¡°Yeaaah,¡± Dave replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to pass on the tiara.¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯d ruin your manly image,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°Maybe a t-shirt that says ¡®I had a Quest to slay a dragon, but I¡¯m more into princess-slayin¡¯.¡± Dave''s stomach suddenly let out a loud growl, interrupting her banter. He realized that he skipped breakfast on the account of kidnapping Stellaris. ¡°Oh no,¡± Cedez commented. "I can''t have my hero starving to death! What kind of quest-giver would I be if I let that happen?" She turned to Murdoc. "Gramps, can Bess'' feed the poor, famished Earth boy before he wastes away in our living room?" Per request, a pearlescent tentacle emerged from a hidden compartment in the snail''s shell. It glided smoothly across the room, opened a coldbox featuring a silver Kitlix curled up inside, its crystalline body glistening with frost. As the tentacle reached in, the Kitlix chirped softly, its eyes blinking open to reveal swirling patterns of blue and white. Dave watched in fascination as the tentacle carefully maneuvered around the living refrigeration unit, selecting various items with surprising dexterity. "That''s Frizz," Cedez commented. "She keeps our food fresh and cools the entire place during summer." "You have summer?" Dave blinked. "How is there even a summer on an inverted world that doesn''t have an axis?" The tentacle withdrew from the coldbox, laden with an assortment of ingredients. It glided over to a nearby counter where more tentacles grabbed several knives, slicing and arranging the food with precision. "Ah," Cedez said languidly, "our sun orbits around the black hole, rotating along with it. There''s a period when the sun''s light reaches us constantly, creating what we call our ''summer.'' It''s a season of eternal sunshine." Dave tried to visualize what she described. "So, during this ''summer,'' the sun never sets?" Cedez nodded. "Exactly. It''s always daylight then.¡± ¡°Soooo¡­ there¡¯s no night in Shandria during summer?¡± Dave asked. ¡°No night in the wilds outside of Shandria,¡± Cedez clarified. ¡°In Shandria, Nightningale makes sure that nights happen like clockwork. The cloud covers the entire city, creating artificial twilight. It¡¯s still warm, but it¡¯s darker and spookier.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice of them,¡± Dave commented. ¡°Uh-huh. Nightey is our city''s extra-diligent protector," Cedez explained, her tail swishing lazily. "Keeps the bad stuff out, you know?" Bessie''s tentacles deposited a plate of beautifully arranged sandwiches made from sliced salmon, fresh bread, and capers on the table. The plate slid smoothly across the surface, coming to rest perfectly between Dave and Cedez. The foxgirl uncurled from the couch and grabbed herself a sandwich. Dave did the same, watching her eat. ¡°What?¡± She asked. "You eat stuff? Not very ghost-like of you," he pointed out. ¡°I function like people during the day," she commented, her mouth full of salmon sandwich. A caper fell from her lips, bouncing off her chest and rolling across the floor. She watched it go with a mournful expression. ¡°And at night?¡± Dave asked. "At night, I probably turn into a terrifying shadow dragon-centipede that feasts on the hopes and dreams of innocent puppies. One minute I''m a sophisticated cafe maid, the next I''m just a hungry monster that noms things. Nom nom nom.¡± Cedez nommed her salmon with sharp fox-chompers, making Dave shudder ever so slightly. [-28-] Dark Engine Dave finished the last bite of his giant-snail prepped salmon sandwich. Despite the delicious breakfast, a shadow seemed to cross his face as he stared at the sandwich-filled plate before him. Cedez, noticing his frown, tilted her head curiously. "Hey, why the long face? Did the salmon offend your delicate palate?" Dave sighed, his eyes meeting hers. "It''s not the food. I... I can see the Felislice infection in my Stats now. It popped up when I went up to Level Five." Cedez''s ears drooped slightly, her playful expression softening. She reached out, her gloved hand gently patting Dave''s arm. "Hey, don''t worry about it. Remy will fix you up. She''s a whiz with that kind of stuff. Also, congrats on the number increase.¡± "How did you know so much about Remicra?" Dave asked. "Saw her in a dream," Cedez replied quickly, snacking on a caper. "A Foresight dream, like the vision of Healers Hall you sent me on?¡± "Nowhere as clear," Cedez shrugged. "It was a veeeeery long dream that I had almost ten years ago. We did many great and terrible things in it... Several lifetimes of things." "We? Lifetimes?" "You, me, Remy and the others," the foxgirl commented. "Look, I don''t remember most of it, so stop pestering me about it. Just get Remy on board, she''ll make things better¡­ I think.¡± ¡°You think?¡± ¡°It all worked out in my dream, okay? It¡¯s not my fault that the current reality has all of these¡­ complications and horrible twists to it!¡± "Yeah," Dave sighed. "Remicra''s lighthouse is being watched by a Custodix Kitlix now with a timer of thirty minutes per customer. I can''t just waltz in there and ask her to perform some complicated magical surgery on me. Surgeries, if Garret is to be believed.¡± "Hrmm," Cedez pursed her dark lips. "This definitely wasn''t in my dream." "Yeah, and even though I made some money recently, I doubt it''s enough to afford a specific Kitlix for Remicra to use. Those things aren''t exactly cheap, you know? Plus, she won''t tell me her level on the account that she doesn''t trust me. How am I supposed to bring her a specific metal-controlling Kitlix?" ¡°I¡¯d let you borrow cash, if I had any,¡± Cedez commented with a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t you own a cafe or something?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Murdoc owns the cafe on the account that banking Kitlix can see him. Also, I¡¯m spending all of my earnings on myself, so that I don¡¯t decay away into a murderous blob,¡± Cedez waved a hand across her blue gemstone encrusted outfit. ¡°Purified mana gems aren¡¯t cheap and they don¡¯t last forever. I¡¯m a high maintenance gal.¡± Murdoc, who had been quietly sipping his tea, set his cup down with a soft clink. "Perhaps," he said, "you''re approaching this problem from the wrong angle." Dave turned to the old wizard. "What do you mean?" "You''re a necromancer, are you not?" Murdoc asked. "Not exactly, but what are you suggesting?" "Archmage Kells shifted his magic skills around to fool wards. It''s how he constantly bamboozled the City Watch, confounding Scrutimancers," Mordoc explained. "Perhaps you can learn to do the same? Simply present a different soul configuration to the Custodix every thirty minutes? Kitlix don''t exactly see people, they see... our Auras, the immutable pattern of our souls." Dave''s eyes widened as Murdoc''s words sank in. The simplicity of the solution struck him like a mountain avalanche, leaving him momentarily speechless. "That''s... that''s brilliant!" he stated. "Why didn''t I even think of that?" Cedez snickered. "Because you''re too busy with stabbing princesses, darling. Sometimes, the simplest solution is the best one." Dave turned to Murdoc. "You¡¯re certain? I could trick the Custodix by simply altering my Attributes?" "Aye," Murdoc nodded. "People can¡¯t move their Attributes around, this is why everyone trusts Custodix-enforced security measures and why the Watch fears Necromancers.¡± Dave relaxed. He grabbed another sandwich from the plate, chewing it. Cedez sent Murdoc a thumbs up, which the old wizard acknowledged with a nod. ¡°Okay,¡± Dave contemplated, glancing at Cedez. ¡°That''s one problem down. Now I have to figure out how to amplify Remicra''s Metallomancy.¡± ¡°Don''t look at me,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Remy can''t escape her tower, I wouldn''t want to have them target her if I offer her a handshake.¡± ¡°What did Remicra do in this dream of yours?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Forge armor,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Dave pursed his lips. He turned to the old mage. "Murdoc, you seem to know a lot about magic. How exactly are the Kitlix made? Is there any way to create one without spending hundreds in silver?"This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The old wizard stroked his white beard thoughtfully. "Kitlix are born from magic tools. Wickx, for example.¡± Murdoc pet his familiar. ¡°Was born from an old snail-shepherding staff which I left overnight on a windowsill.¡± ¡°You were able to bind her to yourself?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Nah,¡± Murdoc shook his head. ¡°Had a binder friend of mine handle the familiar connection for a discount. You can tell when a magic tool is ready to become a Kitlix, so I had her on Voicecast waiting. I was able to keep Wickx from scampering off as I surrounded the staff in a ring of mana crystals. She munched on them till Lady Ocatha showed up.¡± ¡°Could you refer me to this binder?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Ocatha was older than me,¡± Murdoc replied, taking another sip of his tea. ¡°She died six winters ago when her stomach burst. Sadly, many of my trusted friends are gone now. I¡¯m mostly clinging on because I worry that without me this precocious little scamp will stray off the path of goodness.¡± ¡°Oi,¡± Cedez huffed. ¡°I can totally handle myself, thank you very much.¡± ¡°Tell that to someone who doesn¡¯t know ya,¡± Murdoc commented, gray-steel eyes pinning the dark fox to the couch. Cedez made an imperious ¡®harrumph why I never¡¯ expression and then burst into rushing giggles. "Okay, okay, granpaw, you''re right. I''m doomed without you and Bessie." ¡°How do you make sure that she doesn''t, um, stray?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I make sure that she doesn¡¯t shake hands with every fool who stumbles out of the wilds,¡± Murdoc said with a look that implied things. ¡°Because this makes her more visible to her far less sane¡­ cousins. Stellaris had pretty much forgotten all about us till Ceddy gave you a handshake to save your life.¡± Dave gulped. ¡°Didn¡¯t Stellaris hire an assassin?¡± He asked. ¡°That was nine years ago, all because I shook Ceddy¡¯s hand to find Bessie,¡± Murdoc replied. ¡°Things had considerably calmed since then¡­ until you showed up.¡± "So, um,¡± Dave said, trying to redirect the conversation away from him being the source of the old man¡¯s worries. ¡°Murdoc, how did you make your Snailmancy staff in the first place?" ¡°Crafting a magical tool requires very specific materials,¡± Murdoc began. ¡°In my case, it was a wood that matched my affinity - willow, as it happens. But not just any willow, mind you. It had to be from a Mystic Willow tree that grows in a dungeon.¡± Dave nodded. "But the wood aligned to a person alone isn''t enough," Murdoc continued. "The real magic comes from crystallized mana. My Darra was part of an adventurer team that specialized in dungeon delving. They brought back all sorts of treasures, including mana crystals." The old man''s voice trembled slightly as he spoke of his late fianc¨¦e. "Darra knew how much I wanted to advance my Snailmancy. So on one of her expeditions, she made it a point to bring back the brightest and biggest mana crystal she could find. It took me months of focus to convert the dungeon mana into a Snailmancy-aligned crystal that I could use myself, growing it in the heart of the wooden staff inch by inch. I used the staff for about seven years until the wood became filled with crystalline fissures splintering it. When it cracked completely, Wickx was born from it. I was level thirty six back then and Wickx had just as many levels when she emerged from what remained of my staff.¡± ¡°Damn it,¡± Dave said. ¡°I was hoping for something quicker. I definitely don¡¯t have seven years to make Remicra use a magic hammer or whatever.¡± Murdoc shrugged. "There''s got to be another way," Dave muttered, more to himself than to the others. He turned to Murdoc again. "Is there any way to... I don''t know, speed up the process? Or maybe create a temporary magical tool?" Murdoc stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Magic isn''t something to be rushed. But..." he paused, his eyes distant as if recalling something. "There are tales of ancient artifacts that could amplify a person''s magical abilities. Relics from a bygone era, most of them lost to time or locked away in the magisteel vaults of the High Lords." "Like what?" "Oh, all sorts," Murdoc waved a hand. "Rings, amulets, even weapons. But they''re rare, since most old artefacts just turn into Kitlix upon frequent use. There¡¯s no way that we could get access to such without robbing some old family¡¯s vault.¡± Dave nodded. "What about the gems from Stellaris''s dress?" he asked. "Could those be used somehow?" ¡°Those are mana gems aligned to her Shadowmancy,¡± Cedez said. ¡°What is your plan for the dress?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Ehhh,¡± Cedez winced. ¡°I¡¯m not touching it, in case the gems still have¡­ any of Stelly''s personality in it.¡± ¡°That dress is incredibly dangerous if it still contains Stellaris in it,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°I worry that it will bring her back in the morning. I was planning to have Bessie fry it with lightning outside of town this evening, reducing all of those gems to ashes. Best to take no chances.¡± Dave slotted everything into Wisdom and pushed it all into Sherlock, his mind expanding as he focused intently on the vial of dark fluid standing on the table in front of him. The world around him seemed to fade away as he concentrated, the violin in his soul playing a melody of analytical deduction. The futuristic office of the detective overlapped itself over Dave''s vision halfway. "Consider the evidence: Cedez can amplify others'' magic through physical contact, yet the shadow substance does nothing outside her body," Sherlock reasoned, steepling his fingers. "This suggests an internal process, much like how an engine converts fuel into energy." "So if we could find a way to ''burn'' this fuel outside of her body, we might be able to create a similar all-amplification effect," Dave replied. Sherlock''s deductions continued. "The gems in their dresses act as anchors, storing memories and possibly stabilizing their forms. What if the gems also act as a sort of... carburetor for this dark fuel? A way to regulate and channel its power?" Dave''s gaze darted between the vial and Cedez''s gem-studded outfit. "If we could create a device that mimics this process using the dress and the knowledge of Stellaris in my head - we might be able to generate a temporary amplification effect," he theorized aloud. Murdoc looked at Dave. The old wizard leaned towards Cedez with a look of concern. Cedez waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, don''t mind him. He''s just chatting with his ghost bestie. It''s a Necromancer thing, you know. Didn¡¯t Archmage Kells have ghost minions?¡± ¡°No,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°Kells had zombies. He didn¡¯t talk to himself like a crazy person, at least not around me.¡± Dave snapped out of his trance-like state, blinking rapidly as he refocused on Murdoc and Cedez staring at him. "What?" Dave asked, suddenly self-conscious. Cedez snorted. "Oh, nothing. We were just admiring your impression of a possessed ventriloquist dummy. Very convincing, by the way. I especially liked the part where you started debating yourself." Dave''s face flushed red. "Did I say that out loud?" "Uh-huh," Cedez nodded. "Interesting plan by the way. Also, why not attempt to amplify yourself in the wilds using the vial somewhere far away from the city? Maybe this way, the act won''t attract them." ¡°Fair enough,¡± Dave said. ¡°Shall we head to the pub then to steal the rest of Stelly''s shinies?¡± Cedez asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said, getting off the couch. [-29-] Run Away Dave and Cedez set out from the snail-shell apartment, leaving a concerned-looking Murdoc behind. As they made their way through the bustling streets of Shandria, Dave couldn''t help but still be amazed by the whimsical beings around them - from scaly lizardfolk haggling over exotic fruits to a group of maidens with liquid-like floating hair. The morning sun danced in the rain puddles between the cobblestones, and the air was filled with the chatter of merchants and the clinking of steel armor. "Hey," Dave began, glancing sideways at his foxy companion, "do you think we''ll run into any trouble at the pub?" Cedez''s tail swished playfully as she walked. "With your luck? Maybe! Trouble follows you around like a bonded Kitlix, doesn''t it?¡± ¡°Only on this death-trap of a world,¡± Dave complained. ¡°Worst trouble I got into back at the office¡­ was accidentally setting off the fire alarm by microwaving a burrito for too long.¡± Cedez snickered. He eyed his companion. ¡°You know, I initially thought that you¡¯d be bound to the cafe or something. Like a cute, coffee-making genie. Seriously though, how does this whole¡­ shadow-existence work for you? Are there rules?¡± "Rules? Hmm... well, there''s the ''don''t eat the customers'' rule, but that''s more of a cafe policy than a supernatural constraint." Dave squinted at the dark fox. "Okay, okay. I can leave the cafe, obviously. But I can''t go that far from Shandria.¡± "That sounds... annoying," Dave mused. "You have no idea," Cedez sighed. "Do you know how many cute shoes I''ve seen in catalogues from other cities? It''s torture, I tell you!" Dave raised an eyebrow. "Shoes? Really? That''s your biggest concern? Could you not order a delivery or something?¡± "Hey, a girl''s gotta have priorities," she quipped. "Delivery? A shoe must be comfortable, I¡¯m not gonna order a shoe that looks pretty but feels like I¡¯m wearing a wooden bowl.¡± Dave arched an eyebrow. ¡°It''s easier to focus on shoes than on the existential dread of being an immortal shadow abomination bound to Shandria for all eternity,¡± she complained playfully. ¡°What about your Shadow-blades?¡± ¡°Average Shadowmancy at best,¡± Cedez waved a hand. ¡°Around level twenty seven. Stelly was in high thirties. Murdering people is more effective than running a cafe for level gains.¡± "So¡­ what exactly do you do for fun around here? Besides serving lattes,¡± he asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Oh, the usual. Terrorizing the local wildlife, practicing my evil laugh in the mirror, knitting sweaters for orphaned Kitlix..." "Sweaters¡­ for Kitlix?" "Nah, you goof," Cedez giggled. "But it¡¯s a good retirement plan if I ever get bored of running the cafe! Think of all the cute Kitlix outfits one could design! It''s an untapped market!¡± "But seriously, what do you do when you''re not working?" "Well, I do enjoy a good book on the balcony terrace. There''s this series about a young wizard who goes to a magical school... oh right, that one¡¯s from your world." Dave''s eyes widened. "You''ve read Harry Potter?" ¡°Yepperoni,¡± she nodded. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Just one of many books published in Illatius by Lord Chadwick,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Chadwick?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Pretty sure J. K. Rowling wrote that one.¡± ¡°I read everything he¡¯s written,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°Listened to the musicals too... via Murdoc''s Musix Kitlix.¡± ¡°Musicals via... what?¡± ¡°It''s a Voicecast receiver Kitlix,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°It plays news and receives music from Illatius... sort of like a radio from your world.¡± ¡°What''s your favorite musical?¡± ¡°Lord of the Rings by Steve Chadwick,¡± Cedez replied, making Dave sputter. ¡°It¡¯s how I know so much about Earth. He¡¯s a summoned, like you. Lord Chadwick brought tons of cultural stuff from Earth and propagated it across the Shadow Empire. He invented lattes too.¡± ¡°Dang,¡± Dave said. ¡°Well, there goes my backup career as a famous writer.¡± ¡°Chadwick is quite the celebrity in Illatius,¡± Cedez nodded as they arrived at the front of the pub. ¡°He''d probably hire an assassin if you try to compete with his entertainment business.¡± The building loomed before them, its weathered sign depicting a dark shadow beast with far too many eyes creaking gently in the morning breeze coming from the glaciers. "So, what''s the plan?" Dave asked, eyeing the tavern warily. "We just waltz in?" "We could always try the direct approach. Burst in, wave your bone knife around, and demand all the shiny things in the name of... what was it again? Oh right, princess slayin¡¯ and bad life choices." Cedez winked at him. ¡°I slay one princess and¡­ you¡¯re never going to let this go are you?¡± Dave shot her a withering look. ¡°Nopers,¡± Cedes grinned. ¡°The teasing will continue until morale improves.¡± ¡°My morale will improve when I¡¯m not carrying a pair of metal twins,¡± Dave snapped back. The foxgirl tutted and slid into a dark alcove and snapped her fingers. Her face rearranged itself with dancing shadows to resemble that of Stellaris, now featuring four elongated, sharp ears. ¡°Wow¡­ you look just like her now,¡± Dave commented with a small shudder. ¡°Can you copy anyone like that?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cedez shook her new dark-elf head. ¡°Just her, on the account that I ate her Shadowmancy. And this pretty face won¡¯t stay on forever, so let¡¯s hurry.¡± "You won''t become more like her from absorbing her shadow?" Dave asked. "Nah," Cedez shook her head. "The Shadow is just a magic sub-type, it''s the gemstone dress that contains it that makes us who we are as individuals." Dave followed Cedez, into the dimly lit pub. The smell of eggs and bacon filled the air, mingling with the soft murmur of conversation. A few early patrons sat scattered around the room, picking at breakfast-filled plates.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. As they approached the stairs, a burly bartender looked up from wiping down the counter. "Morning, m''lady," he mumbled, not meeting their eyes. Cedez nodded regally, her stolen features set in a haughty expression. Dave tried his best to look intimidating, though he suspected he came across more as constipated than menacing. They ascended the creaking wooden stairs, their footsteps muffled by the worn red carpet runner. At the top, Cedez led them down a narrow hallway to a familiar door. She held out her hand, shadows coalescing around her fingers until they formed a key-like shape. "Neat trick," Dave whispered. Cedez nodded. The shadow key slid into the lock, and with a soft click, the door swung open. They stepped inside, closing it behind them. Dave scanned the room, his eyes landing on the spot where he remembered the hexagram was hidden by the dark elf. He pointed. "There." Cedez nodded and knelt beside the spot. Again, shadows gathered around her hand, this time forming a thin, blade-like appendage. She worked it into the seam between the floorboards, and with a soft grunt, pried them up. Beneath the boards lay a hexagram burned into a wooden panel, its lines filled with an array of shimmering, blue gemstones. Dave reached down and ran his fingers across the gems, devouring the bits of soul from them, watching as they danced as silver sparks up into his hand. The total amount of usable soul in his stats ticked up to [36.0432]. More memories of being Stellaris filled his head. . . . He saw himself as the dark elf girl stalking through the gloomy streets of Undertown. Shadowy tendrils writhed around her as she approached a group of cloaked figures huddled in an alcove. "The price of the ingredients has gone up," one of the figures rasped. "The Watch is cracking down on Topaz dust. It''s getting harder to..." Stellaris''s lips curled into a cruel smile. "Perhaps you need a reminder of who you''re dealing with." Her hand shot out, shadows coalescing into razor-sharp claws that plunged into the speaker''s chest. The man''s scream was cut short as Stellaris ripped out a pulsing, crystalline heart core. "Anyone else care to renegotiate the price?" she purred. The remaining figures shook their heads frantically. The scene shifted, and Dave found himself as Stellaris standing in a dimly lit chamber, surrounded by cages filled with half-dead people. An old man in tattered, grimy robes approached her, wringing his shaking, blue-tinted hands nervously. "The experiments are progressing, my lady," he wheezed. "But we need more subjects. The... infusion is unstable, the crystalline heart insertion is¡­ impermanent. After twenty-one days, the subject¡¯s soul shatters.¡± Stellaris waved a hand dismissively. "Take what you need from Undertown. The Watch won''t notice a few more missing vagrants and adventurer idiots. I want a permanent solution. Do we understand each other, Alchemist?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± the Alchemist nodded. . . . Dave shook his head and quickly shoved the board into his bag. ¡°Learn something new?¡± Cedez asked. ¡°She was selling some kind of drug¡­ and experimenting on people,¡± he said with a shudder. ¡°I think that she was trying to gain¡­ greater permanence, a way to avoid melting into the shadows at night?¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Cedez said. ¡°You can contemplate all the terrible things she did after we¡¯re out of here.¡± They quickly went over drawers and closet, finding nothing else of value. ¡°You¡¯d think that a drug dealer would keep some cash on hand,¡± Dave complained. ¡°Only low level adventurers deal with carrying cash around on their wrists like simpletons,¡± Cedez pointed out. ¡°Mid-tier mages deal only in mana transfers, keep it in a ¡®Mana Wallet¡¯ skill. ¡°Were you able to absorb any of her mana?¡± Dave asked with a hopeful look. ¡°Only a bit. She blew through all of her excess mana while trying to murder you,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Just my luck,¡± Dave sighed. The pair hastily exited the pub. The city''s cacophony gradually faded behind them as they left through Adventurers Gate and reached the outskirts, moving past Agromancer-maintained farm fields. Cedez led the way, her dark tail swishing back and forth as she navigated the rough terrain. Dave followed, his eyes constantly darting around for more Felislices. After about half an hour of trekking, they arrived at the edge of a vast chasm, its depths shrouded in mist. Dave spotted what looked like pure white dragons gliding in the breeze. ¡°Are those dangerous?¡± He asked. ¡°Eh?¡± Cedez looked up. ¡°Nah. Those are dragonettes. They don''t grow bigger than a few feet and mostly eat insects, fish and smaller beasts. They don''t attack people, just think of them as... seagulls." Without warning, Cedez suddenly sprinted towards a towering tree that clung to the cliff-side. Shadow-claws materialized around her hands, and she began scaling the gnarled bark with vulpine grace. ¡°Follow me!¡± She announced from the tree. Dave watched for a moment before remembering his own abilities. He blinked, feeling the familiar sensation of his soul points shifting. All of his points flowed into Agility and Dexterity, and suddenly his body felt light as a feather. With a grin, he leaped after Cedez, his movements fluid and precise as he bounded from branch to branch. At the top of the tree, they found a natural alcove formed by intertwining branches. Cedez settled herself on a thick bough, her legs dangling over the edge. She gestured towards the makeshift platform. "Alright, Earth boy. Show me if you can convert a bottled shadow into magical amplification without my aid.¡± Dave nodded, taking a deep breath as he shifted his points once again, this time into Intelligence and Wisdom focusing. The memories of Stellaris flooded back, crystal clear and unsettling. He pulled out the vial of dark fluid, the hexagram board and the ruined dress, setting them in front of himself. As he began to rearrange the large, undamaged gems from the dress, adding them to the hexagram burned into the wood, a thought struck him. "Hey, Cedez," he asked as he worked, "hypothetically speaking, would it be safe for me to sleep out here? Like, for example, in this tree?" Cedez snorted, her eyes scanning the landscape where massive, crab-like, tentacled Agrilopod beasts tilled orange fields in the distance. "Only if you''ve got a death wish. Night brings out all sorts of flying nasties. Why do you think we have Leviathan Nightingale and her flock diligently patrolling the streets, farms and walls at night? The things that come out to hunt at night are far stronger and faster than people. Stay too close to Shandria at night, and you''ll be a shadow snack. Wander too far, and you''ll absolutely end up as wyvern chow." "Right. No camping trips then.¡± ¡°Why are you considering camping anyway?¡± Cedez asked. ¡°Kind of feels like the Shandrian economy is out to get me,¡± he sighed. ¡°Plus, I feel like I''m constantly one step away from being exposed as a necromancer.¡± "You''re looking at it all wrong, Dave. Shandria isn''t out to get you - it''s a city of opportunity!" Dave raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Opportunity? For what, exactly? Getting myself indebted or killed in increasingly creative ways?" ¡°You just have to figure out how to make cash,¡± Cedez smiled with sharp chompers. ¡°Just use that Earth-brain of yours to introduce something that doesn¡¯t exist yet to Shandria like Lord Chadwick.¡± ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Dave said. ¡°Like that¡¯ll work. I¡¯m not a businessman, nor do I have sales skills.¡± ¡°I¡­ could sell stuff for you,¡± Cedez suggested. ¡°I know¡­ people.¡± "You''d really help me sell stuff?" Cedez''s tail swished. "Of course! What are friends for?¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends now?¡± ¡°We were always friends, you just didn¡¯t know it yet,¡± Cedez turned away, looking at the distant rising city walls and mage towers. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even before I met Murdoc,¡± she said. ¡°Before I could speak properly, waking up on a new rooftop every morning. Before I was¡­ defined as Cedez Astra. I¡¯ve had this dream where we met each other when you stumbled out of the wilds soaked in blood. I¡¯ve been waiting ten years for you at that gate..." ¡°Gee, that¡¯s not creepy at all,¡± Dave muttered. ¡°See, this is why I didn¡¯t tell you any of this earlier,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Thanks for judging me, you butt.¡± Dave quietly stared at Cedez. The wind rustled through the leaves of the tree, swaying her curly dark hair, and for a moment, he saw past the playful exterior to something more vulnerable underneath. "Ten years?" he asked, filling in the silence. "That''s... a long time to wait for someone you''ve never met." ¡°Might have been longer,¡± Cedez shrugged. "Time has little meaning when you''re a semi-sentient shadow blob and you¡¯ve no idea who or what the hell you even are¡­" She paused. "It was nice to have a single, persistent dream. I know it sounds crazy to someone from a world without Foresight magic. Heck, sometimes I think I am crazy. But that dream... it felt so real. Like a promise of something better. Like something that I could hold onto when I had nothing at all, something to look forward to.¡± Dave blinked. ¡°I feel the shadows hanging over They''re waiting to come closer To come and take me away¡­¡± She sang softly. ¡°And I can feel my heart skip Every time that I slip I wanna run away¡­¡± [-30-] Stalker of All Dave stared at Cedez as she sang, her voice carried by the wind across the large tree. He recognized the music as another song from Earth, called "Closer" by Lemaitre. The idea that she had been waiting for him, dreaming of him, for so long was slightly unsettling but also a bit¡­ sweet? "Listen, I''m sorry," he said when she finished the song. "I didn''t mean to judge you for what you cannot control. It''s just... a lot to take in." "It¡¯s whatevs. Abyss, I think it''s weird, and I''m the one who experienced it,¡± she shrugged. ¡°I think I¡¯m done with the gem arrangement,¡± he said. ¡°Go on then,¡± Cedez turned, looking over the setup of gems. Dave took a deep breath, concentrating on the memories he had absorbed from Stellaris. He arranged the hexagram board, placing the vial of dark fluid at its center. With careful movements, he began to trace the lines of the hexagram with the remnants of Stellaris'' dress, trying to channel mana into the board. Nothing happened. Dave frowned. He tried again. Still, the dark fluid remained inert, the gems completely lifeless. "It''s not working," he said, switching Attributes around, frustration creeping into his voice. He tried to push more Stellaris to the front of his mind, but that didn¡¯t seem to work either, her memories of self were too shattered to come together like Sherlock to provide any aid. Cedez tapped her chin. "Maybe you''re missing something. You''re not a Shadowmancer, after all. Besides, this kind of amplification magic needs two people to work. A pact. A handshake. An agreement. A transfer of power." Dave sat back "Yeah, I guess. I thought I could do it alone with the memories I absorbed, but clearly, that''s not enough." He stared at the items in front of him, switching everything into Intelligence. Suddenly, a memory surfaced - not one of Stellaris'', but his own. Leon, the healer, mentioning something during one of their conversations during the day that didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Shadow Lotus,¡± he whispered. ¡°Yees?¡± Cedez asked. Dave pushed all of his soul bits into Intelligence, recalling Leon''s rambling word for word. "Oh! It reminds me of the Void Lotus! You know, that rare flower that grows in the deepest, darkest caves about 33 clicks North from Shandria? Its petals are pure black, but when you look closely, you can see tiny pinpricks of light, like the stars cast by the fires of war in the darkest hour. The Void Lotus helps patients with damaged souls, realigns connections between skills..." Dave¡¯s lips whispered. "See how the leaves shine from within? It also creates connections between people who share a drink of tea brewed from its petals, acts sort of like a temporary focus amplifier for mages trying to cast spells together. Witch covens and Maidenlyne enclaves pay a high price for it for their hexagrammic multi-person rituals such as the Dagaz Pact." ¡°Hrmmm,¡± Cedez pursed her lips. ¡°Never heard of it.¡± Dave stood up, shoving everything back into his backpack. "What do you say we go look for it? I think that this is exactly what I need. If I brew tea from it, maybe it''ll connect Remy to me so that I can amplify her Metallomancy with this whole setup?" "You want us to go traipsing through dark, Void monster-filled caves in search of a flower? A flower that, I might add, neither of us has ever seen before that might or might not help with what you¡¯re trying to do?¡± Cedez tilted her head at him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in Leon¡¯s book,¡± Dave said. ¡°Thirty three Shandrian clicks¡­ What is that? Can you go that far from Shandria?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°That¡¯s an hour of walking. Let''s go. I think¡­ Hrm, yeah, I know which cave you¡¯re talking about.¡± . . . Dave and Cedez climbed down and set off from the tree, making their way north, the landscape gradually becoming rockier, dotted with triangular and pointy leafed, gray-green plants. "So, how do you know about the cave?¡± Dave asked. "Adventurers chat about it sometimes. There''s a Void-afflicted system of caverns not far from here," Cedez explained as she navigated the uneven ground. "They call it the Whispering Depths. Full of all sorts of critters that would love to have us for lunch." "And you''re still okay with going there?" ¡°Ehh,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Not particularly. But, I do owe you big for not selling me out to Stelly. Nothing like a little mortal peril to spice up one''s afternoon, right?¡± "Right," Dave muttered. "Any specific dangers I should be aware of?" Cedez tapped her chin thoughtfully. ¡°The alignment of this place is Void,¡± she explained. ¡°Void?¡± ¡°Void magic, also known as Space or Depth,¡± Cedez clarified. "The caves are inhabited by things such as Voidbats, Nipstrikes and uhhh... Depthknells? Yeah, that''s it. Plus a bunch of other nasties." ¡°Depthknells?¡± ¡°Depthknells are basically jagged snake bois that teleport stone spikes into your organs.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Dave asked, nearly tripping over his feet. ¡°Yes,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°How do you expect us to survive something like that?¡± ¡°I can amplify one of your Attributes,¡± the foxgirl suggested. ¡°Which would attract more shadow¡­ people,¡± Dave frowned. ¡°Why not just shake Remicra¡¯s hand at this rate?¡± ¡°Ehhhh,¡± Cedez rubbed her hands. ¡°It didn¡¯t go well with Murdoc." ¡°Because you got attacked by a killer Stellaris hired?¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Because Murdoc¡­ also fell into a coma for a day and then two days and then a week after each Snailmancy amplification ran out. I had to pay a Healer to pull him out from the last coma. It wasn''t cheap." ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°So you could have sent me into a freaking coma?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cedez fretted. ¡°Our handshake was perfect. It was meant to be, see? It worked out! You had no negative side effects." Dave frowned. ¡°The Healer I hired explained that Murdoc¡¯s magic skills were clearly amplified by some kind of an artifact and his soul simply couldn¡¯t handle it,¡± Cedez sighed. ¡°The coma happened because my handshake amplified ALL of his Attributes to the max, which nearly tore apart his soul.¡± ¡°So I could have¡­?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cedez shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have Attribute specificity. You have bloody nothing. Zero. Zilch. Don¡¯t you get it? You¡¯re Level Five in literally nothing from where I''m standing.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± Dave blinked. ¡°Yes! You¡¯ve got no alignment whatsoever. I think that the problem is that I¡¯m really bad at amplifying people who aren¡¯t Necromancers like you. From what the Healer told me, it has to do with soul and attribute purity. Amplified attributes clash too much." Dave stared at Cedez. "No. My handshake will put Remicra out for too long and then you¡¯ll be dead and when Murdoc dies, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll be all alone¡­ against all of them!¡± Her ears drooped and her tail hung limp behind her as her eyes sparkled. She turned away. "Cedez," Dave began, "Why didn''t you tell me all this before?" "Because I didn''t want you to see me as some kind of... a freaking monster that puts people into comas!" She hissed. "Because that¡¯s all I really am in the end, a shadow on a wall that¡¯s trying to be a person. I''ve spent so long trying to be normal, to fit in, to smile at everyone day after day for almost ten years! And then you came along, and for once, I thought maybe I could have a real friend¡­ Someone that I could tell all of these horrible things to! Someone who wouldn''t run screaming and report me to City Watch when they found out what I really am. Murdoc tolerates me at best.¡± ¡°He seemed pretty caring,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°Oh, sure, he cares, but he¡¯s also afraid of what I am, terrified that someday I¡¯ll snap, forget myself, become someone like¡­ like Stellaris and just start murdering everyone left and right!¡± Dave took a step closer to the shadow-fox. "I''m not going to run screaming," he said. "Yes, this whole situation is crazy, I''ll admit that. But you''re not a monster, Cedez. You''re just... different." Cedez wiped her face and turned back to face him, a glimmer of hope in her slightly wet eyes. "You really mean that?" "I do," Dave nodded. "The way you acted when we met, see, that really rubbed me the wrong way, made me want to walk away. That whole pretentious mysterious manipulator thing? Not very cool.¡± ¡°Okki,¡± Cedez bit her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be less of that.¡± ¡°I need you to be honest with me. No hidden agendas or half-truths. If we''re going to figure this out together, we need to trust each other. Deal?" A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Deal," she said, her tail giving a tentative swish. Dave returned her smile, then glanced towards the path ahead. "So, about this cave..." Cedez''s ears perked up. "Right, the Whispering Depths. Yes, it''s hella dangerous, but if there''s even a chance this Void Lotus can help you amplify Remy and heal you, then it is worth the risk." ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°There you go,¡± Cedez smiled. ¡°Me and you, we can do anything! We¡¯re a team¡­ right?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling a distinctive lack of team spirit from your end.¡± ¡°How can you give out Quests?¡± Dave asked suddenly. ¡°I was told by my Healer¡­ friends that only the Guild or Highborn Lords can do that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°It just¡­ sorta works, I guess?" ¡°How did you know that Garret charged me seven hundred silver?¡± Dave asked another question that was hanging on the back of his head. ¡°You weren¡¯t there. Are you stalking me across Shandria or something?¡± ¡°Not on purpose, but I was there¡­ yes,¡± Cedez said. "How?" ¡°Sometimes I close my eyes and I can see your adorkable face talking to other people. It¡¯s like¡­ I daydream about you, except the stuff in my head is sort of aligned with reality." ¡°Weird, but okay,¡± Dave said, processing her words. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to,¡± Cedez said. ¡°It just¡­ happens. No idea how or why.¡± ¡°Just me?¡± ¡°Remy too,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Murdoc,¡± Cedez said. ¡°The girls working at our cafe. Some adventurers. Some Watchmen. Lowborns all over Shandria that I know well enough. Maybe it¡¯s like¡­ I¡¯m watching over people that are sorta important to me? I don¡¯t know. Look, I¡¯m trying not to make this sound all weird¡­ like I¡¯m a mega stalker or something!¡± "So you''re saying you can just... see what I''m doing sometimes?" "Not all the time," she clarified. "It''s more like... blurry flashes. Glimpses of conversations. I''ll be wiping down the counter at the cafe, thinking about how you¡¯re doing all by yourself¡­ and then bam, suddenly I''m seeing you chat with Garret.¡± "That sounds... invasive." ¡°Yeah,¡± Cedez said. ¡°I guess that it is. I don''t know how to control it. It¡¯s not a skill that normal people or even Shadowmancers are supposed to have. I don¡¯t even know what skills I have, to be honest¡­ except for the obviously visible Shadowmancy stuff. Banking bracelets don¡¯t see me. I tried putting one on¡­ and the result was absolutely nothing. No System messages. No ¡®congrats you¡¯re level 27 or whatever¡¯. Nada.¡± They walked in silence for a few moments, the only sound the crunch of gravel beneath their feet and the distant cry of some bird or monster. "Can you see what I''m thinking?" Dave asked. ¡°No, I can¡¯t see people¡¯s thoughts, Dave.¡± ¡°Can you try to see me now in 3rd person?¡± ¡°Let me try,¡± Cedez closed her eyes for a minute. ¡°Nope. There¡¯s nothing. Let me try more. I can definitely see and hear Murdoc complaining about us to Bessie¡­ I can see Hyrei taking down customer orders at the cafe outside¡­ but I can¡¯t seem to focus on you or me in third person right now. Weird, huh?¡± ¡°Hrmm,¡± Dave considered the words of the foxgirl. The mystery of Cedez seemed to deepen the more questions he asked. As they rounded a bend in the path, a yawning chasm came into view. The entrance to the Whispering Depths loomed before them, a jagged, dark tear in the gray rock face. "We''re here," she said, pulling off her leather glove. ¡°This is it, hero. The Void-aligned caves 33 clicks North of Shandria. Pick a single Attribute and I¡¯ll amplify it and hopefully you won¡¯t die horribly.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I believe that we¡¯ve already established that I cannot die,¡± Cedez pointed out. ¡°You told me about Depthknells earlier. How exactly does one defend against teleporting void-spikes?¡± "The best defense is to not be there in the first place," she replied. "There is no way to shield from teleporting spikes, but if you move fast enough, you can change positions before they end up inside you. The time between the spike flashing on a Depthknell and the time it ends inside your organs is about half a second.¡± ¡°Sooo¡­ Agility?¡± Dave asked with a worried look. ¡°That¡¯s an option,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°Since it''ll accelerate you enough to leap out of the way. Or¡­ maybe Charisma? To not be seen by the Depthknell and other things or to be seen as something so scary that they won¡¯t even attack you.¡± ¡°Charisma sounds like a better option,¡± Dave considered. ¡°Oh wait, there¡¯s just one problem with Charisma,¡± Cedez said. ¡°It won¡¯t affect non-living things like pitfalls. There are a lot of those here from what I recall. Depthknells and uhhh... Voidcrawlers dig holes under the floor for adventures to fall into and set up rockfall traps." ¡°What, are they freaking sapient too?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Cedez said. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ infected with Void. Just like you¡¯re becoming infected with Metal. This place is a Void dungeon ''cus a Void mage died here over a century ago. The Dungeon sort of controls its monsters through the Void skill." ¡°I see,¡± Dave shuddered, looking at the gloomy cavern. Sherlock¡¯s violin began to play a haunting rendition of "Dance Macabre" by Camille Saint-Sa?ns. With a sigh, he extended his hand out towards that of the fox. [-31-] Celestorm ¡°So, whatcha picking?¡± Cedez asked. "Agility," he said. "Seems like a bad idea to try to charm my way out of a jagged-rock filled hole." "Alrighty then, here we¡­ go!" She reached out, entwining their fingers. Sparks of power rushed through his hand, tingling across his entire body. Then the world seemed to warp around Dave. It was as if reality itself had become a giant squid, wriggling in nauseating waves under the sea. Colors blurred and sounds distorted, rising and falling in pitch like a warped record. When the sensation finally subsided, Dave felt... off. His body twitched all over, feeling light. Too light. Like he was barely there. "You okay there, hero?" Cedez asked. ¡°I... think so?¡± Dave replied. Curious about the effects, he summoned his stats. A new line appeared at the bottom. [Affliction: Timelessness 23:58:25] ¡°So, what does the System bracelet say?¡± she asked. ¡°It says I have an affliction called ''Timelessness'' and a countdown going from twenty-four hours. Any idea what that means?¡± ¡°Sounds like you can move fast enough for time to stop,¡± she suggested. ¡°The twenty-four hours thing is normal, that¡¯s just how long the amplification effect lasts. It¡¯s how long amplified Attributes lasted on Murdoc until...¡± ¡°Until the coma?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded, pulling the dark glove back on. ¡°Want to test it out?¡± "Sure, let''s give it a shot. How exactly do I activate this... timelessness thing?" Cedez shrugged. "Maybe try focusing on moving really fast? Like, imagine you''re trying to catch a falling glass before it hits the ground. Here, let me try to chain you!¡± The fox raised her hands pointing them at Dave, dark spirals dancing around her fingers. With a dark flash, a shadow-chain manifested and fired from her fingers, heading for his neck. Dave swerved away with his entire body. Suddenly, the world around him seemed to grind to a halt. The gentle breeze that had been rustling the alien foliage froze mid-gust. A dragonette overhead hung suspended in the air, its white wings caught mid-flap. Even Cedez appeared frozen in place, her mouth half-open. The shadow-forged chain hung in the air, crawling ever so slowly towards him. He easily ducked under it and walked around Cedez. Weirdly enough, while his body felt incredibly light, the air, on the other hand, felt thick, as if he was moving through jelly. Glancing at his stats, he noticed that his mana was quickly ticking down, now at [4.21/5]. Feeling experimental, he tried to pick a rock up from the ground. The rock refused to budge. Dave slotted everything into Strength and the rock finally gave way. He weighed it in his hand and threw it. The rock simply became suspended in the air when he released it from his fingers. Dave watched it crawl away through the air, warping the view with what looked like a bubble of pressurized air expanding outward. He tried to empty his water skin a bit, squeezing it upside down. The fluid simply refused to emerge, a bit of water hovering at the tip. ¡°Freaky,¡± he commented. Then, deciding to try something else, he stepped onto the thick air with one foot and then another. To his surprise, he simply hovered there without falling. ¡°Damn,¡± he smiled. ¡°I can just walk on air. That''ll come in handy for not falling into a pit." [0.14/5] his mana stat stated. The world suddenly lurched back into motion, colors and sounds rushing back like a tidal wave. Dave fell down from the air, momentarily disoriented by the abrupt shift. The shadow-chain flew across the desolate rocky landscape, eventually slamming into a distant rocky formation. Dave¡¯s waterskin exploded water across his face. A rock flew across the air like a bullet, humming ominously until it collided against the ground in the distance. Cedez spun around, her eyes wide, until she spotted Dave. "Neat! One second you were there, and then..." She trailed off, gesturing excitedly with her hands. ¡°Here! So, how long did it last?¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± Dave slotted everything into Intelligence and made Sherlock go over his memory, calculating the exact time the effect lasted. ¡°I think that was about thirty-eight seconds,¡± Dave said. ¡°Then I have to wait for my mana to reload¡­ which takes an hour. Well, less¡­ if I slot everything into Magic. Let me do that.¡± "Great, that should get us through the cave to find the flower and back," Cedez nodded. "Just don''t waste it all on party tricks and throwing rocks next time, okay?" "No promises," Dave replied with a small smile that vanished quickly. ¡°Shall we wait here until my mana reloads?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Cedez sat down on a somewhat flat rock. ¡°Want to talk about our favorite Earth books?¡± Dave nodded, putting all of his soul bits into Magic. He also settled onto a nearby rock. For about fifteen minutes, they chatted about various popular fantasy series. As the conversation went on Dave relaxed, suddenly feeling like he was talking to his best friend from back home. Suddenly, a low rumble echoed across the valley, flashes of violet lightning danced across the sky, illuminating the glaciers with an ethereal glow of shimmering rainbows. "Violet lightning that explodes into rainbows?¡± he commented. ¡°Is that... normal around here?" Cedez nodded, her dark hair whipping around her face in the sudden gust of wind. "That''s a Celestorm!¡± ¡°A Celestorm?¡± Dave repeated.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°An event caused by Syntropic magic,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°Arx is absolutely packed with it. Wherever the lightning strikes, monsters and other things can manifest from stray thoughts.¡± ¡°Stray thoughts?¡± ¡°Mhmmm,¡± she nodded. ¡°Stray thoughts of people trekking through the passes.¡± Dave stared at the Celestorm, mesmerized by the alien colors it produced. "Celestorms are the result of dungeon core and misc crystallized mana in the ground interacting with the mana in the clouds," she explained, gesturing towards the sky. "When the lightning strikes, it creates connections between the two, like a magical bridge. It¡¯s how older dungeon cores feed.¡± "And this¡­ brings thoughts to life?¡± Dave looked at Cedez in concern. "Mm-hmm," Cedez confirmed. "At random. Could be a nightmare or a daydream.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°That depends on the storm''s size,¡± Cedez shrugged. "Huge ones can summon something horrid into existence... permanently." ¡°Uh, should I try to clear my thoughts and not think of purple elephants or something?¡± Dave shouted over the rising wind. ¡°Nah,¡± Cedez replied, sliding closer. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t catch your thoughts or memories, then it¡¯ll grab whatever other nonsense was nearby. The best policy is to stay positive! At least that¡¯s what Murdoc says. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a small one from the looks of things, so it¡¯ll pass over quickly!¡± ¡°So I should¡­?¡± Dave began. ¡°I got it, don''t worry!¡± Cedez replied and then began to hum softly. After a moment, she started singing something he recognized. Her voice carried over the wind, a counterpoint to the storm''s rumbling. ¡°Where there''s a will, there''s a way, kind of beautiful And every night has its day, so magical And if there''s love in this life, there''s no obstacle That can''t be defeated¡­¡± The violin in Dave¡¯s soul added the background music. A violet lightning suddenly flashed a few hundred feet away, striking the glacier. An inexplicable tree sprouted from the azure ice covered in orange leaves and violet flowers. Dave¡¯s mouth fell open as he saw that a younger Cedez was sitting on a rope swing below the tree looking at a farmhouse with a green mossy roof. The younger Cedez waved to Dave and then the tree and the girl shimmered and faded away into dancing rainbows, breaking up into violet flurries. ¡°Monday left me broken Tuesday, I was through with hoping Wednesday, my empty arms were open Thursday, waiting for love, waiting for love¡­¡± The real Cedez sang louder. Another violet lightning struck the ground closer to them. Dave¡¯s boss from Serv0tek appeared there holding a mug of coffee with a dark stripe and red heart on it, looking very sternly at Dave as if he was implying that he¡¯s really late for work today. Dave blinked and the manager and the fragments of the office around him fell apart into flickering rainbows. ¡°Thank the stars, it''s Friday I''m burning like a fire gone wild on Saturday¡­¡± Cedez sang, her voice overpowering the thunder. Another lightning nearly blinded Dave striking a gray rocky outcropping only about twenty feet away. Lari appeared on it, in her paramedic vest. She looked straight at Dave and her outfit ignited with violet flames and rearranged itself into long flowing white robes with a red cross and the crown logo. A golden laurel appeared atop of her head. She extended a hand out to Dave. ¡°Lari¡­¡± Dave whispered, his heartbeat thrumming like the wheels of a chugging train. ¡°Find me,¡± the silver-haired Lari said suddenly. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you¡­ in Xandria!¡± Before Dave could say anything in reply, Lari shattered into dancing rainbows, washed away by violet rain and snow. In another moment, the storm passed as quickly as it appeared, leaving sparkly raindrops atop Dave¡¯s gray cloak and Cedez¡¯s dark leather outfit. Cedez finished the song, looking at the vanishing clouds. "Did you... did you see that?" Dave pulled the words out of himself. ¡°Mhmmm,¡± she nodded. ¡°Sure did.¡± ¡°That was¡­ my friend¡­ Lari,¡± he blinked the sleet from his eyes. ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t think about her. Why is she here?¡± ¡°Maybe she thought about you,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Many years ago, passing through here. Magic is weird like that. She said ¡®Xandria¡¯, that was the name of Shandria hundreds of years before it was taken over by the Shadow Empire.¡± ¡°And was that you¡­ and a farmhouse?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Yep,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°I must have lived¡­ somewhere before Murdoc found me. Maybe I lived on a farm?" ¡°You don¡¯t sound very sure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not,¡± she shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t remember much from before Murdoc. It''s quite annoying.¡± ¡°Also, that was a song by Avicii, called ¡®Waiting for Love,¡¯¡± Dave said. ¡°How do you know so many Earth books and songs¡­ specifically songs that I also know?¡± "Some of them, via direct Voicecasts from Illatius. Others, Murdoc¡¯s Musix Kitlix caught randomly via the Astralwaves per request through one of the cafe maids. No idea where they even came from. Maybe other cities on Arx. Some I dreamt about,¡± she said. "I¡¯ve been memorizing them for years.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You could say that... I was waiting for someone special to sing them to,¡± she winked. "So," Dave said, brushing a hand through his damp hair. "You''ve been learning Earth songs for years, just on the off chance that someone like me would show up?" ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®off chance¡¯ when it comes to magic,¡± Cedez said. ¡°I paid Seers good money to make sure I¡¯m on the right track. Also, not ''someone like you''... I was waiting for you, Dave." ¡°Learning songs, paying Seers... seems like a lot of effort," Dave pointed out. "If you were that set on me, why not tell me that from the start?" "Nu-huh," Cedez shook her dark mane. "I didn''t trust you enough. Dreamwalker Archmagi can inject themselves into people''s daydreams via Astral Projection. I had to be sure that you were the genuine thing. Actions speak louder than dreams. When you broke the control collar and fought Stellaris in front of me... that''s when I knew that you were the one I could rely on." ¡°What if I died, what if the wyvern took me elsewhere or snacked on me, what if I never made it to Shandria?¡± "Some big things tend to happen no matter what, especially if a powerful mage wants them to happen. For example, an Archmage can set a spell to activate at a specific time, long after they''re dead. The Seers can spot that. They call such things - ''Set Events'',¡± Cedez explained. "Set Events?" Dave repeated. "So my arrival in Shandria was... inevitable?" "More or less," Cedez shrugged. "The details might change - maybe you would have arrived a month earlier or years later. But you were always going to end up here." Dave frowned. "But what about free will? If everything is predetermined..." "Not everything is predetermined, you dummy," Cedez interrupted, waving a hand. "We still make choices that can hella mess everything up. It''s just that some particular outcomes are... much more likely than others, harder to fight against. Like water flowing downhill - it might take different paths, but it''s always going to end up at the bottom eventually. If you fall into a river, the current will carry you in one particular direction." Dave contemplated her words. ¡°Your friend¡­ Lari was obviously a very powerful, old Archmage if she imprinted here like that. Didn¡¯t you hear what she said?¡± Cedez asked. ¡°That wasn¡¯t just a stray thought, she literally spoke to you. Stray thoughts do not talk. It was a message from the past meant for you to hear.¡± "She said... to find her,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°I dunno,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°You can start by staying alive longer. Did your mana reload yet?¡± ¡°Uhm,¡± Dave pulled up his stats. ¡°Yes. Five out of five now.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Cedez stood up. ¡°Let''s go get the lotus then! Lotusai? Lotai? Lotuses! Hrm.¡± Dave nodded, standing up. The pair cautiously crossed the maw of the gloomy cavern. ¡°Very cozy,¡± Dave commented, looking at the jagged stalagmites and stalactites that formed teeth-like formations. Cedez snorted. "Oh yeah, real five-star accommodation. Watch your step, by the way. The ground is gonna get pretty treacherous once we''re deeper in." ¡°How do you know? Have you been here before?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°But I¡¯ve daydreamed about a group of dungeon divers who went into this place a couple of months ago looking for experience." ¡°And?¡± ¡°It didn''t go well. They almost died.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Dave frowned, somewhat regretting his life choices. They made their way carefully through the winding passages, the light from the entrance gradually fading behind them. ¡°Wait,¡± Dave stopped, realizing how dark it was getting inside. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have a light. How are we going to see anything in this cave?¡± [-32-] Dungeon Delving "What, you didn''t think to bring a light going into a cave?" Cedez grinned. "It was a bit of a spontaneous plan," Dave complained. "That and I clearly don''t go into caves that often." "Uh-huh." All the blue gems on Cedez''s outfit suddenly ignited, like an ocean of blue stars wrapping her dark figure, casting a soft glow on the caverns around them. "Thanks," he said. ¡°These lovely gems aren''t just for show, you know,¡± she shot back. She pulled the leather collar with the large gem from her neck and gave it to Dave. "Here, put it on your wrist and try pushing a bit of mana into it and think about light; then it should light up." He did. The gem in his fingers lit up. "See, not hard at all," she winked. "Now don''t waste mana and stay behind me." ¡°Do lots of people come here?¡± Dave asked as the gem in his hand dimmed. ¡°No,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°It''s not a popular dungeon. Void magic doesn''t produce mana crystals and these Void beast corpses have little use to most people. Ordinarily, Gate mages would enjoy steaks made from ''em to empower their skill, but the river running through this place is a bit poisonous, which makes their meat... contaminated with arsenic. The effort and cost in cleaning the meat just isn''t worth it." As they continued deeper into the cave, Cedez''s expression grew more serious. ¡°We''re about to enter the dangerous part of the caves. Monster attacks will begin a few levels down. First line of defense is Voidbats. Nasty little buggers that can fold space." "Fold space how?" Dave asked. "They can basically teleport," Cedez explained. "One second they''re in front of you, the next they''re behind you, ready to take a chunk out of your neck." "Great. Teleporting vampire bats. What else is down there?" "The deeper we go, the more dangerous the creatures get. The Voidbats are just the beginning. We''ll also have to watch out for Voidcrawlers, Voidlancers, and if we''re really unlucky¡­ a Voidwraith. Avoid getting a deep cut or you¡¯ll become infected with Void. I don¡¯t know any trusted mages who can pull the Void out of your blood.¡± ¡°Does every dungeon try to convert its visitors into something?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°This is how dungeons work. Their only goal in life is to propagate themselves, to turn adventurers or creatures into Sentinels. Voidwraiths are this dungeon¡¯s Sentinels, ex-humans. I¡¯ll walk in front of you, attract the attention of all the dangerous things. Stay behind me, got it?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t worried about getting infected with Void?¡± ¡°No. I am already almost entirely aligned to Shadow. I expect to die here, Dave,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°When I do, take the dress back to Murdoc.¡± ¡°Die?¡± Dave froze as the star-covered fox advanced ahead of him into the cavern. ¡°I¡¯ll respawn back in Shandria in a day or maybe three,¡± she said with a casual wave of her hand. "But..." Dave struggled for the right words. "That doesn''t mean you should just... accept it." ¡°We are a team. And sometimes, being a good teammate means being willing to take one for the team. I¡¯ll aggro the monsters by being a walking, glowing, Christmas tree, you find the damn flower, stop time and run away. Got it? Good.¡± Dave sighed, uncomfortable with her casual attitude towards her own demise. "Your mana will run out," Cedez added. "And we don''t know how deep we''ll need to go to find the Void Lotus. It''s better to save it for when we really need it. I¡¯ve died before a few times, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Does dying hurt?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°It hurts like hell. I¡¯m going to try not to die, obviously, but there¡¯s only two of us here and the local dungeon core is almost two centuries old, which puts it waaaaay above our level.¡± Suddenly, a high-pitched screech echoed through the cavern. Dave tensed, his hand instinctively moving to his bone knife. "Voidbats," Cedez warned. "Remember, they can teleport. Stay alert." No sooner had she spoken than a dark shape materialized in front of them. It was about the size of a mouse, with leathery, gray wings and far too many pitch-black eyes. Its mouth opened, revealing rows of needle-like black teeth. Dave barely had time to register its appearance before it vanished, only to reappear behind him. He spun around, slicing through the bat as time slowed for half a second. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Cedez, for her part, momentarily became surrounded with about ten other bats. She spun around like a dancer, shadow blades extending from her hands and feet, obliterating the bats. A few of them managed to bite her, making the foxgirl hiss angrily. "You okay?" he called out, his voice echoing in the cavern. Cedez finished her spin, panting slightly as the sliced bats fell around her. "Yeah, just a few nicks. Nothing to worry about." She brushed off her outfit. "How about you?" ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± he replied. ¡°Give me a few minutes to get their souls.¡± He leaned down and touched the corpses. His mind filled with what it was like to be a Voidbat, to seek flesh of the living, to set little teeth into a succulent neck or limb of prey, to wait in the darkness, hanging upside down and¡­ ¡°Okay, I¡¯m good now,¡± he stood up. ¡°Off we go then,¡± Cedez advanced into the next cavern. ¡°Hey, um, what''s it like?¡± Dave asked to fill in the dreary silence. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Dying¡­ uh, besides the pain that is. What happens after you melt into a shadow?¡± Cedez was quiet for a moment, cautiously walking through the cavern and looking left and right. "There''s the pain, yeah, but then there''s this moment of... pure nothingness and hungry purpose. Like you''re floating in a void, like you¡¯re everything and nothing. And then, suddenly, you''re back in Shandria, naked and confused¡­ barely knowing who you are.¡± "That sounds awful," Dave said. "Eh, not much worse than a bad hangover," Cedez joked. "You get used to it. The worst part is the memory loss. Sometimes I forget little things, sometimes big things. It''s like... parts of me get left behind each time." Dave frowned. "Is that why you can''t remember much from before Murdoc found you?" "Probably," she nodded. "But hey, at least I always remember the important stuff, like how to make a perfect latte!¡± Her attempt at humor fell flat as Dave sensed the pain behind the smile. How much of herself had Cedez lost over the years? How many times had she died and come back, pieces of her identity chipped away each time by her insane competitors like Stellaris? ¡°The first few years were pretty awful, yeah,¡± she confessed. ¡°The time between the respawns and remembering that I was an individual¡­ was weeks, but as I got more purified mana gems and anchors set up inside the snail''s shell, it became much easier to find my way back home. Squeaks sounded from above as more bats flashed towards them. Cedez produced a wide shadow lance that sliced through a whole bunch of them at once and finished the rest of the bats that teleported around her by firing off what looked like nails made from shadow. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" Dave asked as he absorbed the souls of her kills. ¡°When your enemies keep hiring assassins to heckin¡¯ murderize you, learning to fight is a must,¡± she replied. ¡°Murdoc hired me some adventurer tutors when I was young and sent me into dungeons with them. Practice makes perfect. Though, I''d rather be practicing my latte art. Drawing cute pictures with cream takes effort, you know.¡± She shot a few more shadow-nails at the bats hiding in the ceiling. Dave slowly walked behind her, absorbing the souls of the fallen dungeon-serving critters. He was about to ask another question when a low rumble echoed through the cave. "What was that?" Cedez''s ears swiveled towards the sound. ¡°Sounds like a Voidcrawler," she muttered. "Imagine if a centipede and a shark had a baby, and then that baby got really into Void magic. Basically, their armor is spatially reinforced and dimensionally skewered¡­ which makes them harder to stab. Need an extra thick and extra long blade to kill one.¡± With another rumble, a massive, segmented creature burst from the cave wall to their left. Its dozens of legs ended in wickedly sharp points, and its elongated head was dominated by rows of serrated teeth. Dave barely had time to register its appearance before Cedez sprang into action. Shadow blades erupted from her hands as she leaped towards the creature. The Voidcrawler screeched and lunged at Cedez with its gaping maw. Dave watched in horror as Cedez and the Voidcrawler clashed in a whirlwind of shadows and chitinous armor. The foxgirl''s blades sliced through the air, leaving trails of darkness in their wake, but the monster''s carapace seemed to absorb the blows. Its segmented body writhed and twisted, impossibly long for the narrow confines of the cave. Suddenly, a section of the Voidcrawler''s body seemed to fold in on itself, disappearing into nothingness only to reappear behind Cedez. The creature''s rear half clamped down on her leg, its sharp limbs piercing through her leather pants. Cedez let out a pained cry, her starlight gems flickering erratically. She spun, trying to free herself, but the Voidcrawler''s grip was relentless. Dave accelerated himself, the world slowing to a crawl around him. He rushed forward, bone knife in hand. But as he neared, he realized his mistake. His short knife was useless against its extradimensional shell. Panic rising, Dave searched desperately for a solution. His eyes landed on the cave ceiling, where stalactites hung like nature''s daggers. Using his ability to walk on air, Dave rushed up to the ceiling through the thick air. He grasped one of the smaller stalactites, putting everything into Strength. With a crack, the enormous rock came loose in his hands. As his mana ticked down, Dave positioned himself above the Voidcrawler¡¯s head. He aimed carefully, then let gravity take over as he deactivated his timeless state. The stalactite plummeted, driven by Dave''s momentum and the force of gravity. It struck the Voidcrawler''s head with a sickening crunch, embedding itself deep into the creature''s skull. Dave accelerated himself again, landing carefully beside the dying beast. The monster''s grip on Cedez loosened as it thrashed in agony. Ichor spurted from its wound, splattering across the cave floor. The foxgirl limped towards him, her leg leaving a trail of dark fluid that was turning into smoky shadows. Suddenly, the cave floor beneath them began to crumble. Dave''s heart leaped into his throat as he felt the ground give way. He reached out, managing to grab Cedez''s hand just as they both plummeted into the darkness below. Activating timelessness, he slowed their descent, but then his mana ran out. Cedez''s grip on his hand tightened, her claws digging into his skin. "Don''t let go!" she yelled over the roar of the water. Swung left and right by the powerful current, they were spat out into a vast underground cavern. The river cascaded down in a thunderous waterfall, hurling them into a deep, dark pool below. [-33-] Unmade Dave surfaced, gasping and sputtering. He looked around frantically for Cedez, relief washing over him as he saw her treading water nearby. The thunderous roar of the waterfall behind them echoed off the cavernous walls. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he was struck by the alien beauty of their surroundings. Bioluminescent fungi clung to the rocky walls of the massive underground chamber casting a soft, ghostly glow across the cavern. The light danced on the surface of the dark pool, creating shimmering patterns that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly rhythm. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like giant icicles, their crystalline surfaces reflecting the eerie light. In the center of the underground lake stood a small, rocky island. Dave''s breath caught in his throat. A tree, unlike any he had ever seen, rose from the craggy surface. Its trunk was pitch black, seeming to absorb the light around it. Instead of leaves, it bore strange, jagged two-dimensional planes that sparked at the edges. At the base of the tree, a small meadow of flowers carpeted the island. Their petals were the color of the night sky, dotted with pinpricks of light that mimicked distant stars. He recognized them immediately. The Void Lotuses swayed gently, despite the lack of wind, their movements almost hypnotic. As Dave and Cedez swam closer to the island, movement caught their eye. A figure emerged from the hollow in the roots of the void tree, its emaciated form barely more than skin stretched over bone. Darkness pulsated within its translucent flesh, as if its very essence had been hollowed out and replaced with living Void. "A Sentinel!" Cedez warned. The ex-adventurer turned his hollow gaze upon them. With a sickening crack, the dead man¡¯s chest cavity split open, revealing a writhing mass of darkness within. From this void, a swarm of Voidbats poured forth. As he too neared the shore, Dave felt something brush against his leg. He kicked frantically, just as a long, eel-like creature burst from the water, its maw lined with needle-sharp teeth. Cedez reacted instantly, her hand lashing out with a shadow blade that cleaved the long fish in two. The pair scrambled onto the rocky shore, gasping and dripping. The Voidbats were closing in. With a fierce snarl, Cedez unleashed a whirlwind of shadow nails, firing through the air with deadly precision. The Voidbats fell dead, their unearthly shrieks echoing through the cavern. More bats disconnected from the Voidtree, forcing Dave to stop time. He disposed of the bats around them, cutting the time-frozen critters until his mana ran out once again. As Cedez dispatched the last of the bats that were further away with shadow-nails, the Sentinel made its move. In a single step that seemed to defy physics, the emaciated figure closed the distance between them as if it stepped through an invisible portal. A blade of pure darkness materialized in its skeletal hand. Before either of them could react, the Sentinel thrust its Void blade forward. Dave''s heart stopped as he saw the dark weapon pierce Cedez''s chest, emerging from her back in a spray of liquid shadow. The mouth of the foxgirl opened in a silent scream. The starlight gems on her outfit flickered like dying embers. She grabbed the Sentinels neck producing blades from her fingers and decapitated the undead human. Dave reached Cedez just as she began to fall. The Sentinel''s blade was still embedded in her chest. It was no longer wrapped in Void, now just a rusty, old blade. Shadows poured from the foxgirl onto the jagged rocks. Dave caught Cedez as she fell. "Cedez!" He growled. "Hold on, please!" The foxgirl''s eyes filled with tears of pain. "Ge-get th-the flowers... dummy," she hissed out. "But..." he began. "No butts. I''m... done¡­ Ga-game over." She hissed. "Don''t lose... my d-dress... find your way back... promise? D-don¡¯t eat my soul¡­ please.¡± "Promise," Dave nodded. "Attaboy," Cedez said and then with a final flicker all of the blue gems on her dress winked out. Her entire body cracked and shattered like a gray porcelain shell, billowing smoke-fluid pouring out across Dave''s hands onto the ground. For a moment, Dave simply crouched there, paralyzed by shock. Slowly shaking himself out of his stupor, Dave remembered Cedez''s parting words. He had a promise to keep. With trembling hands, he gathered her empty outfit into the bag.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Turning towards the field of Void Lotuses, Dave fought his fraying nerves. He had come this far; he couldn''t let Cedez''s sacrifice be in vain. Cautiously, he approached the strange flowers. As he reached out to pluck one, a sharp pain lanced through his hand. Dave hissed, pulling back to see a small cut on his finger. The lotuses, it seemed, had microscopic, two-dimensional thorns along their stems. Gritting his teeth, he pushed everything into Vitality and repaired the cut. Then he wrapped his hand in a piece of thick cloth and sliced the bases carefully with his bone knife, managing to harvest all of the flowers as his mana slowly reloaded. With the flowers secured, Dave activated Phantom Sight. There were sparks of the dead all over this island, the brightest one of all contained within the headless Sentinel. Dave absorbed all of them, his mind momentarily lost amidst myriads of lives of Shandrian adventurers who dared to challenge the Void dungeon and perished here. It was about eleven people overall, who had a Quest to harvest Void Lotus plants for Healers Hall and Witch Coven of Octocogash and the Maidenlynes of Gorefield. The first Quest was given out by the city officials and the second in a secret Undertown catacomb pub. One of the dead adventurers had a Quest from Undertown Assassins Guild to collect the Voidtree leaves as they made particularly tough and sharp sting-knives. Dave attempted to remove the leaves from the Voidtree with his bone knife as he waited for his mana to reload, but it seemed a completely futile endeavor as the branches and leaves simply refused to be cut. As he put more Strength into his arm, his trusty bone knife suddenly snapped in half against the impervious edge of the Voidtree''s branch. "Damn it!" Dave swore, glaring at his pitiful knife remnant. A few more bats teleported next to him, forcing him to dispatch them with his nearly useless knife shard. Slotting Wisdom and letting Sherlock observe the tree, he figured that this tree was most likely a clever death trap - it took far too much effort to get the overpriced leaves and in the meanwhile the dungeon brought more monsters to the island. Dave''s mana had finally replenished itself. He looked at the roaring waterfall that had brought him and Cedez to this cursed place. More bats were making screeching noises in the distance. It was time to go. With a thought, Dave activated his Timelessness state. The roaring waterfall became a silent, frozen cascade, its droplets suspended in mid-air like a million crystal beads. He stepped onto the surface of the lake without sinking. With increasingly determined leaps, feeling nearly weightless, he rushed across the lake''s surface, each step causing ripples that spread out in slow motion behind him. Reaching the base of the waterfall, Dave didn''t hesitate, using the air itself to leap up. As he neared the top of the waterfall, Dave pushed himself harder, knowing he had limited time before the effect wore off. With a final burst of effort, he rushed along the river until he located a crevice to rest in. In about thirty more minutes of hiding and accelerating himself to run atop the time-frozen river he found himself back in the winding tunnels of the cave system. He waited in darkness and silence until his mana reloaded, heart beating madly. Thankfully, no other enemies came for him. Dave pushed mana into the foxgirl''s gem, causing it to light up with a soft, blue glow. The familiar light brought a pang of sadness to his heart, but he pushed the feeling aside. Something stirred in the depths of the caverns, attracted by the light of the gem. With a deep breath, Dave shifted everything into Agility, running without stopping time. As he rounded a corner, a dark shape loomed in his path. It was a snake-like creature, its body covered in wicked, jagged spikes. The spikes on its body begin to flash with an ominous light. Dave stopped time just as the Depthknell''s spikes were about to teleport into his body. The world around him froze, the creature suspended in mid-attack. Running at the top speed that his body could allow, Dave flashed through the time-frozen caverns. He passed by two more Depthknells, Voidbats, and other grotesque creatures, all caught in various states of motion. It was like running through a museum of horrors, each exhibit more terrifying than the last. Just as the effect of his ability wore off, Dave burst out of the cave and into the open air. He stumbled, nearly falling to his knees as the sudden shift in momentum caught up with him. Gasping for breath, he turned to look back at the cave entrance, half-expecting to see a horde of void creatures in pursuit. Thankfully, there was nothing. The cave mouth stood silent and dark, giving no hint of the terrors that lurked within. It seemed the speed he moved at had confused the Void-aligned monsters. Dave pulled up his stats, discovering that eating dungeon monsters brought him to [38.5263] usable soul bits. He allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and then began to slowly limp away from the Void dungeon. His eyes scanned the glacier below, looking for the path back to Shandria. What he saw after about ten minutes of walking, made him freeze in his tracks. Two figures about a thousand feet below him were trekking across the ice fissures from the direction of the city. The first was a tall, bald man with broad shoulders and a purposeful stride in a blood red cloak. His fists gleamed, covered by armored gloves. But it was the second figure that made his heart skip a beat and then made his blood run cold. It was a girl who looked exactly like Cedez¡­ except she had six horns instead of fox ears. The girl flashed Dave a grin from afar and pulled her right glove off, grabbing the man''s neck. Dave watched as the man''s eyes widened, his entire muscular body contorting as if struck by lightning. The girl pointed a glove hand at Dave, her mouth saying something that distantly sounded like ¡°Kill him!¡± The bald man, his muscles now bulging unnaturally beneath his clothes, bent down towards the icy ground. With a grunt that echoed across the desolate landscape, he wrapped his arms around a megalithic rock suspended within the glacier, its surface rough and pitted by centuries of erosion. The boulder was enormous, easily the size of a city bus, and yet the man tore and pulled it from the ice as if it weighed no more than a pebble. The man''s veins pulsed visibly, his skin taking on an almost metallic sheen as he hoisted the massive rock above his head. Then, with a loud roar, the man spun far too quickly and hurled the enormous rock directly at Dave. The Cedez copycat laughed, revealing sharp chompers. The gargantuan boulder sailed through the air, its shadow growing larger by the second as it hurtled towards him. Dave could hear the thrum of displaced air as it reached him, about to squash him like a tiny bug. [-34-] Archbane Dave accelerated himself right before the flying rock turned him into a puddle. As time around him slowed to a crawl, the massive boulder stopped in mid-air mere inches from his face, inexorably gliding towards him. He could see every crag and crevice on its weathered surface. He quickly moved away from the impact, hiding behind a rock formation and deactivated the skill before it drained his mana. The boulder crashed down with a thunderous impact, sending shards of ice and debris flying in all directions. From his hidden vantage point, Dave contemplated as to what he should do next to avoid death. Arriving at a plan, Dave dug into his backpack, pulling out the old, blood-stained cloak, pants and worn boots that he had taken from the adventurer behind the waterfall. Pushing everything into Dexterity, he quickly filled them with snow. Then, he once again stopped time and quickly slipped the half-filled outfit beneath the boulder, cleverly positioning the blood-stained clothes to look as if he had just been halfway crushed by its immense weight. The illusion of his demise complete, Dave retreated once again concealing himself behind the nearby outcropping of gray, jagged rocks, dropping out of his accelerated state waiting for his killers to arrive. "Lady Castiss," the bald, bearded man spoke up, his voice a deep rumble. ¡°It is done. The Necromancer is dead. I see his remains.¡± "A job well done, Sir Wabbor," Castiss replied, her voice eerily similar to Cedez''s but with a cruel, sharper edge to it. "Now, lift the rock so that we can burn his remains to ashes to make sure he won''t return to the world of the living. I hear that dark mages can stay alive even if their bodies are crushed.¡± As Sir Wabbor began to pick up the rock and Castiss stepped closer to examine the cloak, snow-filled pants and boots, Dave saw his opportunity to strike. With lightning speed, he activated Timelessness and then slid all his soul points into Strength and pulled two small rocks from the ground. Shifting everything into Dexterity for greater precision, he once again switched everything into Strength and hurled the rocks with all his might in suspended time. As he exited Timelessness, the rocks whistled through the air with two sonic booms. The first struck Castiss squarely in the back of her head. There was a sickening crunch as her skull caved in, cracking like an eggshell, dark fluid detonating from the wound. Her body crumpled instantly, collapsing onto the fake body she had been examining, smoke-fluid pouring out of her dress. The second rock, aimed at Sir Wabbor, proved far less effective. It struck the man''s broad back digging deep into his armor, but the amplified Champion seemed barely to notice it. He turned slowly, his eyes scanning the area for the source of the attack. Dave quickly realized his dire predicament. He had taken out one threat, but the other remained - and this one clearly impervious to physical damage. As Wabbor''s gaze swept closer to his hiding spot, Dave once again momentarily accelerated himself and slid behind the rocks, trying not to make any noise. ¡°My Lady?¡± Sir Wabbor asked. ¡°Are you¡­ alright? Oh. No, I reckon you¡¯re not¡­ what with your head missing now. Guess I¡¯ll be seeing you¡­ later then.¡± He finished lifting the rock. ¡°There is no pulverized body under here. I have been tricked. I see.¡± The man dropped the megalithic rock back on the ground. ¡°Come out, come out, wherever you are, Necromancer,¡± he sang. ¡°Your tricks won¡¯t save you. I can smell your sweat with my amplified Hunter skill.¡± With a deafening boom of flying snow, Wabbor suddenly appeared in front of Dave. "Found you!" the giant man bellowed. ¡°Time to die!¡± Dave''s heart leaped into his throat as he stared up at the towering figure before him. He activated Timelessness just as the man¡¯s armored fist flew towards his face. Ducking under the crawling fist, Dave ran towards the dungeon, turning Timelessness on and off so as not to run out of mana completely. Behind him, Wabbor obliterated the rock with a thunderous crack. "Running will only make it worse!" Wabbor yelled, his footsteps shaking the ground as he gave chase. Dave''s lungs burned as he ran, his mind racing. Judging by how fast the man moved, he knew that he couldn''t overpower or outrun this behemoth, plus his Timelessness skill would expire much sooner than that of the Champion¡¯s amplified Attributes. As he ducked into the yawning maw of the dungeon, Dave pushed everything into Charisma, recalling what Stellaris taught him. He focused on becoming invisible, unnoticeable, a mere pebble among the multitude of other countless rocks of the cave. "Where are you, little rat?" Wabbor''s voice boomed from the entrance. "I can smell your fear!" Dave held his breath, willing himself to become nothing more than just a rock. Wabbor stomped into the dungeon, his massive form filling the entrance, demolishing a few stalagmites and stalactites in his way. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," he called. Suddenly, a high-pitched screech filled the air. A swarm of Voidbats flashed into existence around Wabbor, their beady eyes fixed on the intruder. "What in the¡ª" Wabbor began, but was cut off as the bats descended upon him in a frenzy teleporting all around and biting his exposed skin. From deeper in the cavern came a low, rumbling growl. A Voidcrawler emerged from the shadows, its segmented body writhing as it sensed the disturbance.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Back, foul beasts!" Wabbor roared, swatting at the Voidbats with his massive arms. But for every bat he crushed, three more seemed to take its place. The Voidcrawler lunged forward, its maw gaping wide. Wabbor barely managed to dodge its initial attack, but the creature''s segmented body folded in on itself, reappearing behind the amplified champion. Dave watched, barely breathing as Wabbor battled the dungeon''s denizens. The man''s strength was incredible, each blow obliterating the void-aligned creatures. A Voidlancer rushed towards the large man, attracted by his roars, the beast¡¯s body a twisted amalgamation of flesh and void-infused metal. It thrust its wickedly sharp appendages at Wabbor, who bellowed in pain as the void-tainted spears pierced his armor and flesh. "Enough!" Wabbor shouted. With a herculean effort, he grabbed the Voidcrawler and hurled it at the Voidlancer, the two creatures colliding in a catastrophic tangle of broken limbs. "Where are you, you vile coward?" Wabbor snarled out between ragged breaths. "Face me like a man! Your pet beasts are no match for my magnified might!¡± More monsters rushed from side tunnels heading for the Champion. Only a single Voidbat appeared next to Dave, staring at him momentarily as if suspecting something. Dave tried not to move, thinking only rock-related thoughts. The bat flashed away, attracted by the commotion Sir Wabbor was making. Dave retreated deeper into the dungeon as the cacophony of battle echoed behind him. The thunderous crashes and bestial shrieks reverberated through the twisted passageways, a symphony of destruction that seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth. With each earth-shattering blow, Sir Wabbor obliterated scores of monsters. Voidbats exploded in the air, their unearthly shrieks cut short. Voidcrawlers were torn asunder, their segmented bodies torn apart by armored hands. Dave quickly followed the winding path deeper into the dungeon''s dark heart, retracing his footsteps. As he rounded a bend, Dave''s foot met empty air, hearing the river rushing beneath. Without hesitation, Dave leaped into the chasm, activating Timelessness. The world around him became silent, the roar of the underground river cut off. Dave landed on the surface of the time-frozen river, its choppy waves now a landscape of crystalline peaks and valleys. With swift steps, he ran along the water''s surface. He quickly reached the precipice of the great waterfall. With a burst of courage, he jumped off the edge, turning Timelessness off and on and off again to crash into the lake below without injury. Gasping for air, Dave swam to the shore of the underground lake. His eyes focused on the eerie Voidtree that dominated the small island at its center. He spotted the alcove in its roots that the Sentinel was hiding in. With a final burst of energy, Dave hauled himself onto the island. He stumbled towards the Voidtree. As he neared it, he concentrated all his willpower, pushing everything into Charisma. Pulling on the memories of the consumed dungeon Sentinel he focused on becoming an echo of the undead that had guarded this place, visualizing his own body as an emaciated form, picturing translucent flesh pulsating with Void. Meanwhile, the empowered Champion demolished the dungeon. The caverns above shook, stalactites raining down like deadly spears, as Sir Wabbor carved a path of destruction through the Whispering Depths, trying to locate Dave. Thankfully, the extradimensionally solid Voidtree protected the ex-programmer, the rocks bouncing harmlessly off its impervious branches and leaves. Eventually, Sir Wabbor arrived in the massive cavern leaping from the waterfall into the lake. In a few seconds, he emerged onto the island, his hulking form silhouetted against the soft glow of bioluminescent fungi. His hate-filled eyes, burning like two red flares, scanned the underground expanse until they settled on the Voidtree. There, Dave was crouched between dark roots, trembling and pretending hard to be an essential part of the dungeon. As Sir Wabbor began his relentless advance towards the island, the waters of the underground lake behind him began to churn and bubble. From its depths emerged more Sentinels, their emaciated forms gliding silently across the surface of the water. Their hollow eyes, devoid of any spark of humanity, seemed to be drawn towards the magic radiating from the amplified Champion. ¡°Pathetic!¡± The Champion laughed as the Void-aligned adventurer corpses reached him. With a roar that echoed through the cavern, he swung his massive fist, connecting with the nearest Sentinel and reducing it to a cloud of dark mist and body parts. Void-swords pierced his armor and flesh, their dark blades sinking deep into his bulging muscles. With grunts of frustration, Sir Wabbor yanked the weapons free, blood spurting from his wounds. Yet, despite the grievous injuries, he pressed on, refusing to go down. Suddenly, with a sickening sound of tearing flesh, dozens of void-spikes materialized within his body, creating bulges beneath his skin. Sir Wabbor''s triumphant laughter transformed into a howl of agony, his massive frame convulsing as the teleported spikes ravaged him from within. Spinning wildly, his eyes blazing with pain and fury, the Champion spotted the source of this new torment. Depthknells, their serpentine bodies coiled around stalactites high above, gazed down at him with cold, alien hunger. Their spike-covered bodies pulsed with flickers of silver light, preparing for another devastating assault. With a roar of fury, Sir Wabbor bent down, his hands closing around the nearest stalagmite. His muscles bulged grotesquely, veins pulsing beneath his skin as he hefted the rock column. In another display of absurd strength, he hurled the jagged rock towards the Depthknells. The projectile whistled through the air. It struck the cluster of void-creatures with devastating force, obliterating them in an explosion of pulverized rock and dark ichor. The collision dislodged more stalactites, which plummeted into the water. Sir Wabbor stood panting, his massive chest heaving. He inhaled deep and rotated, becoming fixed once more on Dave''s hiding spot. "You... cannot... hide... forever¡­ I smell your¡­ sweat¡­ Necromancer," the Champion growled, each word punctuated by a wet, rattling breath. ¡°I shall¡­ remove¡­ your¡­ vile¡­ pestilence¡­ from Shandria.¡± He took a lumbering step forward, then another, mad determination for unmaking Dave evident in every painful movement. The Champion''s amplified body was clearly reaching its limits, pushed far beyond what any normal human could endure. Yet still, he came. As Sir Wabbor neared the Voidtree its branches began to vibrate and spark with violet coronas. Dave looked up, realizing that the tree was reacting to the approaching threat. As the invincible man took another step forward, the tree''s jagged, leaf-planes began to spark more intensely. Arcs of dark energy leaped from branch to branch, creating a web of shadowy lightning that crackled ominously in the dim cavern. The very air seemed to thicken, becoming heavy with the promise of impending doom. In a single, blinding flash of released dimensional magic, the tree cleaved Sir Wabbor and several stalagmites around him in half, bisecting him at the waist. The cavern echoed with the sickening sound of tearing flesh, cracking bone, and sheared stone. As the man¡¯s sundered body fell, more void-spikes materialized within him, piercing through muscle and organ alike from newly arriving Depthknells. Dave relaxed ever so slightly, feeling thankful for the monstrous defenders of the dungeon. Suddenly, to his shocked eyes, Sir Wabbor opened his eyes and grabbed his bisected legs. Then, the two halves of the sliced man began to knit back together. Flesh crawled across the divide, bones snapped back into place, and within moments, Sir Wabbor stood whole once more, his Vitality clearly amplified to an unimaginable degree. The Champion''s eyes blazed with renewed fury as he rose. He threw back his head and unleashed a deafening roar, making Dave¡¯s eardrums explode along with a few nearby Voidbats. With a speed that belied his massive size, Sir Wabbor swung a colossal fist at the Voidtree, moving so fast that the air around him ignited. [-35-] Dungeon vs Man Dave stopped time just before the man''s fist struck the tree. Leaping from between the Voidtree roots, he rushed across the island, running away atop of the water. Reaching the waterfall, he dug himself into another dark, wet alcove nearby, his mana running out. As time resumed, Sir Wabbor''s fist connected with the Voidtree. The impact was cataclysmic. The tree''s roots tore free from the rocks, revealing some kind of a pulsating, crystalline, violet structure beneath it. "There you are, you blasted Dungeon core," Sir Wabbor snarled, coughing blood and frothing at the mouth. From his higher vantage point, Dave saw that below the Champion the tree roots held a corpse in their embrace. His bones were covered in violet crystals, the ribcage partially decayed away, revealing a glowing crystalline sphere in its innards. Thin, violet, crystalline threads connected the dungeon core to the dead man''s ribcage and the massive Voidtree above, looking like a torn-up neural network. ¡°Perish!¡± Sir Wabbor''s fist came down upon the exposed core, igniting the air. The resulting explosion was blinding, a shockwave of released Void energy that rippled outward, distorting space itself. The core shattered into a million glittering shards, burning and melting with violet fire that also set the Champion alight, slicing up his entire body. Sir Wabbor screamed, flailing from the catastrophic release of magic, his skin and muscles burning off as his armor and clothes melted off him. More Void-spikes teleported into his body, appearing with sickening thuds, sent by more monsters that emerged from the lake. The destruction of the dungeon core didn¡¯t halt its Sentinels. Sir Wabbor stumbled, then fell to his knees, blood pouring from countless wounds. With guttural cries, the Champion began to claw at his own flesh, ripping out spikes and crystal shards with wet, tearing sounds, each extraction accompanied by a spray of blood and a mad gurgle. As the foreign objects were removed, his horribly damaged flesh began to knead itself. In a display of mad defiance, Sir Wabbor began hurling the extracted Depthknell spikes back at the surrounding monsters. Sentinels were sent careening back into the dark water, Depthknells were skewered by their own weapons and Voidbats simply exploded in the air. Dave watched this grisly battle with bleeding eyes and ears, still pretending to be a harmless rock, his entire body throbbing with pain like it''s been run over by a train several times. But in his bloodlust, Sir Wabbor made a fatal mistake. As he pulverized a particularly massive Voidcrawler, his attention wavered for just a moment. It was all the opportunity a high level Sentinel needed. The lanky undead moved with preternatural speed, a Void-blade thrumming in the dim light. Before Sir Wabbor could react, the Sentinel''s strike found its mark. The void-infused weapon cleaved through the Champion''s amplified flesh, bisecting him from shoulder to hip. Yet even as his body was sundered, Sir Wabbor''s indomitable will refused to yield. With his last reserves of strength, he lashed out at the Sentinel. His fist connected with the creature''s skull and the Sentinel''s head exploded. But it was too late for Sir Wabbor. The void-blade had found its mark, piercing the crystalline core that fueled his invincibility. Brilliant red cracks spread across the round gem¡¯s surface like a spiderweb, flesh and muscles tearing off it. ¡°No! I can¡¯t die! Not like¡­ this!¡± The Champion''s red eyes widened in shock as his own core shattered with a twinkle. ¡°I have¡­ to stop the¡­ Necrrr¡­¡± With a final gasp, Sir Wabbor exploded as his own core detonated, obliterating the man and half of the island in a blinding flash of unleashed red-tinted magic. Dave went momentarily blind and deaf. Putting a bit of Vitality into himself, he waited until he could see once again. Opening his eyes, he saw the ruined cavern, so he put everything into Vitality and waited until his body healed itself from the magical blastwaves that tore it up. Cautiously, after about an hour of healing, Dave emerged from his hiding spot. He surveyed the carnage, his eyes scanning for any sign of remaining threats. Finding none, he made his way to the water''s edge. With a deep breath, he activated Timelessness once more. As the surface of the underground lake became suspended, Dave ran along the time-frozen lake. As he neared the central island, he could see the remains of Sir Wabbor and remnants of the dungeon core beneath the massive, fallen over Voidtree. Reaching the damaged island, Dave deactivated Timelessness. He cautiously approached the grisly scene, his senses alert for any lingering danger. There was nothing. Both the dungeon and the Champion were equally decimated. Dave crouched by the remains of Sir Wabbor, picking out the largest remnant of his broken core. With a deep breath, he activated his Phantom Absorption, reaching out to consume the lingering soul fragments of the fallen Champion. As the ethereal essence flowed into him, Dave¡¯s mind drowned in the life of another man.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. . . . In the grimy depths of Undertown, a younger Litsh Wabbor, a Strength and Vitality maxer, who loved to pummel other men with his fists for money at the Fighting Ring, stumbled upon a rather nasty scene. A skinny, dark-haired, gray-skinned, approximately thirteen-year-old girl with six horns was cornered by a group of knife-wielding thugs. ¡°I can take on all of you!¡± The thin teenager hissed, drawing laughter from the ruffians who were clearly quite interested in the large, sparkling, blue gem hanging from her leather collar. Without hesitation, Litsh leaped to her defense, the power of his fists making short work of her attackers. As the dust settled, the girl introduced herself as Lady Castiss, declaring that she was the true Princess of Shandria from whom the throne was stolen thirteen years ago. Although the fighter doubted her words, her unwavering conviction stirred something in Wabbor''s heart - a longing for purpose, for true greatness and recognition which the Ring fights could not provide him. When she offered him the chance to become her Champion, to stand by her side, to rise to the very top along with her, he didn''t hesitate. After all, he just had to do one thing for her - to eliminate her enemies with his fists. To prove her divine-heritage, the girl offered to shake his hand. When their hands connected, Wabbor¡¯s stats became magnified, turning him from a high level fighter into an unstoppable, invincible hero of legend. What followed was a brutal campaign of violence as he fulfilled Quests for his princess. Dave watched through Wabbor''s eyes as the Champion hunted down girl after girl, each bearing an eerie resemblance to Cedez. The memories were horrific - bodies crushed, limbs torn, lives snuffed out with merciless efficiency. Among them, Dave recognized a younger version of Cedez herself, her form shattering and melting into shadow under Wabbor''s amplified fist. Wabbor knew that he wasn¡¯t killing people because after each girl was obliterated, their body turned into vanishing smoke. But the violence took its toll. After each handshake, Sir Wabbor fell into a coma-like state, his magic-amplified body shutting down to recover from the strain. Days, weeks, months and then years passed before he''d awaken once more, only to find Lady Castiss older and increasingly frustrated. Despite his efforts, her competition refused to stay dead. "They keep coming back!" Castiss raged. "No matter how many times we kill them, they reform! We must find a way to end the others permanently! They stole my idea, are amplifying criminals and bandits too now, damn them. You have to eliminate the men aiding the false princesses!¡± Dave felt the weight of Wabbor''s growing doubts, the Champion questioning the righteousness of their cause. But always, the promise of power and Castiss'' manipulation would draw him back in, sending him out on another mission to unmake yet another Champion or princess. The cycle of violence and recovery continued, each time leaving Sir Wabbor more drained, more conflicted. Yet he pressed on, driven by a twisted sense of duty and the fading hope of claiming the promised throne, of standing at her side as her hero. Wabbor refused to admit it to himself, but he had become addicted to the power and invincibility his princess offered. A much older, nineteen year old, beautiful Lady Castiss waited for him when he woke up after another months-long coma. Last time around, she had died to the sword of another amplified man. As she came apart into shadow herself in his hands, she promised to return. Her death had taken a toll on Sir Wabbor, made him realize that the girl he was serving was just like the others he had killed. Alas, it had been too late to turn back because he loved Castiss with his entire heart. Even if she was a mere shadow, she was his shadow, his Princess, his Goddess that gave him incredible might. "Finally, you''re awake, you useless lump!" Castiss snarled, pacing back and forth at the foot of his bed. "Do you have any idea what''s been happening while you''ve been napping?" Sir Wabbor tried to speak, but his throat was dry and raw from disuse. He managed only a weak croak. "What?" Castiss didn''t seem to notice or care about his difficulty. She continued her tirade, her voice rising to a fever pitch. "Lady Astra has acquired a very dangerous weapon that she could use against me! Do you understand what this means?" "How?" he finally managed to rasp out. Castiss whirled on him, her eyes blazing. "How? HOW? That''s what you ask? Not ''What are we going to do about it?'' or ''How can I help, my lady?'' Just ''How?''" She let out a bitter laugh. "I''ll tell you how. While you''ve been lying here, useless as a sack of potatoes, that little fox-eared bitch has been busy. I thought she was a fool..." "Oh?" Wabbor struggled to sit up, his muscles protesting the movement, his head throbbing. "She''s been playing the innocent victim," Castiss continued. "Oh, poor little Cedez Astra, just a simple cafe maid trying to make her way in the world. It''s all an act! She''s manipulating everyone around her, weaving her web of lies and deceit!" "But... my Lady," he said, chugging the water Castiss offered him. "How can a cafe maid be such a threat?" "Because she''s not just a barmaid, you simpleton! She''s one of the fake-ass shadow-copies of me that the blasted Necromancer set loose in Shandria thirteen years ago! And now... now she''s found herself a Champion, bound him with lies and Earth songs and stories she''s cleverly memorized! Don''t you get it? She''s found herself a fool to wield, a pathetic Earth-born weakling who somehow happens to possess necromantic abilities!" "Necromancy?" Wabbor growled. "But that''s forbidden, dark magic..." "Obviously!" Castiss declared. "It falls to you and me to stop her. She''s playing a dangerous game, consorting with dark powers. Who knows what havoc she could wreak with a Necromancer at her side once he gets stronger, raises an army of corpses? You have to eliminate the Necromancer, my darling! We cannot permit him to devour the souls of the innocent!¡± Sir Wabbor nodded weakly, his loyalty to Castiss and fear of Necromagic overriding any doubts he might have had. "Yes, my lady," he said. "I will not fail you." Letting go of the torn corpse of the large man, Dave found himself back in the present, his hands soaked in blood. He thought back to his first meeting with Cedez, her playful demeanor, the way she seemed to know so much about him before they''d even met. The songs from Earth, the books she''d read, the dreams she claimed to have had about him - it all suddenly seemed too convenient, too carefully orchestrated. He recalled Cedez''s words about having waited for him for ten years, about how she''d learned specific songs just to sing to him. Was it all part of an elaborate plan to gain his trust? Was he just a blind fool like Litsh Wabbor had been? He remembered the ease with which Cedez had navigated the dangerous caverns, her combat skills. How much of her friendly cafe maid persona was real, and how much was a carefully crafted facade? Did she sacrifice herself in this dungeon just to bind him further to her cause of slaying her competition? [-36-] Harvest Dave closed his eyes, activating Phantom Sight and the dim cavern around him became painted in a thousand stars. The shattered dungeon core was embedded in rough stone along with bits and pieces of the dead Champion, entwined with the souls of slain undead adventurers and Void-beasts. His body throbbed with deep pain of torn tissues caused by the core explosion. Blood - both his own and that of the fallen - stained his tattered clothes, mingling with the acrid stench of decay that permeated the cavern. His muscles ached, protesting every movement, and a myriad of bruises painted his skin in a palette of purples and blues. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the hollow ache that gnawed at his very core. The betrayal he felt, the doubt unleashed by the life and death of Litsh Wabbor clouded his perception of Cedez, left a void within him that seemed insurmountable. It was a hunger, not of the body, but of the soul - a desperate need to fill the emptiness he felt with something, anything. The essence of Wabbor, the addiction to magnified Strength crowded his head, muting the sound of Sherlock¡¯s violin in his soul. The spirit¡¯s memories refused to fade away. The sea of stars below his feet called out to him like a Siren¡¯s song. It was a chorus of power, of knowledge, of experience just waiting to be consumed. His trembling fingers reached out towards the soul-shard littered ground. Bit by bit, moving ever so slowly, he reaped the bounty of this underground battlefield of slain foes, sparks of magic rushing up his fingers in a desperate attempt to fill the cold, gnawing hole in his heart. He felt the primal hunger of the Voidbats, their insatiable need to feed on the life force of others. The Voidcrawlers'' memories flooded his mind, filled with the sensation of folding space around their segmented bodies, slipping between the cracks of reality. The Depthknells sang of the cold, calculating precision of their teleporting spikes, the thrill of the hunt as they stalked their prey through the twisted caverns. In feasting on the multitudes of dungeon monsters, Dave felt his human sense of self slipping away further and further. Ebbing to the back of his mind, his consciousness floated atop of their desires to kill, rip and tear, to consume and to infest and to propagate. More. He wanted, needed more, reaching out to the brightest shards belonging to the dungeon core. The remnants of the crystalline corpse flooded his mind with memories of another life.
He was young monster hunter Zolish Yaslor, armed with magitek weapons crafted by the Magisterium of Xandria. Wide-eyed and eager, he accepted a Quest from Adventurers Guild and joined Duke Lumir''s monster slaying expedition as a privateer. He listened to the strange song of the Voidwhale as their dragonheart powered skyship chased it across the sky. He smelled the acrid ozone as magitek harpoons across the deck discharged, magisteel bolts piercing the massive beast''s hide, binding it to a single location and not letting it bend space to get away. He saw the Voidwhale¡¯s death throes as the Archmages targeted the beast¡¯s head from top deck. He trembled and cowered as the bodies of his comrades and skyship bulkheads closest to the beast came apart with dying screams, bodies and metal sheared by discharges of dimensional magic. Standing on a small skyboat amongst other privateers his age, he pulled out his rapier. He, just like the other unaligned men, clawed into the still warm flesh of the Voidbeast with his weapon, carving out big chunks covered in violet blood. He tasted the metallic taste of the kill as he and his comrades in arms feasted on the magic-infused steaks carved from the heart core of the beast. He, unlike the others, whalloped in victory as the [CORE SKILL ASSIGNED: VOIDMANCY!] message ignited atop of his banking bracelet. He made fun of the other privateers as they merely procured a mundane increase in Attributes. He alone gained the incredible power to fold distance like paper, to step through the fabric of the world as easily as walking through a doorway, to teleport objects into objects.
The line of his personality blurred like raindrops mixing together. Was he Zolish or Wabbor or Dave? It didn¡¯t matter. There were more pieces to devour, more stars to collect, more to remember. His hands reached to the core shards on the ground.
Zolish, now much older, kneeled before a motherly figure in white and red robes. ¡°Saint Saria,¡± he whispered. ¡°Bless me with your touch.¡± He felt the touch of her hand on his chest, watched as she drew the life essence of a condemned criminal next to him, channeling magic of life into his soul. He heard the cheers of the other noble heroes around him as youthful vigor once again refilled his body.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, bowing. The Saint bowed back to him and he saw an odd, black collar with a triangular rune in the center. He didn''t think much of it. Thanks to the Saint, he would continue to enjoy centuries of opulence and intrigue within Xandria''s gilded halls.
The Saint¡­ He personally knew the Saint. What happened to her? He had to know more. His feet moved his hands towards other shards belonging to the dungeon core.
He felt panic grip his heart when General Nox''s grand army advanced towards Xandria. A horrid shadow stretched across the mountains hovering above the armored men and magi like a vast shield, absorbing all magic fired from the white towers of Xandria. A leviathan monstrosity, unlike anything that he¡¯d seen, rose from the black cloud into the sky, a thousand silver-blue eyes of a Shadow-beast ignited atop of its head, staring into his soul. He heard screams of terror all around as many of his men abandoned their positions on the walls, throwing themselves down stairwells, fleeing from the eldritch colossus of shadow tentacles, wings and silver eyes. His hands clawed into the parapet, pure, absolute terror digging deeper into his mind. He had to run, had to get away from this thing. They called her Leviathan Nightingale, the power of General Nox, the Hammer of Citadels, a skill that obliterated mage towers and fortifications with a single swing of her abominable shadow claws. From the reports from the other cities that fell to the Verdant Republic, he knew that General Nox would not spare a single Highborn Lord of Xandria, preferring to install her own people. He tried to get away, but the gate would not open, likely due to one of the spatial-magic disrupting hexes of the invaders. Desperate and afraid, he pushed his space-bending abilities harder than he ever had, knowing that there was no defending Xandria. There would be no mercy for him, every Lord, every Administrator including the Saint and the Duke were going to be executed as soon as the Ward and mage towers fell. With a snap, his skill broke through whatever magical barrier the Verdant magi had set up and then there was nothing but pain. He came to, haggard and alone in a dark cavern, his lower body broken and twisted. He clawed at the rocks breaking his fingernails and weeping, the lower half of his body fused into a megalithic column. He died slowly and horribly and then only his skill remained behind, seeking vengeance, seeking to devour all, seeking to grow and thrive and multiply... infecting everything around it with Void.
He blinked, trying not to throw up. He wasn''t Zolish, the Voidmancer who died here long ago. Dave¡­ his name was David Horowitz Walter. He was a programmer from the Midwest United States. His dad divorced his mom in 1997. His mom succumbed to hoarding, filling their house with useless junk. He moved out from their trash-filled bungalow in 2002, never looking back. He interned at Serv0tek in 2004 and got a job there, which eventually resulted in him working in a cubicle, renting a bachelor apartment and hating his failure of a life. He remembered almost dying due to a taxi and meeting¡­ Lari. Lari. David pushed all of his points into Intelligence and once again went over the memory of Saint Saria belonging to Zolish. His best friend¡¯s blue eyes looked cold, distant as she pulled magic from a bound criminal, the man¡¯s body losing colors, turning into a gray, ossified corpse. Her left hand devoured life and her right pushed it into Zolish Yaslor¡¯s body, extending his life. This wasn¡¯t Kitlix-based healing at all, this was an execution! Lari¡¯s healing skill was a monstrous curse, one that was clearly haunting her, tearing up what she was, what she had been. The paramedic stared down at Zolish Yaslor with an expression filled with absolute hatred. ¡°It is done,¡± she said, her voice tired, dull and uncaring. ¡°Rise, Lord Zolish.¡± Her blue eyes looked past the Void mage, right at Dave, seemingly judging him, shaming him, reaching out for him across centuries. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Dave choked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ that I wasn¡¯t there, that I didn¡¯t¡­ couldn¡¯t save you.¡± Something inside of him shattered. Not thinking, not feeling, Dave trudged through the dark caverns, lighting his way with the mana gem on his wrist. His hands became instruments of oblivion, reaping the essence of fallen Void beasts with mechanical precision. Occasionally, stragglers emerged from the shadows, but their attacks were uncoordinated now without the core. A shambling Sentinel here, a feral Voidcrawler there - all met their end with brutal efficiency of bullet-time rock to the face. Each vanquished foe became another spark of soul-light, consumed and added to the growing river of power within him. Hours bled into one another, a purgatory of destruction and absorption. Exhaustion clawed at Dave''s bones, but he didn¡¯t listen to it, focused on getting stronger. Every shadow held another target, another vile thing to cleanse from this God-forsaken place. [Phantomancy level 6 reached] His bracelet announced. He ignored it. As he worked, self-loathing festered in his heart. The memory of Lari - no, Saint Saria - using her "healing" to drain life from the condemned to give it to the highborn mages played on repeat in his mind like a loop binding his heart in chains of sorrow. His best friend, the wonderful, always positive sweetheart who had saved him six years ago¡­ broken and made into an instrument of death by the people of Xandria, turned into an uncaring machine, a tool. Eventually, the last spark of magic in the dungeon winked out as the soul of the last Voidbat became subsumed by his skill. Dave stood alone in the cavernous silence, his Timelessness skill ticking down to zero. He looked at his stats, pushing everything he had gained into Vitality to quell his throbbing body. The number there was now [46.3952]. He picked up one of the rust-covered swords belonging to the Void Sentinels and attempted to slice the tree with it while slotting everything into Strength. The sword simply shattered against the thinnest root of the upturned Voitree. He kicked the thick edge of the fallen tree in irritation and winced as his foot throbbed with pain. It was as if he was kicking a solid wall. The tree didn''t even move an inch. It was as if it was spatially anchored to where it had fallen. Dave sighed, abandoning the damage-impervious tree. Finishing off his water skin, Dave made his way towards the entrance. As he emerged from the maw of the cave, he realized that it was midday now. The world above seemed too bright, too colorful. Dave squinted against the sunlight and began limping across the mountains back to Shandria. Hopefully, no other insane shadow princesses or Champions would show up because he didn¡¯t have another dungeon to throw at them. [-37-] Multitude No Cedez copycats had come for him this time around. Coming down the mountainside back to the glacier, Dave picked up the empty outfit belonging to Castiss, drained the soul bits from the shiny gems all over it and shoved it into his backpack. The vague, shattered memories of Castiss bossing Wabbor around wobbled in his head as he slowly shambled across the glaciers, rocky terrain and farm fields towards Shandria. . . . Limping to the city gate, Dave spotted Murdoc sitting on his usual spot on the edge of Bessie''s massive shell, the old wizard''s gray eyes boring into his head. Dave dug into his backpack and pulled out the bundle of fabric that was once Cedez''s outfit. "Here. She... she wanted me to bring this back to you." Murdoc''s eyes narrowed as he accepted the gem-studded clothes. ¡°This too,¡± Dave pulled the leather collar off his wrist, handing it to the old man. "You had one job," Murdoc said, looking down at Dave from his snail-perch with a look of disapproval. ¡°What job?¡± "To keep her safe.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be back, just like the rest of them,¡± Dave said simply. ¡°You do realize that when she comes back - if she comes back - she might not be the same? Each time... it changes her. Chips away at who she is,¡± Murdoc said. "And who exactly is that? The innocent cafe maid? The shadow-wielding warrior? Or maybe the manipulative princess playing us all for fools? Do you even know who she is, Murdoc?¡± The old man sighed. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked. ¡°We went into the Void dungeon to look for some magic flowers,¡± Dave said. ¡°She got stabbed by a Sentinel there. When I came out another girl like her was there with a big brute, a Strength and Vitality maxer. They tried to take me out. I took them both out instead.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°Who is Cedez?¡± Dave asked. ¡°She is my granddaughter,¡± Murdoc replied. ¡°Is she though?¡± Dave pried. ¡°Or is she just a mad shadow you¡¯ve adopted like a little pet and bound with magic?¡± Murdoc''s weathered face creased with anger, the Kitlix on his shoulder igniting with violet stars. Transparent tentacles emerged from the shiny shell, electrical current dancing at the edges. "Watch your tongue, boy. I shan¡¯t have you spouting nonsense out in public.¡± ¡°Cedez, Oraniss, Stellaris, Castiss, how many more of them are out there? How long have you been playing this game, old man?" Dave snarled loudly, unable to control the dead writhing in his soul. "Sir," Hyrei appeared behind Dave with a gust of wind and fluttering black and white skirts, her voice sharp. "I must insist you lower your voice when speaking to our cafe owner. This is a respectable establishment, not a tavern to brawl and shout in.¡± Dave turned to face the maid. "A respectable establishment?" He let out a mirthless bark of laughter that belonged to Wabbor. "Is that what we''re calling fronts for shadow princesses these days?" ¡°What?¡± The owlgirl sputtered. "Oh, don''t tell me you didn''t know," he said, his fists opening and closing. "Or are you just another pawn in this whacky game? Another soul bound by lies and empty promises?" The maid sensed his hostility, her hand twitched, a swirl of wind dancing in her fingers. "Sir, I must insist-" "Oh, I''m sorry," he snapped. "I forgot we''re all playing pretend here. Shall I order a latte and act like everything''s just peachy? Maybe I should sing a little Earth song to really sell the illusion." Hyrei''s eyes narrowed. Some distant part of Dave knew he was lashing out, but the pain and betrayal fused with the myriads of Void monsters, memories of the brutal Champion and the Void mage overwhelmed any sense of reason. He felt unbalanced, teetering on the edge of the vast abyss, a footstep away from madness. He was just a thought away from figuring out how to open Void gates inside of everyone¡¯s hearts to teleport metal flakes from his own body into their weak, pathetic flesh... infect them all with the Void and Metal. Wait¡­ Could he really do that? No¡­ not yet¡­ but he wanted them all dead. His limbs felt heavy and cold, filled with ice¡­ his body packed with living metal demanding propagation, turning him into a Sentinel of a¡­ Metal dungeon. A dungeon. He was¡­ a dungeon? A Void dungeon? No, he was Zolish Yaslor, aghast at what happened to his city two centuries after the Verdant Republic took it and executed Duke Lumir and Saint Saria. The white Skyship docking towers were gone and the accursed Shadow cloud wrapped itself around the town, making it the property of General Nox. He was Litsh Wabbor, in love with princess Castiss and desperately wishing for another handshake so that he could become invincible and crack more skulls to grow stronger.Stolen novel; please report. He was Oraniss and he sought to feast on knowledge that would fill her, make her whole again. No. She was Stellaris, and she simply wished to kill everyone in her way, to gain absolute power to rule over these simpletons. She was Castiss and she liked Wabbor, but was extremely annoyed that her trusted, if simple, servant kept falling into a longer and longer coma which delayed the obliteration of her opponents. No, he was none of these things. He was rationality itself. He was conceptual Understanding named Sherlock, Intelligence that wanted answers, one that very badly wanted to unravel how magic worked, one that wanted to ask endless questions and dissect magic spirits. He blinked at the annoyed-looking owlgirl maid, her big yellow eyes judging him, ready to banish him from the cafe with a blast of wind from her hands. "You know what?" Dave said, shaking his head as he tried to clear the swirling fog of otherness. "I''m done with this charade. All of it. The Quests, the secrets, the lies, the magical bullshit." He turned on his heel, ignoring Hyrei''s and Murdoc¡¯s glares. Not looking back, he strode away from the Cambria Snail Cafe. He quickly passed through Adventurers Gate flashing his token to the guards. The bustling streets of Shandria seemed to part before him, citizens instinctively sensing the anger and madness radiating from the disheveled, blood-stained man. As he walked, Dave''s mind tried to reassemble itself, sputtering like a dying car engine filled with the wrong sort of fuel. The betrayal, the lies, the countless lives he had absorbed in the Void dungeon - it all swirled together in a maelstrom that spun around him. He needed... an anchor. Needed something to ground him to make him whole again. The familiar sight of Remicra''s lighthouse soon came into view. He barged inside, shoving the door open, quickly marching past the dragon smith. "Hey¡­ What?" Remicra exclaimed, her scales shifting to a concerned orange hue when she spotted his blood-covered face and hands. "You can''t just barge in here and..." ¡°Stop!¡± She called after him as he rushed up the spiral stairwell. "Where are you going?!" Reaching the dusty loft, Dave''s eyes locked onto the window. The image of Lari, her silver hair and kind eyes rendered in vibrant colors, stopped his hammering heart. Her pale hand seemed to reach out to him, asking to be freed. Without hesitation, he pushed everything into Strength. "What in the Abyss are you doing?!" Remicra''s voice came from behind him, but he paid her no heed. With a grunt of effort, Dave wedged his fingers into the edge of the window frame, obliterating old stone. The window groaned in protest as he applied pressure, his enhanced strength causing cracks to spider-web across the ancient mortar. "What?!" Remicra cried out in alarm. "Stop that at once!" With a final heave, the stained glass window came free from the wall. Bits of stone and dust rained down as Dave carefully maneuvered the large panel. Tucking his prize under his arm, Dave turned to face Remicra. The dragoness stood at the top of the stairs, her scales flickering between shades of orange and red, her eyes wide. "Have you lost your mind?" she hissed, her tail lashing behind her. "Yes," he replied simply. "Out of the way." "You can''t just..." "Yes, I can," he snarled. "She belongs to me." "What?" The dragoness sputtered. Dave shoved the confused smith aside and stormed down the stairs, the stained glass window tucked under his arm like an oversized, fragile Frisbee. Remicra followed close behind, her claws clicking against the stone steps as she struggled to keep up with his determined pace. "You can''t just take that!" she protested. "It''s part of the lighthouse! What am I supposed to tell my Overseer if she notices a new gaping hole?" Dave paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Tell her a deranged Earth man came in and stole your window. It''s not like you''d be lying." Remicra''s scales shifted to a deep blood red. "Oh, so now you''re admitting to being deranged? That''s just great. Maybe I should call the City Watch and have them drag you off to a cell?" "Go ahead," Dave shrugged. "I''ll be long gone by the time they get here. Besides, they probably don''t have padded cells for the criminally window-obsessed." The dragoness let out a frustrated growl. "This isn''t funny, Dave!" "Oh, now it''s Dave is it?" "Why are you taking my window Dave?!" She demanded. "Why?" he repeated, his voice cracking. "Because she''s the only thing that makes sense anymore. The only one who hasn''t lied to me. I''m just going to talk to her, that''s all." Remicra''s scales shifted to a confused green. "Talk to her?! It''s a bloody window!¡± "Yes," Dave said simply as if that explained anything. "Where are you even going with it?" She demanded. "Places," he replied. "Places?" Remicra repeated incredulously. "That''s not an answer, you lunatic!" "It''s the only answer you''re getting," Dave retorted. He turned to leave, but Remicra quickly moved to block the door, dropping a large metal beam across it to seal the exit shut. "Oh no, you don''t," she growled. "You can''t just waltz in here soaked in blood head to toe, rip out a window, and leave without an explanation!" Dave sighed dramatically. "Fine. You want to know what''s going on? I''ll tell you. I''m having a bit of a personal crisis, and the only person I trust right now is this window. Satisfied?" "No," Remicra growled. "Let''s try this again. Why don''t you put down the window, and we can talk about whatever is bothering you like rational beings?" Dave''s grip on the window tightened at Remicra''s words. The chaos in his mind, the storm of souls pulling at the strings of his sanity threatened to overwhelm him, but at the word "rational," something shifted. Sherlock''s presence momentarily surged forward, violin music filling the recesses of his soul, chasing away the rain of the soulstorm raging within him. "Rational?" Dave hissed as the violin tried to form a coherent melody amidst the thunder of rage and hatred. "There''s nothing rational about any of this, Remicra! Nothing rational about being thrown into a world where magic is real, where people can shoot chains from their fingertips, where shadows come to life and try to eat you at night!" His voice rose, echoing off the stone walls of the lighthouse. "There''s nothing rational about finding out your best friend from Earth was collared and turned into a twisted Saint who drained life from criminals for centuries to extend the lives of the highborns! Nothing rational about cafe maids who turn out to be shadow princesses playing elaborate games with people''s lives! "And don''t even get me started on the dungeons! Do you know what it''s like to absorb the souls of hundreds of monsters? To feel their hunger, their rage, their twisted desires? To have your sense of self eroded by a tide of alien thoughts and memories that only desire to propagate Void magic?" Tears began to stream down Dave''s face, mingling with the dried blood that still caked his skin. "I don''t even know who I am anymore. Am I Dave?! Am I Voidmancer Zolish? Am I Sir Wabbor? Or am I just a collection of souls trapped in a David-Walter-shaped meat puppet, fighting for control?¡± He slid onto a grimy bench, clinging to the lead and glass window pane like a drowning man. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± the dragoness said. ¡°Explain.¡± "Why?" Dave choked. "Why should I tell you anything? You obviously don''t give a shit. Just let me take this damn window and then I¡¯ll leave you alone forever. I¡¯m stronger now. I¡¯ll find a way to make money to pay Dvallis or another smith!¡± [-38-] Trust Remicra''s scales shifted through a kaleidoscope of colors before settling on a deep blue with occasional flashes of pink-red. She approached Dave cautiously, as one might a wounded animal, and knelt in front of him. "That''s not true," she said softly. ¡°Hrm?¡± "I¡­¡± She began. ¡°I do care. I''m simply put¡­ really bad at showing it. I know I''ve been harsh, maybe even cruel. But you''ve been the only person in years who''s treated me well. The only person who brought me not just what I asked for, but something better...¡± Dave searching her face for any sign of deception. Her gaze met his beneath crystalline ruby lashes. Each of her iris was almost like a black hole framed by a gold corona, surrounded by a galaxy of violet nebulae. Despite their otherworldly appearance, her eyes anchored him to reality, their depths acting almost like a gravitational force that kept his scattered, disparate soul shards from pulling him apart in a thousand different directions. "You want to know why I care?" Remicra continued. "Because in the short time I''ve known you, you''ve shown more kindness and determination than anyone else who''s walked through that door in over a decade. You didn''t give up on me, even when I threw you out. Multiple times." She reached out, hesitating for a moment before placing a clawed hand on his trembling wrist. "So please, Dave. Talk to me. Tell me what happened. Let me help you like you''ve been trying to help me. I can give you¡­ my best advice for what it¡¯s worth, which isn¡¯t a lot¡­¡± She quickly stood up and grabbed an hourglass sand timer from a shelf, turned it over and set it on the table beside them. ¡°I¡¯ve made this¡­ to keep track of time per customer,¡± she said. ¡°When the last grain of sand reaches the bottom, it¡¯s been twenty five minutes. We can talk until then.¡± Dave''s grip on the window loosened slightly. He took a deep, shuddering breath, feeling the maelstrom of souls within him subside just a little. ¡°The timer is handy¡­ but I have as long as I want to,¡± he said, eyeing the Custodix. ¡°Kitlix don¡¯t see people, they¡¯re magic tools that can only see Attributes. I can simply rearrange my Attributes, remember?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the dragoness blinked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good. Then we have more time. Why don¡¯t you start at the beginning?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust you,¡± Dave repeated with a shudder. ¡°She told me to go to your smithy¡­ she¡¯s been manipulating me from the start.¡± ¡°She?¡± ¡°Cedez Astra,¡± he revealed. ¡°One of the Shadow¡­ uhh, people?¡± Remicra''s scales shifted to a soft blue as she settled beside him, her tail curling around her feet. "Shadow people?" she prompted gently. Dave took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Lari''s face in the glass. "They''re... not human, not alive like you or me. They''re some kind of magical beings, maybe fragments of a princess who died nineteen years ago. They can''t be killed permanently, and they''re all fighting each other for control of Shandria." "And this Cedez... She''s one of them?" "Yes," Dave nodded. "She runs the Cambria Snail Cafe with Snailmancer Murdoc. She''s been... guiding me, I guess. But I don''t know if I can trust her. She knows far too many things about me, about my world. She sang songs from Earth, talked about books that I like!" The dragoness tilted her head. "That does sound strange. To what end is she guiding you?" Dave slid everything into Wisdom and looked into Remicra''s gold-violet eyes. He saw nothing but understanding there. He compared them to those of Lari''s blue eyes from his memories. Both projected the same kindness, patience¡­ pure, clear friendship free of any kind of concealed desire or manipulation. "Cedez wants to turn me into her champion¡­ maybe? To use my necromancy against the others,¡± he revealed, not sure if he was speaking to Remy or Lari anymore for a second as he stared at the stained glass window in his hands. Remicra''s scales momentarily flickered with orange. "You''re a¡­ necromancer?" Dave tensed, realizing what he''d just revealed. But to his surprise, Remicra didn''t recoil and didn''t show it like it bothered her. Instead, the orange tint of her scales died in an ocean of blue as she placed a warm claw on his right hand.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t report you to the Watch," she said. "I already guessed as much, knew that your sliding Attributes were some kind of unique skill. Do remember, I''m trapped here too, bound to make weapons for a Shandrian Lord until I die of old age. We outcasts need to stick together." ¡°It¡¯s not even Necromancy,¡± he confessed. ¡°It¡¯s a skill called Phantomancy. It allows me to absorb the souls of the dead, to learn what they knew, to rearrange the magic from anyone who recently died to fill my Attributes.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she said, reaching out for a bottle of water and cloth. ¡°Why are you covered in blood?¡± ¡°I went into a Void dungeon with... Cedez¡­¡± Dave said, wincing as Remicra wiped the blood from his hands. ¡°Why?¡± Dave opened his mouth and started talking. He told her everything. About his life on Earth, his mundane job, and his first ¡®death¡¯. He spoke of his revival by Lari, his best friend who had saved him both physically and emotionally. He described his second death and awakening on Arx, his horrific first moments in this new reality. Dave''s voice trembled as he recounted his experiences in Shandria - meeting Cedez, the strange Quest to slay the dragon and free the princess, his confusion, and the growing suspicion that he was being manipulated. He described his extra non-existent day in Healer¡¯s Hall, his work with Healy. He talked about the baths, killing Oraniss, and meeting Stellaris. He talked about the Void dungeon, Cedez''s sacrifice, and the terrible battle with Sir Wabbor. As he spoke of absorbing the souls, of the fractured memories and alien desires that now warred within him, tears began to fall anew. He confessed his fear of losing himself, of becoming nothing more than a vessel for the countless others he had consumed. Finally, he told her about the vision of Lari as Saint Saria, the horror of realizing what she had been forced to become, and the crushing guilt he felt for not being there to save her. Throughout it all, Remicra listened silently, her scales shifting through shades of blue, red and green, occasionally flashing with hints of pink all while carefully wiping the blood from his face. When Dave finally fell silent, exhausted and emotionally drained, the dragoness once again reached out and gently took his hand in her clawed one. "Thank you for trusting me with this," she said softly. "I can''t imagine how difficult it must be, carrying all of that inside you. But Dave, you''re still you. The very fact that you''re struggling with this, that you care so deeply about what''s happening to you and others - that proves you haven''t lost yourself." Dave looked at her, a glimmer of hope in his tear-stained eyes. "How can you be so sure?" For the first time since he¡¯d come to know her, Remicra smiled. "Because a dungeon monster wouldn''t care. A mindless collection of souls wouldn''t be sitting here, pouring their heart out to a bound blacksmith.¡± Dave noticed that the Custodix Kitlix was intently staring at him, the top of the hourglass nearly empty. He rearranged his Attributes ever so slightly and the crystalline-fluid creature stopped paying attention, its eyes wandering elsewhere. ¡°Impressive,¡± the dragoness commented as she grabbed the timer and turned it over. ¡°So you can really bamboozle a Custodix.¡± Dave nodded. Remicra stood up. She moved to the small grate near her forge, placing a battered kettle atop it. Reaching down, she tapped the Ignix Kitlix, pushing it under the kettle. The Ignix sparked from within, its crystalline body glowing with orange like hot coals. Dave eyed the kettle warily. The dragoness turned to him, her expression filled with resolve. "I''ll do it," she said firmly. "I''ll make the tea with your Void Lotus or whatever. If this plant and this shadow blood can really magnify my Metallomancy as you say, then I will help you." ¡°Why?¡± Dave asked. "Because you''ve given me hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, there''s a way out of this wretched situation for both of us. So, let''s see what this flower can do. If it doesn¡¯t work¡­ then we¡¯ll figure something else out, right?¡± Dave blinked, surprised by her sudden change in demeanor. "Are you sure? I don''t want to put you in danger¡­ Using the shadow-blood, amplifying you might bring them to your tower.¡± ¡°Pfff,¡± Remicra snorted. ¡°Some danger would be a nice change of pace. Don¡¯t take me for a weakling who can¡¯t handle herself. If there''s even a chance this could help you, it''s worth the risk." ¡°Don¡¯t you have customers?¡± He eyed the shut door. ¡°What customers?¡± Remicra arched an eyebrow. ¡°Pretty sure I scared everyone in Shandria away from here a long time ago. Only Overseer Princess visits me once a week with orders to make something or repair stuff.¡± ¡°Princess?¡± "Just her hunter nickname, since her crystal hair looks like a crown," Remicra rolled her eyes. "She''s not actually royalty. Although she certainly acts entitled enough to be one. Now, stop flapping around and give me a lotus.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Dave wrapped his hand in a cloth and reached into his backpack, carefully extracting one of the Void Lotus flowers. He held one out to Remicra. "Be careful," he warned. "They¡¯ve got hella sharp two-dimensional thorns." Remicra nodded, her scales shifting to violet-blue. She retrieved a pair of metal tongs from her workbench and grabbed the flower from his hand. Pruning the leaves with a knife, she threw them into the boiling kettle. As they hit the surface, the leaves seemed to writhe for a moment before dissolving, turning the water a deep, shimmering violet. The air filled with a strange, otherworldly aroma. A part of Dave belonging to the Voidmancer recognized it after a minute. It was the smell of the blood of the Voidwhale, a scent that haunted Zolish Yaslor his entire life. Remicra poured the steaming liquid into two rough-hewn mugs. She handed one to Dave, their eyes meeting over the rim of the cups. ¡°Shall we?" She asked. [-39-] Extraction They drank deeply, the tea burning a path down their throats. Dave felt a tingling sensation spread through his body. The shards of Zolish recognized dimensional magic within his body, distantly recalling exactly how to wield it. This was ritualistic Void binding, a pact between two or more magi, the key to sharing or transferring power. He''s done this exact thing before, hundreds of years ago. Setting his mug aside, Dave pulled out the wooden board covered in gemstones and held the glass vial containing the Shadow-fluid over it. The vial seemed to pulse in his hand, the dark substance within writhing and twirling in a spiral pattern as if it was alive. He gripped it tightly in his left hand, then extended his right towards Remicra. "Ready?" he asked. Remicra nodded. She reached out, her violet-colored clawed hand engulfing Dave''s. Dave pushed all of his soul-bits into the shards belonging to Stellaris and Zolish, leaning on the arcane knowledge of the Voidmancer to manage the transfer process successfully. The moment their hands connected, the vial of Shadow-fluid ignited. Brilliant, blinding white flames consumed the shadow in the vial, the dark substance burning away to nothing. The soul bits belonging to Stellaris danced, vibrating in Dave¡¯s soul, carrying power through them, from elsewhere into the hexagram on the board, then across his veins, across his fingers and into Remicra''s hand. Remicra''s eyes ignited from within with violet-gold rings, her pupils dilating and contracting rapidly. Her entire body arched, scales rippling with waves of brilliant color. Before he could react, she shoved him onto the nearby table with surprising strength, her sharp claws deftly ripping his tattered cloak. "Wha-" Dave sputtered, caught off guard by the sudden intensity of her actions. ¡°Shush. Don¡¯t move,¡± Remicra''s claws ran across his body with the precision of a surgeon examining a patient. Her touch left tingling sensations in its wake, as if she were interacting with something beneath his skin. "Yes!" she declared, eyes wide. "I can feel all the metal all around us much better, especially the stuff that¡¯s in you. Whatever in the Abyss you just did worked!¡± She reached into Dave¡¯s bag and pulled the Felislice corpse out. Holding onto the metal bird-cat with her left hand, she reached out to Dave with her right hand. Dave couldn''t help but smile, relief washing over him. The amplification had succeeded; Remicra''s Metallomancy was clearly enhanced beyond its normal limits. Then he frowned. ¡°Uh¡­ what if you fall into a coma after?¡± ¡°How long was the amplified Strongman¡¯s first coma?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°Uhh?¡± ¡°Sir Wabbor fell into a coma for one day the first time he was amplified,¡± Dave said. ¡°It got worse the more he amplified himself.¡± ¡°If I fall into a coma for too long, you can go back to Dwallis to finish the job,¡± she said. ¡°The Overseer can¡¯t hurt me if I¡¯m in a coma. If it¡¯s just a day, she probably won¡¯t even notice it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time.¡± Remicra¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. "This will hurt," she warned, reaching for a nearby leather strap. "Bite on this. I¡¯ll get the ones closest to your crystalline heart first.¡± Dave nodded. He took the offered strap and placed it between his teeth, bracing himself for whatever was to come. Remicra placed her right clawed hand on Dave''s chest, her eyes narrowing in concentration. Dave felt a strange sensation beneath his skin, as if every particle of metal in his body was suddenly awake and wriggling. The feeling quickly intensified, turning from discomfort to searing pain. Dave bit down hard on the leather strap, muffling his cries as Remicra worked. He pushed nearly all of his points into Vitality to repair whatever damage the flakes were causing by being pulled out. He could feel the metal flakes moving within him, drawn to her power like iron filings to a magnet. The pain was excruciating, but he forced himself to remain still, trusting in Remicra''s skill and the power of the amplification.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The dragoness concentrated, her claws moving in intricate patterns over Dave''s body. Slowly, painstakingly, she began to draw the metal flakes out through his pores. Tiny droplets of blood and metal formed on his skin, coalescing into larger globules that sparkled in the air between them. The process seemed to go on forever, each second stretching out in a haze of stabbing pain. Occasionally, Remicra stopped and went to turn the 25 minute timer over and Dave shifted his attributes around slightly to confuse the Custodix. Finally, after about two hours, Remicra stepped back, wiping her blood-covered hands with a cloth. A fist-sized sphere of extracted metal, glinted dully in the forge''s light sitting on the table next to the Felislice. Tapping her Ignix Kitlix to ignite brighter and prodding the critter deeper into the forge, Remicra shoved the extracted metal ball into its paws. ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Melting it down to forge you a knife,¡± she said. ¡°A knife?¡± ¡°It¡¯s magic metal,¡± she replied. ¡°Your bone knife broke. You¡¯re going to need something stronger.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°So¡­ did you get it all out?¡± ¡°I got everything out that I could sense,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll need to get the mermaids to clean the Metal infection from your Aura, I suggest you head to the baths as soon as you can stand. Until you are fully purified, metal flakes will continue to grow near your heart core. As¡­ Garret told you, this is going to take several sessions. I¡¯ll keep the Felislice here.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ Remy,¡± Dave said, sitting up gingerly, his body aching from the procedure. "How are you feeling?" Remicra asked, not taking her eyes off her work as she pulled the red-hot metal from the Kitlix and kneaded it in her seemingly fireproof fingers. "Like someone stabbed me with a million needles," Dave groaned, "but also... lighter somehow. Less¡­ wrong. Damn it, I really lost it at the cafe and here too¡­ Sorry I broke your window." "Some insanity is to be expected after obliterating an entire dungeon. You were turning into a Metal Sentinel too. You can walk, now, yes? Head to the baths and get yourself cleaned up properly. I''ll continue working on this knife. I want to add some reinforcing runes to it." ¡°You can reinforce metal?¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± she replied with an eye-roll. ¡°I¡¯m a Metalmancer. Burgundy uses me to reinforce metal armor and weapons for his minions. "Since this metal came from inside you, it''s attuned to your core already. I will inscribe runes that will make the knife more effective in your hands. It won''t be as powerful as a proper magisteel weapon, but it should serve you well. Just don¡¯t try to cut Voidtree roots with it.¡± ¡°What do you think can cut a Voidtree?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to bring it to town to sell it.¡± ¡°No idea,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Runic Magisteel reinforced with a specific Archmage-level spell maybe, but I don¡¯t have any of that here.¡± "Remy, I''m truly grateful," he said. ¡°You saved me from getting collared. I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you. You¡¯re my friend, my only genuine friend in this insane world¡­ I think.¡± The dragoness''s scales flickered with a hint of pink before settling back to blue. "Uh-huh. Stay at the Adventurers Guild and come back tomorrow for me to check your condition. The knife should be ready then too. And Dave..." "Yes?" "Be careful out there. Whatever in the Abyss is going on with these immortal shadow girls, it''s bigger than both of us. Watch your back. Don¡¯t die on me, yeah?¡± ¡°They could come after you,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°Hang on. Don¡¯t you have a second bracelet?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°Uh, yeah, right,¡± Dave handed the dead adventurer¡¯s bracelet to her. Remicra snapped it over her wrist and looked at the stats only visible to her. ¡°No afflictions or timer,¡± she said. ¡°Ah. The amplification brought my Metallomancy to Level 57 from whatever I was before. It¡¯s definitely nothing crazy like your extra-day, or stopping time, or punching through solid rock, so I probably won¡¯t fall into a coma. I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll keep the door closed just in case. The smithy¡¯s Ward is made to keep assassins out just as much as it¡¯s designed to keep me in.¡± ¡°So if I was¡­¡± ¡°If you had any intentions to murder me, you wouldn¡¯t make it inside the smithy,¡± Remicra nodded. ¡°Fine,¡± Dave smiled wryly. "And Remy?" "Hmm?" "Thank you for listening. For... understanding. It means more than you know." Remicra''s scales rippled with a soft pink hue. "Hrm," she huffed, her voice gruff but with an undercurrent of warmth, "someone''s got to keep you out of trouble, you overgrown hatchling." Dave eyed the stained glass window. The dragoness followed his gaze and sighed, grumbling about dumb, impulsive humans under her breath. She picked up the stained glass and held it over the hot forge and then quickly snipped all the excess bits off with her claws, leaving only the smaller part of the frame featuring Lari. ¡°Here,¡± she said, handing Lari¡¯s portrait to Dave. ¡°Keep her. I¡¯ll reattach the rest to the wall.¡± Dave slipped the portrait into his bag and exhumed another set of gray robes from within, pulling it on. As he reached the door, Remicra called out, "Oh, and Dave?" He turned back. "Yes?" "Next time you decide to steal part of the lighthouse, maybe ask first?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I''ll keep that in mind. See you tomorrow, Remy." The dragoness simply waved a clawed hand. [-40-] Vexirium Dave quickly made his way towards the public baths. As he entered the familiar establishment, the antlered attendant raised an eyebrow at his disheveled appearance but said nothing as she waved him in upon noticing his bath token. Dave quickly shed his robes, walked inside, and stepped into the warm, soothing waters. Aesthetician Corallis spotted him and swam over, her iridescent tail cutting gracefully through the water. "Good afternoon, Sir Dave," she said with a soft smile as she circled him in the water, scanning him with her aquamarine-tinted Kitlix. "Oh my, what happened to you? Did you happen to take on a dungeon by yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dave nodded. ¡°What, really?¡± The mermaid blinked. "Yeah, I took on a Void dungeon," he admitted. ¡°Alone?! That''s incredibly dangerous! You''re lucky to be alive,¡± she chided him. "Things got a bit out of hand. I wasn¡¯t alone at first¡­¡± Dave sighed. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡­ lost a friend and almost died,¡± he said. ¡°Your friend died in the dungeon?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave shook his head. ¡°She didn¡¯t die¡­ not exactly. To be honest¡­ I¡¯m feeling mentally unbalanced, like I¡¯m losing myself.¡± "I can see that. My little Quarii is detecting severe Auric and deep tissue damage. This is going to take a lot of healing. You should absolutely visit Healers Hall after this as I can only do the Auric realignment and outer layer damage," Corallis replied, her tone sympathetic. "Anything you''d like to get off your chest? Talking helps with the healing process as emotional release makes the Aura fluctuate, reveals more of it to me." Dave closed his eyes, feeling the gentle currents of the pool swirl around him. "I just... I don''t know who to trust anymore. It feels like everyone has some hidden agenda, you know?" The mermaid nodded sagely. "Ah, the classic ''everyone''s out to get me''. A common ailment in Shandria, I''m afraid. Comes with the territory of living in a city of her Divine Shadow. Submerge everything except for your head while we chat please.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Dave sunk a bit deeper into the water. ¡°It¡¯s like I can never catch a break. It honestly feels like Arx is out to murder me, like there¡¯s this invisible noose around my neck that¡¯s constantly tightening.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it is,¡± Corallis said. ¡°What? I''m cursed or something?¡± ¡°Many of us believe that Arxtruria is alive, and she¡¯s always testing us, pushing us to our limits." ¡°Why?¡± "Think of Arxi as a giant living organism. The dungeons, the monsters, even the stats-based magic that permeates everything which the Banking bracelets tap into to provide us with numeric information and skill lists, they''re all part of her immune system. And we, the sentient beings that inhabit this world, are like... well, like bacteria living in her gut feeding on what she swallows." "Charming analogy," Dave muttered. Corallis chuckled. "I never said it was pretty. Arxi is digesting all of us, forcing us to adapt or perish.¡± Dave frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. Everyone¡¯s going through this,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s a positive side to it.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°In the city of shadows there is a light that breaks through the darkness¨Cits people, who remain free in many ways compared to other God-Emperor domains. My point is that you don¡¯t have to face it alone. Do you have any other reliable friends here in Shandria? People you can trust?" Dave thought for a moment, his mind drifting to the trio of apprentice Healers. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve friends from Healer¡¯s Hall.¡± ¡°There you go,¡± the mermaid smiled. ¡°Maybe they can give you deep tissue healing outside of their work hours at a discount or even for a favor. Talk to them.¡± Dave nodded. "Yeah¡­ I will. Thanks, Corallis." ¡°Also, I see that you don¡¯t have a Voicecast ring or bracelet,¡± she said. ¡°Consider getting one. It¡¯s tough to keep in contact with friends without it.¡± ¡°A... Voicecast ring?¡± Dave asked. The mermaid lifted her left hand. What Dave had assumed was a dark, crystalline bracelet suddenly unfolded into another small, dark Kitlix sprinkled with silver and violet sparks. ¡°Nuntix Kitlix,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re born from Voicecast rings and bracelets. You can use them to keep in touch with anyone or even call up shops. You can buy a starter ring or bracelet for relatively cheap from one of the Voicecast Guild shops.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much cash on me,¡± Dave said. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Corallis said. ¡°Voicecast Guilds offer delayed payment contracts. You can get a used ring that¡¯ll fit about ten Voicecast crystals in and be able to call ten friends. It won¡¯t have Guildnet though, but you can sign up for that once you¡¯ve made more silver slayin¡¯ dungeon monsters or what have you.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "What¡¯s Guildnet?" Dave asked. "Guildnet is generally used by Astral Divers. Once your Nuntix reaches a certain level, it can Astral project you into the Guildnet," Corallis explained, her tail swishing lazily in the water. "It''s like a vast, invisible web of information and communication that spans all of the nine cities of her Shadow Empire and even places far beyond it." ¡°Sounds like a magical¡­ internet with full-dive VR?¡± Dave stared at the mermaid. Corallis tilted her head. "I''m not familiar with those terms, but if you mean a way to access information and chat across great distances, then yes. The Guildnet allows Astral Divers to project their consciousness into various shared Astral spaces hosted by mage towers, where divers can interact with each other, find clients, access libraries of knowledge, order things from other cities, buy or even steal information.¡± "Dang," Dave mused, suddenly feeling excited about the prospect of a magical internet. "So, who controls this Guildnet?" ¡°Local Guildnet is divided among several competing Guilds, each owned by one of the Shandrian High Lords. Hosting an Astral space is expensive and requires lots of mana crystals and a big mage tower - the taller, the better.¡± Dave frowned, reminded of the monopolistic telecommunications corporations back on Earth. "Let me guess, the Voicecast Guilds don''t play nice with each other?" "You catch on quick,¡± the mermaid nodded. ¡°Each Guild jealously guards its own portion of Guildnet, offering different services and charging different rates. Personally, I recommend one of the Rubix Voicecast Guild shops owned by Lord Rubius for getting your first voicecast ring. They won¡¯t screw you over too badly.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Dave said. ¡°Anytime love,¡± Corallis smiled. ¡°I¡¯m done with the damage evaluation. Your Aura is still corrupted pretty badly by Metal and now lots of Void too. Dive, so I can start to clear these up.¡±
As the sun began to move past the shimmering corona of the black hole painting Shandria''s winding streets in orange tones of evening, Dave found himself once again at the entrance of the Nightingale tavern. The familiar warmth and cacophony of voices washed over him as he pushed open the heavy wooden door. There was no musician on the dim stage today on the account that he had devoured Stellaris. His eyes scanned the crowded room until they landed on a familiar group seated at a corner table. Dumpich, his violet-tinted curled horns gleaming in the tavern''s Kitlix lanterns, was enthusiastically describing something to Terri and Leon while waving his arms. ¡°Look who decided to grace us with his presence," Terri commented, spotting Dave first. Dave slid into an empty chair, offering a weak smile to his friends. "Hey, everyone.¡± "Eyyy Dave-o! So, how''d it go with your lady friend? You two lovebirds have a nice time?" Dumpich instantaneously invaded his personal space, squeezing his shoulder. ¡°No,¡± Dave said simply. ¡°Huh, but I thought that you two were an item and¡­.¡± Dumpich began, the wide smile sliding off his face. ¡°Sadly, no,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°She tried to collar me into servitude.¡± ¡°Collar you?!¡± Terri¡¯s green eyes went wide. ¡°Wait¡­ right in front of us?! That was an illegal soul-binding collar?! That bitch! We have to tell the Watch and¡­¡± ¡°A binding collar?¡± Dumpich choked. ¡°How did you even get out of it?¡± ¡°I handled it,¡± Dave shook his head. ¡°Also, I¡¯d prefer it if you didn¡¯t summon the Watch, Terri. I... I handled it personally. She won''t be a problem anymore." "Handled it how, exactly?" Leon asked. Dave met the Healer''s eyes. "Let''s just say she won''t be putting collars on anyone else." A heavy silence fell over the table. Dumpich broke it with a low whistle. "Blimey, Dave. You''re full of surprises, aren''t you?" "You have no idea," Dave muttered. ¡°Could we¡­ talk in private?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, totally,¡± Dumpich nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go reserve a private booth.¡± He stood up, intercepted a catgirl barmaid and in short order the ex-programmer and three Healers ended up sitting in a hidden alcove featuring a plush couch. A shimmering, magic curtain separated their voices from the rest of the pub. ¡°You¡­ you killed Lady Stellaris?¡± Terri asked, looking at Dave¡¯s trembling hands. ¡°No. She was never exactly alive to begin with,¡± Dave said. ¡°What?¡± Terri asked. ¡°She wasn¡¯t a person,¡± Dave clarified. ¡°She was basically¡­ shadow magic bound with crystals.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not messing with us?¡± Dumpich sputtered. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Dave shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± Terri commented. ¡°Hang on, I¡¯m gonna scan you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°I¡­ need your help.¡± ¡°With?¡± Dumpich asked, leaning forward. ¡°Oh,¡± Terri¡¯s face paled as her Kitlix jumped onto Dave¡¯s shoulder, rushing up and down his body. ¡°Oh, no. Oh, this is very bad.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dumpich looked at the concerned and pale antlered girl. ¡°Vexirium,¡± she said. ¡°Vexirium?!¡± Dumpich sputtered. ¡°But he¡¯s not ninety years old!¡± Leon¡¯s Kitlix also jumped onto Dave, running all over him like a green-tinted dark squirrel climbing a tree. ¡°Dave,¡± Dumpich sent his own Kitlix to examine the ex-programmer. ¡°What in the Abyss did you do?¡± ¡°What¡¯s Vexirium?¡± Dave asked, his heartbeat accelerating. ¡°Skill Psychosis,¡± Leon leaned forward, his expression grave. "Vexirium is a condition usually seen in very old or mid-high level mages who''ve pushed their skills too far by casting or absorbing too much magic. It''s a kind of... magical incompatibility of body and crystalline heart core, if you will. The heart core swells too much and releases too much magic for the body to support it, tearing internal tissues, crystallizing bones and eventually leading to memory loss and gradual fragmentation of self.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see it too,¡± Dumpich frowned. ¡°Your heart core is burning you from within, mate. It¡¯s pretty bad.¡± ¡°Have you been hallucinating things, feeling not like yourself, feeling like your personality is shattering, decaying away?¡± Terri asked. ¡°Forgetting things?¡± Leon added. ¡°Muscles twitching as if you¡¯re being puppeteered by something?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°Uh, what¡­ what should I do about this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no simple cure,¡± Terri bit her lip. ¡°This sort of thing normally happens to old, wealthy Archmagi or Highborns¡­ The sort of people who enjoy magic-infused steaks their entire life, and also someone who can afford a personal healer. Depending on the quality of their personal Healer, they get to live a decade or more until their stomach bursts at around the 100-year mark.¡± ¡°Yeah, but this is a rare case. Dave''s core isn¡¯t massive, so there aren''t too many tissue tears,¡± Leon pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s just ridiculously bright. Almost blindingly so from what I can see through Lisst. It¡¯s going to lead to tissue decay and necrosis and a whole set of other problems unless it¡¯s constantly monitored and handled. It¡¯s almost like you went up twenty levels overnight or maybe even more¡­ but that¡¯s just not possible.¡± Dave swallowed. ¡°Mate, what in the Abyss have you done to yourself?¡± Dumpich asked. ¡°I¡­ defeated a dungeon,¡± Dave said. ¡°And absorbed the magic from the core and all of the monsters.¡± ¡°Which dungeon?¡± Dumpich demanded. Dave pulled his bag onto the table and opened it, revealing an entire compartment packed with Void lotuses. ¡°By her Shadow,¡± Leon¡¯s blue eyes went wide. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve conquered the Whispering Depths?!¡± [-41-] Party ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave confessed. ¡°I kinda did.¡± The three Vitalix Kitlix settled all over Dave, radiating warmth and making him feel marginally less broken. Dumpich¡¯s mouth fell open wide. Terri and Leon simply stared. ¡°You worked alone?¡± Terri asked, staring at Dave¡¯s bracelet. ¡°But you¡¯re only¡­ Level Six?¡± ¡°A Strength-aligned assassin demolished most of the dungeon, attracting monsters to himself¡± Dave confessed. ¡°He was trying to kill me. I simply¡­ hid, stayed out of his way.¡± ¡°Why was an assassin chasing you?¡± Leon asked. ¡°Because I learned too much,¡± Dave revealed. ¡°Stellaris and the others tend to hire assassins to take out people who find out about their true¡­ nature.¡± ¡°Shiiit,¡± Dumpich said. ¡°I heard there¡¯s criminal gangs operating in Undertown. Was she with them?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°She was selling¡­ Topaz.¡± ¡°Abyss, I really liked her music,¡± Dumpich sighed, rubbing his hands. ¡°That¡¯s highly addictive shit, makes you daydream happy things while degenerating muscles, bloating stomach and turning your skin blue. If you learned about her Topaz sales side gig¡­ that''s def¡¯ a good reason to take you out of the picture.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Terri began. ¡°Absorbing an entire dungeon? After it¡¯s been slain by someone else? That¡¯s just not how things work.¡± ¡°One can feast on the flesh of a recently slain dungeon beast to attain great power,¡± Leon said. ¡°Absorbing an entire dungeon worth of monsters¡­ that would actually explain the Vexirium condition.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Terri said. ¡°What happened to this¡­ assassin?¡± Leon asked. ¡°He died while fighting the dungeon core,¡± Dave revealed. ¡°Demolished it with a punch and then fell to a Void Sentinel¡¯s sword. There were only a few monsters left alive after that I took care of.¡± ¡°Healing Vexirium isn¡¯t going to be cheap. It¡¯s going to require a healer monitoring your heart core area with Vitalix, plus constant corrections. The issue is that your body is struggling to handle the magical strain while your core expands,¡± Leon addressed Dave. ¡°Basically, your level has grown faster than your body has adapted to it.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± Dumpich waved his hands. ¡°Dave¡¯s a healer! If he can just join Healer¡¯s Hall then he¡¯ll have a Vitalix on hand constantly monitoring and adjusting his body. This isn¡¯t an unresolvable problem, guys!¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to buy my bonded Kitlix from Healers Hall,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°But that¡¯ll require lots of silver. Three hundred and forty silver to be precise.¡± Leon eyed the bag. ¡°The value of these lotuses alone is several hundred silver. I can get a much better rate for them through Healers Hall administration than what Adventurers Guild would pay you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Dave said. ¡°What about the Voidtree?¡± Leon asked. ¡°It¡¯s still there,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°Impervious, tipped over sideways and way too massive to fit into my bag. I couldn¡¯t cut a single branch off it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s made from extradimensional space magic,¡± Leon nodded. ¡°I¡¯m impressed that this assassin was even able to tear it from the ground at all. What level were they?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°The crazy bastard punched right through the Void monsters and took a ridiculous amount of damage before he died.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this tree¡¯s value?¡± Dumpich asked Leon. ¡°Fifty platinum, maybe more,¡± Leon tapped his chin. ¡°Unfortunately, only a high level extradimensional weapon could chop one of those branches off.¡± ¡°Could we maybe somehow fit it into a dimensional bag?¡± Dumpich asked. ¡°No. It¡¯ll most likely tear right through any extradimensional bag.¡± Leon shook his head. Dave frowned. He could really use the money. ¡°Can it be levitated out of the dungeon?¡± Dumpich speculated. ¡°You¡¯d need a clear path out of the dungeon and a high level gravity mage to lift it,¡± Leon considered. ¡°Plus you¡¯d need a dimensional or Space mage to temporarily cancel out the tree¡¯s magic. Hiring that many mages and clearing the path out through stone isn¡¯t going to be cheap.¡± ¡°Who would even buy a Voidtree and why?¡± Terri asked. ¡°It can be put to a Highborn auction,¡± Leon contemplated. ¡°Or sold on the Guildnet. Both have high entry fees for the auction to authenticate, store and display the item. However, the higher the fee, the greater the chances of selling it for much more.¡± Dumpich suddenly snapped his fingers. "I''ve got it! We don''t need to move the tree at all. We could just sell the information about its existence to the Guild. They''d pay for that kind of intel, and we wouldn''t have to lift a finger!" Leon shook his head. "Absolutely not. The Guild would lowball the price, and Dave wouldn''t see nearly what he deserves." He turned to Dave. "You need to benefit properly from this, especially given your condition." "But how?" Dave asked. ¡°The most important thing to do now is to lay claim to the tree as a party,¡± Leon stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The complication is, if you go to the Adventurers Guild as an Iron-level Six adventurer claiming you cleared the Whispering Depths solo in just a single day, they''d be incredibly suspicious. It would trigger an investigation, and they''d either harass you endlessly, shove you into a cell, or simply decide right away that you¡¯re lying and simply take the tree and monster parts for themselves. We need a much more... plausible story.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Dumpich''s face lit up. "Oh! I''ve got it! What if we form a party and pretend we cleared the depths together? That''d be much more believable, right? We could get lots of silver that way without doing much!¡± "A group of skilled healers taking on a dangerous dungeon?¡± Leon contemplated. ¡°That¡¯s more believable, but still rather iffy. We need someone high level and a hitter or two and a mobile home to block off the entrance so another party doesn¡¯t just go in to steal the kills.¡± ¡°Hrm, oh, I might know someone like that,¡± Dave said thinking of Murdoc. ¡°A Shadowmancer and a Snailmancer with a Snail-shell mobile home.¡± ¡°Do you trust them not to screw you over?¡± Leon asked. ¡°It would take a single report to the Guild for this whole plan to come apart and then you wouldn¡¯t see a single copper.¡± ¡°I¡­ do,¡± Dave decided. Terri chimed in. "But wouldn''t we get in trouble for lying to the Adventurers Guild?" ¡°Eh,¡± Dumpich shrugged. ¡°I used to be an adventurer, you know. Bending the truth a touch to appear more impressive is pretty normal in this biz.¡± ¡°A touch?¡± Terri raised an eyebrow. ¡°Just a sprinkle,¡± Dumpich grinned at her. "We¡¯d need to actually go there for a week or more to make it look convincing," Leon replied. ¡°For example, a working strategy is to send a Strength-aligned Champion in to draw monsters out while the mages strike them from afar. The group of healers can handle any injuries the Champion sustains. The problem is that no sane Champion would sign up for such a job on the account of the teleporting Void spikes¡­ Realistically, it would need to be a lowborn who¡¯s really desperate for cash or maybe a slave who would have no choice but to obey.¡± Dave thought about Remicra. ¡°I know a Strength-aligned blacksmith slave,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s owned by Lord Burgundy.¡± ¡°Do you trust her?¡± Leon asked. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°I trust her,¡± Dave said after a moment of consideration. ¡°Her name¡¯s Remicra.¡± ¡°We¡¯d have to outline our dungeon delving strategy and present it to her owners with a sublease contract for Remicra,¡± Leon said. ¡°Which brings up another issue¨CBurgundy¡¯s Estate Management in charge of the slave might not be interested in getting their smith grievously injured and healed and injured again for a week.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Dave said, thinking about Overseer Princess. ¡°I think that they would love that.¡± ¡°Then we have a plan,¡± Leon smiled. ¡°Are you two in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m totally in,¡± Dumpich grinned. Terri remained silent and thoughtful. ¡°You¡¯d do this for me?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I¡¯d do it for fame alone,¡± Dumpich declared. ¡°I adventured for a couple of years, but never managed to take out an entire freaking dungeon. Clearing one would be a huge boost to my career. I can totally take a week off my apprenticeship for this!¡± The two male healers looked at Terri. The antlered healer frowned. Dave gradually pushed everything into Charisma and smiled at her. Terri''s resolve wavered under Dave''s magic-enhanced smile. She let out a resigned sigh, blushing ever so slightly. "Oh, alright. I suppose someone needs to keep you lot out of trouble. I''m in. You¡¯re lucky, I wouldn¡¯t want such a handsome¡­ prospective healer to wither away from Vexirium.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Dave said. "So, how are we splitting this treasure trove?¡± Dumpich asked. "Dave''s the one who actually cleared the dungeon and is taking the biggest risk here. He should get the lion''s share,¡± Leon suggested. ¡°Personally, I¡¯ll be plenty happy with a large batch of rotting Voidbeast flesh and a few Void Lotuses as my immediate share. The flesh will make excellent fertilizer to grow more Void-aligned flowers.¡± "Same," Terri nodded, surprising Dave with her quick support. "Dave needs the funds for his continuous medical treatment and his own green Kitlix.¡± Dave felt a surge of gratitude towards his friends. "Thanks, guys. But you''re all taking a risk too. How about I take 60%, and the rest is split evenly among you?" Dumpich''s eyes widened. "That''s still a hefty sum! Count me in!" Leon nodded approvingly. "That seems fair. What about your other contacts? The Shadowmancer and Snailmancer?" Dave considered for a moment. "I''ll offer them 5% each.¡± ¡°They¡¯d work for so little?¡± Dumpich asked. ¡°That¡¯s like the minimum possible split.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no actual work involved,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°Just pretending to clear the dungeon and collecting the dead monsters. Anyways, I''ll talk it over with them when we see them." "And the blacksmith?" Terri asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to give her a big percentage of my share," Dave decided. ¡°She¡¯s helping me out a lot right now.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a slave,¡± Leon pointed out. ¡°Her share would go directly to Lord Burgundy¡¯s Estate, as a slave... she wouldn¡¯t receive a copper. They will probably want something like ten or thirty percent from all profits plus an immediate downpayment for the slave lease per day. We¡¯d need someone incredibly Charismatic to convince the Estate Management to go lower.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± Dave said. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Leon asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Dave said. He emptied the entire compartment with the Void lotuses onto the table and put about fifteen of them back into his backpack. ¡°Here, these are for you three as your immediate share.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll separate the seeds out for planting in my garden and sell the rest to Healers Hall,¡± Leon said. His Kitlix jumped off Dave. Leon opened a small leather bag on his side and Lisst formed a mouth and grabbed a few flowers and ran across the table, slipping them into Leon¡¯s bag. ¡°I¡¯ll buy your Kitlix for you,¡± Terri slid over to Dave. ¡°Healy, right?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait until Leon gets money for the flowers and until we write up a contract?¡± Dave shifted in his seat, his eyes darting between Terri and the pile of Void Lotuses on the table. The idea of a girl paying for his Kitlix made him feel uneasy. "Oh no, you don''t get to play the self-sacrificing hero here, mister. I''m not resting until you''re reunited with Healy and that''s final,¡± Terri¡¯s green eyes struck him. Dave opened his mouth to protest, but Terri cut him off with a wave of her lime-colored claws. "Dave, when Dumpich ranted to me all day about you, I thought he was spinning another one of his tall tales. A mysterious summoned who could bond with green Kitlix eight times his level? It sounded ridiculous." She paused, her expression softening. "Even when I sat next to you last time in the pub, I didn¡¯t actually believe it one bit. But here you are, somehow suffering from clear Skill Psychosis, which shouldn''t even be possible for someone your age and level.¡± Dumpich, who had been quietly sipping his ale, chose this moment to chime in. "Hey! I resent that remark about my tales. They''re not tall, they''re... uuhhh¡­ vertically gifted!¡± Leon rolled his eyes. "Dumpich, the last story you told involved you single-handedly wrestling a Thundersnarg while reciting poetry. In iambic pentameter." "It totally happened!" Dumpich protested, puffing out his chest. ¡°The Thunderslate dungeon doors unlock only if you dedicate some original poetry to it!¡± Terri ignored their banter, focusing on Dave. "My parents are capable Agromancers, they paid for my apprenticeship in Healers Hall. They send me silver every month for expenses, much of which I saved up by being frugal thanks to Leon feeding me veggies and fruits from his garden for lunch and breakfast. I want to see you bond with your level thirty four with my own eyes. That alone is worth three hundred silver to me. Besides, it¡¯ll all pay off when we sell the lotuses, tree and the Void monster parts, right? The point is¨Cyou need help right away, and I''m in a position to offer it. So let me do this, okay?" ¡°Okay,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°Come on, let''s go,¡± Terri pulled him from the booth. Dumpich sent Dave a thumbs up and a wink as Terri dragged him away, her elbow entwined with his. [-42-] Terri Gootali Dave found himself being quickly led through the orange-tinted, evening streets of Shandria. Terri''s arm remained firmly linked with his, as if she was worried he might vanish if she let go. Her Kitlix ended up sitting on his head, radiating warmth that helped him focus his scattering thoughts. The green-antlered healer''s determined stride left little room for argument, and Dave couldn''t help but feel flashes of gratitude and embarrassment at her insistence on helping him out. Collaris had been right, there were good people in Shandria. He just didn¡¯t think about them on the account of his brain melting from Vexirium and making him ridiculously paranoid. As they walked, Terri glanced sideways at him. "So, Dave," she began, "Is everyone from Earth as prone to trouble as you seem to be?" "I might be a special case. Most people on Earth don''t end up in magical cities fighting void monsters and shadow princesses. Then again, the Dragon God-Emperor summoned millions of people from Earth to his domain¡­ I just got lucky enough to be swept up from there by a very smelly wyvern and taken across the mountains.¡± "Shadow princesses? Wyvern flight from another domain?" Terri''s eyebrows shot up. "That really sounds like something out of one of Dumpich''s tales." "Trust me, I wish it was," Dave sighed. "It''s been... a pretty messed up week.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, try me,¡± Terri smiled. ¡°Right,¡± Dave said. ¡°Imagine a group of magical beings who think they''re the rightful ruler of Shandria, all fighting each other while trying to manipulate everyone around them. It''s like a soap opera, but with more shadow blades and attempted murder." "Attempted murder?" ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I''ve had a few close calls. Then¡­ There was this one time I got collared by a singer who wanted me to be her personal assassin. That was... not great. You were there.¡± ¡°Stellaris?¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± he nodded. ¡°Why¡¯d you let her collar you to begin with?¡± Terri pried. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything? We could have helped you.¡± Dave gave her a look. ¡°What?¡± She asked. ¡°We¡¯re not brawlers, but a Healer can absolutely dish out a lot of damage.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Green magic can kick ass too,¡± Terri huffed. ¡°Leon carries powdered poisons in his pockets that can take out a pretty high level enemy. Personally, I can paralyze a pretty burly strongman with my lovely Tori.¡± Terri¡¯s Kitlix bobbled atop of Dave¡¯s head when her name was mentioned. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you ask us for help?¡± Terri demanded. ¡°Why''d you pretend that you were dating? I knew that something was off about that damned elf!¡± ¡°Stellaris threatened me into compliance via a Quest,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°A Quest?¡± Terri blinked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that only¡­¡± ¡°Only High Lords and Guilds give Quests?¡± Dave said. ¡°Apparently, she could do that too. To be honest, I¡¯m not entirely sure I should be telling you all this stuff. If you know too much, they could come after you too.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t scared of no shadow people,¡± Terri shot back with slightly less confidence than she showed. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Okay fine, I¡¯m slightly concerned about assassins and whatnot,¡± she whispered. ¡°But really¡­ This is Shandria. If I didn¡¯t have Tori¡­¡± Dave looked at the Healer. ¡°When I came to study here and just bought Tori from the breeder¡­ I had a few close calls,¡± she said with a shudder. ¡°Thought that I would be fine shopping in the rougher parts of town to save money. Nope. Bad idea. Barely made it out with my dignity intact. Haven''t trusted strangers since.¡± ¡°Seems like you trust me,¡± Dave said. ¡°On the account that Tori can knock your ass out faster than you can blink,¡± the girl said. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s like you¡¯re¡­ radiating trust. I feel safe with you. Is that weird?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Radiating trust?¡± Dave asked, considering that he had [46.3952] soul shards sitting in Charisma. Unlike Remicra, Terri didn''t seem to be bothered by his Charisma. ¡°Yeah. Sort of like some of the Highborns do. But, you can¡¯t be a Highborn, right? You¡¯re Level Six and you¡¯ve got no alignment whatsoever. Besides, ain¡¯t never seen a Highborn wear cheap ass basic gray robes. They''re ostentatious buggers.¡± ¡°Does everyone trust this number?¡± Dave waved his bracelet. ¡°I trust what Tori tells me about you,¡± Terri said. ¡°Oh? And what does Tori tell you?¡± He wondered. ¡°Tori tells me that you¡¯re completely harmless and badly hurt.¡± Dave couldn''t help but sputter-chuckle at the irony of Terri''s words. If only she knew about the maelstrom of souls swirling within him. "What''s so funny?" Terri asked. "Oh, nothing," Dave replied. "Just thinking about how ''harmless'' I''ve been lately. You know, accidentally flying on wyverns, accidentally conquering dungeons, accidentally defeating absurdly overpowered assassins, narrowly escaping princess enslavement." Terri raised an eyebrow. "Those do sound pretty darn outlandish. Hrm. What''s the craziest yet realistic thing that''s happened to you since you arrived in Shandria? ¡°Trying to explain to a dragon blacksmith why I stole her stained glass window because I think it''s my best friend from another world." Terri stopped in her tracks. "You... what?" "Yeah, not my finest moment," Dave admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "In my defense, I was suffering from pretty bad¡­ what do you call it, ummm, Vexirium at the time. And the window really does look like my friend." ¡°Your friend?¡± ¡°Saint Saria,¡± Dave said. "I... I don''t even know where to begin with that," Terri said, her steps faltering for a second. ¡°What?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Come on, stop pulling my hoof,¡± she said, expression returning to neutral. ¡°How could Saint Saria be your friend? She died, like, two centuries ago when Xandria fell!¡± ¡°You know about her?¡± Dave asked, frowning at Terri¡¯s words. ¡°Of course I know about her!¡± Terri stamped her leg into the pavement. ¡°She is, like, the most well known healer from the end of the Lumir dynasty era. Before the whole Divine Shadow takeover. Did Dumpich put you up to this? Because I¡¯m already, uhm¡­ curious about you. You don¡¯t need to pretend you¡¯re best friends with a Saint that inspired me to apply to Healers Hall¡­ just to impress me.¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave said. ¡°I really know her. We were best friends back on Earth. She, like me, was summoned to Arx after she died.¡± Terri let go of Dave¡¯s elbow, squinting at him with an irate glare. "Okay, mister ''best friends with a Saint of Healers''," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If you really knew Saint Saria, tell me something about her that isn''t in the history books." Dave exhaled, caught off guard by the sudden interrogation. He racked his brain, trying to think of something that would convince Terri. Arriving at nothing, he decided to simply talk about Lari. "Well, uh... she had a cute singing voice. We went to Karaoke often with our other friends. Remember that song Stellaris sang at the pub? Lari used to sing it to me before her whole Saint thing on Arx." Terri''s eyebrows shot up. "Karaoke?" "It''s an Earth thing," Dave explained. "You sing along to popular songs in front of people, usually badly and after a few drinks." "Uh-huh," Terri said, clearly not convinced. "And Saint Saria enjoyed getting drunk and singing terribly?" "When you put it like that..." Dave sighed. "It does sound silly. But Lari was just a normal person before she came here. A paramedic. That''s like... a Healer who rides around in metal carriages helping people who are hurt or sick. It was how she saved me when I almost died.¡± Terri''s expression softened slightly, curiosity winning out over disbelief. "A healer in a metal carriage?¡± ¡°She helped people in a world without magic,¡± Dave revealed. ¡°Without magic¡­¡± Terri muttered. "You know," she began as they reached Healers Hall and went in through a white-wood side door which Terri opened by shoving her hand into an alcove with a Kitlix inside, "Saint Saria is famous not just for her healing abilities, but for the ideas she introduced to Xandria. Many of them weren''t actually magical in terms of healing." "What kind of ideas?" ¡°She emphasized the importance of cleanliness in healing. She insisted that healers wash their hands thoroughly before treating patients, which wasn''t common practice back then. She also introduced the concept of quarantine for infectious diseases." Dave''s eyes widened. "What else?" "She advocated for better nutrition as a preventative measure against illness," Terri continued. "She encouraged people to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. And she was a strong proponent of exercise for maintaining health. She also sketched out how viruses and bacteria looked in her journals and described how each damaged or even helped the body. Lots of stuff like that. I own¡­ one of her journals.¡± ¡°Those all sound like things Lari would have known from her work on Earth,¡± Dave agreed. The pair ascended up the white stairwell to the Kitlix Chapel. ¡°Wait,¡± Terri froze. ¡°What?¡± Dave asked. ¡°What¡¯s your full name? Like your full Earth-birth name?¡± ¡°David Horovits Walter,¡± Dave said. ¡°By her Shadow,¡± Terri choked, her face pale. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked. ¡°T-the f-first p-page of her journal,¡± the elkgirl stammered. ¡°It¡­ it said¡­ ¡®Dedicated to David Horovits Walter. Wherever you are, I wish that we would meet again in Xandria.¡¯¡± [-43-] Lantern in the Abyss Dave stared at Terri, feeling that his heart stopped, feeling like someone kicked the floor out from under him, like he was plummeting in freefall. ¡°Abyss eternal,¡± Terri choked. ¡°You really are her best friend. H-holy Arx¡­ I would have never¡­ it¡¯s no wonder.¡± ¡°No wonder what?¡± Dave demanded, trying to locate mental solid ground, trying to push away the rising pain in his chest. ¡°Magic grows in power over centuries long after we¡¯re gone, David,¡± Terri pulled Dave into the Kitlix Chapel. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it?¡± ¡°What am I supposed to get?¡± ¡°You¡¯re walking where she walked centuries ago,¡± the elkgirl said. ¡°Saint Saria is the reason why I met you, the reason why our paths crossed, the reason why Dumpich won¡¯t shut up about you.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± Dave distantly recalled the words of Cedez about Saint Saria. ¡°By all rights, you¡¯re supposed to be dead!¡± Terri waved her hands. ¡°Level Six adventurers don¡¯t just survive deadly assassins from Undertown, nor do they conquer Void dungeons. But¡­ It''s like Saint Saria is helping you!¡± Dave squinted at the healer. ¡°Archmage power can linger, influencing the world long after the caster is gone. It''s like... like ripples in a pond, spreading outward through time, echoing off the shore¡­ but instead of dissipating, magic waves of the long dead constantly amplify themselves and grow in power.¡± ¡°You know, that kind of puts a damper on my accomplishments,¡± Dave murmured. Terri, sensing his unease, placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Hey, this doesn''t diminish what you''ve done personally." Dave shook his head. "Doesn''t it though? If I''m only surviving because of some lingering magic belonging to my long dead friend, then what have I really done on my own?" "Listen, David. Magic, even powerful Archmage magic, isn''t some all-controlling force. It''s more like... a lantern cutting through the darkness as you descend into the maw of a dungeon. Unless you have family or friends, wealth or connections, Shandria would absolutely chew you up and spit you out as a slave bound for life or¡­ worse.¡± "A light that keeps me from dying, huh?" Dave raised an eyebrow skeptically. "That helps you see the path ahead and helps others find you, yes. Think about it¨Chow many times have you made choices that resulted in life-threatening danger?" Dave thought back to hunting metal bugs, entering the Void dungeon, confronting Stellaris. "Fair point," he conceded. "Exactly," Terri nodded emphatically. "Saint Saria''s magic might be giving you a bit of a safety net, but you''re the one choosing to walk the tightrope with the churning spiral of the abyss right beneath you. You could easily make a fatal mistake, fall and drown. If you continue to be an adventurer, your demise or collaring is simply an inevitable statistic. Arx wants you dead.¡± ¡°Arx wants me dead?¡± Dave huffed. ¡°You also believe that this entire inverted world is a stomach or something?¡± ¡°Arx wants everyone dead,¡± Terri said. ¡°It¡¯s just how things are. Dumpich hides the pain of losing his entire dungeon delving party with cheerful jibber jabber. God-Emperors and Voidstorms are growing stronger with each year, summoning bigger armies and spawning more dangerous monsters. Every adventurer that dies horribly out in the wilds creates a new dungeon which wants to murder everyone who comes near it. Leviathan Nightingale and her flock grow stronger, hungrier with each night. You¡¯ve got a single pinprick of hope in the ocean darkness that wishes to swallow you, a single light in the Abyss. Be glad for it, David. I¡­¡± The back door to the Kitlix Chapel swung open, interrupting their conversation. Gaius Flintosh, the senior Kitlix Bonding Specialist, stepped out, his eyes widening in recognition as they landed on Dave. "You!" Gaius exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Dave. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you''ve caused me?" Dave tensed. "I can explain¡ª" "Explain?" Gaius interrupted, his face reddening. "You disappear without a trace and you think you can just waltz back in here and explain?" Terri stepped forward, placing herself between Dave and the agitated handler. "Mr. Flintosh, please. There''s been a misunderstanding." Gaius''s eyes darted between Dave and Terri. "Apprentice Terri? What are you doing with this... this troublemaker?" "He''s my friend," Terri stated firmly. "And he''s here to buy his green back.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to run off so suddenly,¡± Dave said. ¡°I just had a Quest to finish, that¡¯s all. I was going to come back for her. He reached into the bowl of Kitlix, switching thirty four of his soul-shards to Vitality, leaving the rest in Charisma. With a loud chime, one of many Kitlix wiggling within the bowl pushed the others aside, climbing onto Dave¡¯s hand. It joined Terri¡¯s Kitlix atop of Dave¡¯s head, igniting with green sparks and casting a green corona over his head.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Gaius frowned. ¡°Wow,¡± Terri uttered, staring at Dave with wide, emerald eyes. ¡°By Saint Saria¡­ you¡¯re really her Champion¡­ I would have never guessed!¡± ¡°What are you talking about, apprentice?¡± Gaius demanded. ¡°Charge me for this Vitalix Kitlix, and register her as David¡¯s familiar,¡± Terri¡¯s green eyes struck the handler. ¡°Is this man coercing you into this somehow?¡± Gaius squinted at the elkgirl. ¡°No, he is not,¡± Terri said sharply. ¡°He¡¯s Level Six, how could he coerce a Level Forty Four healer like me into anything? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Gaius!¡± ¡°How could a Level Six adventurer bond with a Level Thirty Four Vitalix?¡± Gaius demanded. ¡°Truth Seeker Jimirr chewed me out all evening because of this!¡± ¡°You understand nothing! He¡¯s Saint Saria¡¯s chosen!¡± Terri waved a hand at Dave. ¡°Who¡¯s Saint Saria?¡± Gaius arched an eyebrow. ¡°Only one of the greatest Archmage Healers from two centuries ago,¡± Terri waved her hands. ¡°By her Shadow, Gaius, haven¡¯t you studied the history of Shandria?¡± ¡°Two centuries ago?¡± Gaius blinked. ¡°What preposterous nonsense are you talking about? I thought that you were a serious girl, apprentice Terri, but I guess Dumpich rubbed off on you too much or something. Next, you''ll be telling me he rode here on a golden snail or something!¡± ¡°A wyvern, actually,¡± Terri said. ¡°He rode into Shandria on a wyvern.¡± ¡°I''d be suspicious too if I were in your position, Sir Gaius,¡± Dave said. ¡°But the truth is that Healy and I are already bonded. You saw it yourself the first time I was here. And now she''s clearly healing my injuries. She''s already my familiar, all you have to do is fill out some paperwork, right?¡± Gaius frowned, his fingers drumming against the Kitlix bowl as he considered Dave''s words. "Even if what you say is true - and I''m not saying I believe it - there are protocols to follow. Fees to be paid." "Fees which I''m prepared to handle," Terri interjected, offering Gaius her wrist with the banking bracelet on it. ¡°Bill me. I¡¯m vouching for him. If it wasn¡¯t his Kitlix, it would not respond to him, and would not glow green on his head. Isn¡¯t that enough, Gaius?¡± ¡°I should really notify the Watch about this,¡± Gaius glared at Terri from behind his glasses. ¡°Oh?¡± Terri leaned towards the handler, her antlers pointed at his head. ¡°Do you really wish to separate a Kitlix familiar from her Master? The Shadows don¡¯t take kindly to people who hurt Kitlix.¡± ¡°I¡­ erm.¡± The man''s round face grew pale. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were suicidal Gaius,¡± Terri said cooly. ¡°People vanish from their beds at night, the red runes above them flickering out. Some say people who purposefully separate Kitlix from their owners¡­ never get to wake up.¡± ¡°Fffffine,¡± Gaius gritted his teeth. ¡°Fine. If Jimirr asks me, I''ll send him straight to you to deal with!¡± ¡°Perfectly alright with me,¡± Terri smiled. ¡°Bill Apprentice Healer Terri Gootali three hundred and forty silver for Vitalix Kitlix purchase,¡± Gaius ordered with an exhale. A Burnix Kitlix jumped out of its alcove and spun a circle around Terri¡¯s bracelet. ¡°Confirm purchase,¡± Terri said. ¡°Now you,¡± Gaius addressed Dave. ¡°Token please.¡± Dave offered his hand to the Burnix. The Kitlix spun around his adventurer¡¯s ID token. A new line flashed into existence on it. [Familiar: Vitalix Kitlix Healy] ¡°Thank you,¡± Terri smiled at the breeder and pulled Dave out of the Kitlix Chapel, heading down the stairwell with him. ¡°Damn,¡± Dave said. ¡°That was some impressive Gaius-wrangling. Thanks.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t want to deal all night with his paperwork bullshit, that¡¯s all,¡± Terri shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve got a place to stay, yeah? The Night bells should start ringing pretty soon. Healers Hall charges patients and guests a hefty sum for overnight stay.¡± ¡°The Adventurers Guild,¡± Dave shrugged as they stepped out into the back garden. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Terri said. ¡°How about we all meet up tomorrow morning for breakfast at the Cathedral then?¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Dave smiled. ¡°See you tomorrow then, David,¡± Terri offered Dave a quick, tight hug. Before Dave could say anything else, Tori jumped off his head onto Terri¡¯s shoulder and she rushed back inside and shut the door of the Healers Hall behind herself. David stared for a few seconds at the imposing white gothic stone arch of Healers Hall building. Only his parents and then Lari called him David whenever she wanted him to listen to her. After his mother succumbed to hoarding, he tried to get away from this old, longer name, became just Dave in Serv0tek and even that eventually became shortened to just a single D. It was strange to hear his name from the lips of another girl, especially one that had antlers with glowing, green moss growing all over them. He reached the side door of the white grand cathedral just as the night bells began to ring their wailing symphony outside, darkness engulfing the town. ¡°Need a room?¡± The guard in attendance asked. The man recognized Dave and then his eyes went wide when he spotted Healy sitting atop of Dave¡¯s ginger head. ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°Not the pits though, I¡¯d like something with an actual bed please. I¡¯ve an adventuring party to meet up with tomorrow morning.¡± "By her Shadow," the guard muttered. "That¡¯s a level thirty-something Vitalix judging by its size unless I¡¯ve gone blind. How did you...?" He trailed off, clearly struggling to reconcile Dave''s Kitlix and level. Dave offered a sheepish smile. "I¡¯m a Healer in training," he muttered with a yawn, not wanting to get into the details. "I, uh, lost my Kitlix for a bit and got her back recently thanks to a friend from Healers Hall. Now, how about that room?" The guard shook his head. "Right, yes. Of course, Sir," He fumbled with a ledger on the desk. "We''ve got plenty of single rooms available in the towers. Much nicer than the pits, with actual beds and even a small writing desk. It''ll be three silver for the night." Dave considered the difference in price, momentarily thinking of sleeping in the pits. Then, he remembered that Vitalix Kitlix tended to leave their companions at night roaming around Healers Hall. He definitely didn¡¯t want some desperate adventurer to kidnap her in the pits. Dave reached for his coin pouch with a sigh. As he counted out the silver, the guard couldn''t help but continue staring at Healy. "You know," the guard said, "I''ve been working here for years, and I''ve never seen a level mismatch quite like this. Are you sure you''re not some kind of... I don''t know, undercover Highborn or something?" [-44-] Speaker for the Dead ¡°Oh?¡± Dave asked, deciding to see where this was going as he walked behind the guard. ¡°What makes you think that?" The guard paused on a landing, blinking at Dave with slightly slitted eyes. "Well, for starters, you''re clearly a pure human. No offense, but that''s pretty rare around here. Rare and¡­ dangerous. Most folks have at least a little something extra mixed in, especially dungeon delvers. The dungeons really screw with anyone who doesn¡¯t have an extra affinity.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Dave nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Then there''s this... aura about you," the guard said, waving his brown scaled hand vaguely. "It''s hard to explain, but you radiate this sense of trust. That''s typically a Highborn thing, you know? Regular folks don''t just walk around making everyone feel at ease." ¡°Right,¡± Dave said. The guard continued, scratching his beard composed from dark, thick scales. "And your skin - it''s got that glow, you know? The work of an Aesthetician. Most Irons struggle to get by, can''t afford to throw silver at that kind of treatment, nor a room upstairs. Real tough to get out of the pits once you end up down there. Plus that chonky Kitlix, obviously.¡± ¡°What kind do you have?¡± Dave asked, not elaborating on the man¡¯s guesses. ¡°Oh, just a young Augerix,¡± the guard said, and a cute, dark red Kitlix emerged from under his leather collar, glancing at Dave with crystalline eyes. ¡°Born from a Strength-amplifying ring.¡± They reached the top of the stairs, and the guard led Dave down a white stone corridor lined with wooden doors. ¡°Here you are, Sir. The seventh floor. Shared bathroom is down the hall. Put your hand in this alcove here so that the Burnix can make you an access key.¡± Dave did. ¡°Authorize access for one night for Room 709,¡± the guard said. The alcove-living cyan Kitlix ran around Dave¡¯s hand making the [Room 709] tag flash on his ID token. ¡°Use the token to unlock your door,¡± the guard said. ¡°The magic on it will fade by tomorrow afternoon. Till then, the room is yours. If it¡¯s to your liking, just ask this Burnix to extend your stay.¡± ¡°Would it not be more efficient if you made me a key downstairs and just told me which room to find?¡± Dave asked, thinking of how hotels operated on Earth. The guard smiled. "You''d think so, wouldn''t you? But efficiency isn''t always the priority here in Shandria." He leaned in conspiratorially, lowering his voice. "Truth is, the Guild Masters are rather paranoid about infiltrators." ¡°Infiltrators from?¡± Dave raised an eyebrow. ¡°Foreign domains,¡± the guard shrugged. ¡°Right now, the closest one is the Dragon God Empire.¡± ¡°Other¡­ domains are trying to infiltrate Shandria?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve been lucky so far. Nightingale is pretty darn effective at chopping up foreign infiltrators. The more domains a God-Sovereign holds, the greater the extent of their power,¡± the guard explained. ¡°The Burnix network throughout the building monitors things. Helps keep tabs on... suspicious activities." ¡°Sounds rather invasive," Dave commented. The guard shrugged. "Privacy is a luxury few can afford in Shandria. But don''t worry too much - unless you''re planning to overthrow the High Lords, or summon some eldritch abomination, you''re probably fine." He paused, eyeing Dave. "You''re... not planning anything like that, are you?" Dave couldn''t help but huff at the guard''s shift in demeanor. "No elder abominations on my agenda. Just a good night''s sleep before meeting my party tomorrow." "Good to hear.¡± ¡°Would a foreign infiltrator really tell you that they¡¯re an infiltrator?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Nah,¡± the guard laughed. ¡°We¡¯re trained to spot liars though.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Dave said. ¡°If you need anything, just tap the Nuntix Kitlix bound to the table in your room and ask to Voicecast the Adventurers Guild Front Desk. It can also Voicecast people with personal Nuntix and catch Astralwaves from Illatius and other places on Arx if you want relaxing music, news or a play to listen to. Helps some folks fall asleep after a rough day in the dungeon.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°How do I use a¡­ Nuntix?¡± ¡°Just tap it and tell it what you want to hear or whom you want to call,¡± the guard explained. ¡°The Shadow Empire rate is 3 copper a minute. Calls further out are more expensive depending on how far you want to cast. The price will show up on your banking bracelet.¡± ¡°How far can I voicecast exactly?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Pretty wide,¡± the guard said. ¡°On the account that our Guild¡¯s central spire is pretty big. Don¡¯t try to cast the dead unless you¡¯ve got cash to burn.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dave choked. ¡°Are you saying that a Nuntix can call into the freaking afterlife?!¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± the guard said. ¡°It won¡¯t be cheap and the dead usually don¡¯t offer the best advice on the account of not being alive. Pretty often they''re straight up insane or completely and irrationally obsessed over one particular thing they failed to accomplish while they were still alive.¡± ¡°How the hell is this allowed, but Necromancers are executed on the spot?¡± Dave demanded. ¡°The Voicecast Guilds really don¡¯t like private competitors,¡± the man smiled with inhumanly sharp teeth. ¡°I see,¡± Dave frowned. As the guard turned to leave, Dave called out, "Oh, right, I didn''t catch your name." ¡°Golrik Bostrum,¡± Golrik replied, heading downstairs. ¡°Enjoy your stay, Sir Dave. Be seeing you.¡± Dave stepped into his room, the door clicking shut behind him. The space was small but comfortable, with a single bed pushed against one wall and a modest writing desk beneath a window overlooking the nighttime cityscape of Shandria lit up by glowing red runes. Steel shutters slowly sealed the view of the night city. Soft, amber light emanated from a glowing Kitlix nestled in a wall lamp, casting warm shadows across the room. He sank onto the bed, its mattress surprisingly plush compared to what he''d grown accustomed to since arriving on Arx. For a moment, he simply sat there, letting the events of the past few days wash over him. With a deep breath, Dave reached into his bag and carefully extracted the stained glass window depicting Lari. He cradled it gently in his hands, his fingers tracing the intricate lead lines that formed her familiar features, thinking about what Terri told him. The colored glass seemed to shimmer in the Kitlix light, bringing an almost lifelike quality to Lari''s frozen smile. Setting the stained glass on the bedside table, Dave''s attention was drawn to the small, dark Kitlix perched nearby. Its crystalline body sparked with magenta stars from within. A wild thought struck him. It was probably futile, likely to drain his meager funds, but the temptation was too strong to resist. Dave leaned forward, his heart pounding as he tapped the Nuntix gently. The Voicecast Kitlix turned his head towards him, staring at him with crystalline eyes glowing with magenta-tinted auroras from within. "Voicecast..." he swallowed hard, steeling his nerves before continuing, "Saint Saria." For a long moment, nothing happened. The room remained silent save for the distant sounds of fluttering shadows leeching between the shutters. Dave held his breath, unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Then, suddenly, the Nuntix lit up with more magenta sparks from within, all of her tips and paws igniting. [Celestether Astralink Established with Interlocutor Saint Saria,] words suddenly flashed atop of his black bracelet. [Charge: 1 platinum 52 gold 42 silver per minute. Accept connection?] Dave stared at the flashing message on his bracelet, his heart pounding in his chest. The cost was astronomical, far beyond what he could afford. He grabbed onto the Nuntix Kitlix, slipping all of his soul bits into Wisdom. Dave thought about the first hackers, people who tricked phone lines by whistling tones into them. He wondered if there might be a similar way to manipulate this magical communication system. After all, wasn''t magic just another form of technology in this world? For a few seconds, he tried to mentally force the Nuntix to connect without accepting the charge. It didn¡¯t work. In a last-ditch effort, Dave asked aloud, "Can the Interlocutor pay for the charge?" To his surprise, his bracelet flashed with a new message: [Interlocutor Saint Saria cannot pay the charge on account of _being dead.] Dave''s heart sank. After another minute of fruitless effort, the connection message faded away, and the Nuntix dimmed its magenta glow. Defeated, Dave slid back onto the bed, his mind drowning in disappointment. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, unsure of what to do next. The silence of the room felt oppressive. On a whim, Dave sat up and tapped the Nuntix again. "Play my favorite song," he requested. The Nuntix lit up once again with violet sparks, much dimmer this time. It twinkled with random noises as if the critter was a radio trying to catch a specific signal. Then it began to sing with a girl¡¯s voice. ¡°I heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord..." Dave listened intently as the Nuntix sang the hauntingly familiar melody. As the last notes faded away, he found himself staring at the stained glass image of Lari, his mind reeling with the realization that the Kitlix had somehow¡­ reproduced her voice. The uncanny accuracy sent a shiver down his spine. How was this possible? Was it just an incredibly accurate magical recreation, or something more? Was the crystalline magic critter stealing songs from the dead? Was this how Cedez and Stellaris learned of his favorite music, by simply asking a Kitlix to sing it? More questions swirled in his weary mind, but answers remained frustratingly out of reach. Overwhelmed by emotion and exhaustion, Dave gently reached out to the portrait standing on the small desk. He settled back onto the bed, Healy curling up on his chest. As sleep began to overtake him, Dave''s last thoughts were of Lari - her kindness, her strength, and the mystery of how their paths had become so inexplicably intertwined across life and death, space and time. [-45-] Fragmented Dave found himself standing in Sherlock''s office, but something was terribly wrong. The familiar surroundings seemed to be fading away in places, with ominous cracks running up the walls. Dark roots and violet crystals reminiscent of the void tree he had encountered were growing through these fissures, giving the room an unsettling, alien appearance. The metal desk, once a symbol of order and rationality, was now overrun with blooming void lotuses. Their inky black petals, dotted with pinpricks of violet light, seemed to pulse with starlight from within. Dave''s eyes were drawn to the figure of Sherlock, and he felt a chill run down his spine. Dark cracks were spreading across the detective''s form, as if he was a porcelain figurine on the verge of shattering. "Sherlock?" Dave stammered, looking around. "What''s happening here?" ¡°A fragmentation of sorts,¡± Sherlock replied, scratching his burned neck. ¡°What your Healer friends called Vexirium aka Skill Psychosis.¡± "Is this because of the dungeon? The souls I absorbed?" Sherlock nodded slowly, wincing slightly. "Your Phantomancy... has grown considerably, but at a cost. The excessive Void-aligned memories are taking over, drowning out what I am. And not just those.¡± Sherlock turned around revealing his face. His face featured bits of gray that belonged to Oraniss, Stellaris. Some parts of his semi-shattered body seemingly belonged to Sir Wabbor, while others reminded Dave of Voidmancer Zolish Yaslor. Dave looked at his own hands and choked. His entire body from top to bottom was fragmented, sheared by random otherness he had absorbed recently, covered in Void cracks. ¡°Shit,¡± Dave said. ¡°How do we fix this?¡± Sherlock pointed at something on Dave¡¯s head. Dave recognized the familiar slight weight. Healy twinkled and jumped off Dave¡¯s head onto the Void Lotus covered table, settling between the flowers like a kitten. Dave stared at Healy. The Vitalix Kitlix seemed out of place as if she was simply painted into existence in this fragmented dreamscape, yet her presence felt reassuring. "How can she help?" Dave asked, looking up at the fractured form of Sherlock. The detective steepled his fingers, his movements jerky. "The Kitlix is a magical tool bonded to your soul, one capable of growing in power in a specific direction. You must Understand how to wield her more effectively. Notice that she is unaffected by Vexirium.¡± "Right, she''s... whole," Dave commented. He reached out and gently picked up Healy. The Kitlix felt warm and solid in his hands and twinkled at him. ¡°Any idea as to what I can do with her?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Your use of her is ineffective,¡± Sherlock pointed out. ¡°How so?¡± Dave asked. ¡°One of the greatest human inventions is the microscope,¡± Sherlock said. ¡°Consider this - what if you had a magical device that could identify things for you, allowing you to target healing of specific bits of yourself more effectively? She is bound to you as your familiar, yes¡­ but what if she had more of you in her?¡± ¡°Hrm, right,¡± Dave rubbed his chin that didn¡¯t feel exactly his. ¡°What if I inject pure Intelligence and Wisdom into her¡­ could that make her better at Identification of maladies?¡± ¡°Perhaps it would make some kind of an Infoscope tool,¡± Sherlock nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it?¡± Dave took a deep breath and focused. He imagined his Intelligence and Wisdom as streams of light, flowing from his hands into Healy. To his surprise, he felt a slight drain, as if something was indeed being transferred. Cyan and magenta sparks ignited across the body of Kitlix, adding to the green. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Dave grinned. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± [Level 6 Phantomancy Skill Unlocked: Familiar Attribute Transfer. You are now able to transfer your Attributes to your Kitlix familiar.] A message flashed atop of his wrist. He stared at the stats on his bracelet. The number there was falling rapidly. He let go of Healy as his total soul bits fell down to exactly [34] points.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Suddenly, a new view came into existence like a third eye opening in his forehead. He saw a fragmented, messed up Dave standing in the ruined office through Healy¡¯s eyes. Dave sputtered, feeling like now he had an entire extra body to work with. He moved what felt like an extra leg, no¡­ a crystalline paw and watched as Healy lifted one of her paws up. Dave stared at Healy¡¯s paw with Healy¡¯s eyes. [Healy: Vitalix-Infix-Vestix. Soul-Bonded Kitlix LV 34] [Primary Alignment] - [Vitality: 34] [Secondary Alignments] - [Intelligence: 6.1976] [Wisdom: 6.1976] ¡°Hrm,¡± Sherlock contemplated. ¡°Healy gained your Attributes. Try pulling them back now?¡± Dave tried to pull his soul bits back. The attributes refused to flow back into him, seemingly burned into the Kitlix. Healy swatted at Dave¡¯s hand, making what looked like a mildly annoyed face. ¡°I think they¡¯re stuck in her,¡± Dave muttered with a frown. ¡°Yes,¡± Sherlock nodded. ¡°Seems like she doesn¡¯t want to give them up or once crystallized the souls cannot be returned. Curious. Maybe she does not wish to surrender her Understanding of reality.¡± The Kitlix animatedly tilted her head at Dave and then at Sherlock. ¡°I think that she¡¯s¡­ smarter?¡± Dave commented. ¡°Yes,¡± Sherlock affirmed. ¡°Her face does seem less blank now. Perhaps if more intelligence was added she could even learn to speak as Dumpich speculates.¡± The Kitlix¡¯s crystalline face suddenly split, looking like a kitten¡¯s mouth that was opening wide. She pointed a paw at her newly formed mouth. ¡°Shit. She¡¯s¡­¡± Dave sputtered. ¡°Hungry,¡± Sherlock concluded. ¡°You want¡­ Mana crystals, right?¡± Dave asked, feeling an odd, irritating, pulsating fifth sense in the back of his head that was bothering him. Healy nodded, making a chiming sound. ¡°Definitely hungry. The additional Attributes most likely require more magic to run.¡± Dave tried to look at the world through Healy¡¯s eyes again but was instantly booted out, getting a more intense pulse of migraine. Healy twinkle-hissed, crystalline tail swishing almost like that of an annoyed cat. Then she curled into herself on the Void lotus covered table, sending Dave an annoyed glare. ¡°Right,¡± Dave said, sitting down onto the Void-root covered chair. ¡°Going to get mana crystals first thing in the morning. Looks like healing is on hold until I feed her.¡± ¡°Hrm, she¡¯s got more colors in her now,¡± Sherlock pointed out. ¡°Is this¡­ bad?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Sherlock shrugged. ¡°The Kitlix in Healer¡¯s Hall weren¡¯t all pure green, some had sparks of other colors. I reckon that Kitlix can evolve with their Master into a particular direction as their partner levels up. The difference is that you¡¯re not leveling up slowly like the locals do and so neither is Healy. Get some sleep, David¡­ tomorrow you can experiment with your vastly improved familiar.¡±
Dave awoke with a start, his heart racing as the remnants of the dream faded away. Something jagged and also soft and warm was poking him awake. Dave blinked. Healy was sitting on his chest, her crystalline body pulsing with soft green, cyan and magenta sparks. Her crystalline paw smacked his face again. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m getting up,¡± He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering unease from his dream. ¡°Ugh. Feels like I got a cat.¡± Healy made a chime-like sound in response and rushed to the top of his head, pawing at his hair for him to hurry and feed her. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the steel shutters that were sliding open with clicks. Dave sat up. His gaze fell on the stained glass portrait of Lari propped up on the desk. In the morning light, her smile seemed even more radiant, almost lifelike. He found himself staring at her, wishing that he had the platinum necessary to call her. Healy smacked his head again with greater insistence. Dave sighed, packed up the portrait and went to the bathroom and headed downstairs. The trio of Healers were already there, waiting for him at the pub. ¡°Morning sleepyhead,¡± Terri waved at him. ¡°Oy mate! Join the breakfast gang!¡± Dumpich grinned. Leon simply stared at Healy. Dave sat down on the bench next to Terri, looking over the breakfast menu burned into a wooden board. Terri¡¯s emerald eyes examined Healy. ¡°Did¡­ your Kitlix get bigger overnight?¡± She asked. ¡°Uhhh¡­¡± Dave said as Healy pawed at his head. ¡°You owe me a lucky copper,¡± Dumpich grinned at Leon. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Leon slid a copper coin depicting the face of a princess wearing a nine-gem crown to the victorious-looking Dumpich. ¡°He does have a green over thirty. Except she is not entirely green is she? I¡¯m seeing sprinkles of other colors there.¡± ¡°Kitlix do evolve,¡± Dumpich commented. ¡°Since Dave beat an entire dungeon, I don¡¯t see why Healy wouldn¡¯t get some benefits.¡± ¡°Overnight?¡± Terri asked. ¡°I¡¯m not a Kitlix expert, don''t look at me,¡± Dumpich shrugged. ¡°Go bug our resident breeder.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I burned that bridge,¡± Terri sighed. ¡°Why is she pawing at your head like that?¡± Terri asked. ¡°She¡¯s starving,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°Dumpich, uh, could you order me the, uhh¡­ Champions breakfast? I¡¯m going to buy this beastie mana crystals before she gives me a haircut.¡± ¡°Mrrrrrnnn,¡± Healy outputted, smacking Dave¡¯s head again with sharp crystalline claws. ¡°What,¡± the trio of healers stared at Dave¡¯s familiar. ¡°Mate, how did you make her make that noise?¡± Dumpich demanded. ¡°That is not a normal Kitlix noise.¡± [-46-] Infix Dave got off his bench before anyone asked him any more Kitlix-related questions. ¡°You two, stay and order food. Leon, you know what I like,¡± Terri ordered. She rushed after Dave, grabbing him by the elbow. Dave exhaled, accepting her hand. ¡°That is not normal Kitlix behavior,¡± Terri whisper-hissed. ¡°Just when I think that I figured you out, you somehow do this.¡± ¡°Ehhh,¡± Dave shrugged, not committing to an answer. ¡°Pretty sure those other colors weren¡¯t there before either,¡± Terri added. ¡°I¡¯m a bit of an airhead at times though, so I might not have noticed.¡± ¡°Eyyy!¡± The Kitlix salesgirl spotted Dave. ¡°I remember you. You were interested in one of my luck-bringers¡­ wait. What. Is that a Vitalix-Infix-Vestix?! I was pretty sure that you were a Seer¡­ how the heck did you bond with¡­ Wowza! What a pretty girl! What is she¡­ somewhere around forty?¡± ¡°Thanks¡­ I¡¯d like to¡­¡± Dave began, ignoring the breeder¡¯s questions. ¡°Mana crystals, I¡¯m paying,¡± Terri declared, cutting him off. Dave squinted at her. ¡°You¡¯re poor and adorable, let me buy you things.¡± She grinned. ¡°You know, I have some silver,¡± he said, shaking his bracelet. ¡°Not enough, your Kitlix looks like she¡¯s about to murderize you,¡± Terri commented. ¡°Mana crystals, coming right up!¡± The catgirl poured a whole bunch of small mana crystals onto a glass plate on her table. An Infix sitting nearby displayed the weight of the crystal in its eyes. Healy leaped off Dave faster than he could blink. Her mouth opened wide and she began swallowing the mana crystals whole without chewing. She was done in a few seconds and then stared at the salesgirl. ¡°Oh, you are hungry!¡± the catgirl clapped. ¡°Yeesh. Is your Master starving you? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a Kitlix eat so quickly before.¡± She poured more crystals onto the plate, which Healy devoured and then even more. In a few more sessions of munching, the throbbing feeling of alien hunger that Dave felt pulsing from the Kitlix subsided. The Kitlix made a burping noise and jumped back onto Dave¡¯s head. ¡°Did¡­ your Kitlix just burp?!¡± The salesgirl squinted at Dave. ¡°No. That¡­ that can¡¯t be right. I must have imagined that.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Terri asked. ¡°Eighty two silver and five coppers,¡± the catgirl replied, making Dave wince. Terri didn¡¯t say anything, simply offering her bracelet for the salesgirl to scan with her Burnix. ¡°Thank you, come again anytime!¡± the catgirl waved as Terri dragged Dave back to the breakfast table. ¡°Damn, she¡¯s even bigger than before,¡± Dumpich whistled. ¡°That¡¯s the chonkiest Kitlix I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°Looks like a level forty now,¡± Leon rubbed his chin. ¡°A big leap indeed.¡± He slid another copper to Dumpich. ¡°Stop gambling on Dave,¡± Terri shot her two friends a glare. ¡°Can¡¯t stop, won¡¯t stop,¡± Dumpich pocketed the copper sticking his tongue out to the female Healer. ¡°¡®Sides it¡¯s not gambling, we¡¯re just exchanging rare coins with the face of princess Astrix. These haven¡¯t been legal tender for almost two decades!¡± As breakfast arrived carried by a maid on a large tray, Dave couldn''t help but marvel at the sudden change in Healy. The Kitlix, now considerably larger and more colorful, lounged contentedly on his lap like a crystalline cat. "So, Dave," Dumpich said between mouthfuls of bacon, "planning on entering your Kitlix in a weightlifting competition? She looks like she could bench press a small dragon now." Dave chuckled. "Maybe I should. Could be a new career path." Terri rolled her eyes. "Please, as if we''d let you abandon us now.¡± ¡°Yeah, you''re our ticket to fame and fortune, remember?" Dumpich added. "Oh, is that all I am to you?" Dave placed a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "And here I thought we were friends." "Speaking of friends, Dave, your Kitlix seems awfully... expressive. Most Kitlix I''ve seen tend to be more aloof,¡± Leon commented. "What kind of Kitlix whisperer are you?¡± Dumpich asked. ¡°How are you making her do such a smug, satisfied face?¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Dave shrugged, trying to play it cool. "What can I say? I guess I just have a way with magical creatures." As the group ate, Dave decided to test out Healy''s new abilities. He focused on Healy, trying to see the world through her eyes once again. To his surprise, the world around him suddenly shifted, taking on a new, vibrant quality. Through Healy''s enhanced vision, Dave focused on each of his friends, spotting their swirling Auras. Terri''s was a soft green entwined with silver. Dumpich was green, brown and violet. Leon radiated green and dark brown waves. He saw other Auras of people sitting past the Healers of all sorts of strange colors. Along with the Auras, bits of information, sort of like floating letters appeared above each of his companions. The letters were blurry and unclear, but after a bit of focusing, Healy somehow rearranged the letters into something that Dave could understand. [Apprentice Healer, Terri Gootali. Familiar - Vitalix Kitlix: Tori] As Dave stared at Terri with Healy¡¯s eyes he could not define her level. Perhaps Healy needed more soul shards in intelligence for her to be able to do that. He turned his familiar¡¯s gaze to the others. [Apprentice Healer, Dumpich Sentirk. Familiar - Vitalix Kitlix: Rrexa] [Apprentice Healer, Leon Kodmii. Familiar - Vitalix Kitlix: Lisst] He looked past the trio of healers at the Kitlix salesgirl. [Kitlix Breeder, Myriel Rexi. Familiar - Infix Kitlix: Rem] Then he looked down at his own hand. [Adventurer LV 6 Iron, David Horovits Walter. Familiar - Vitalix-Infix-Vestix: Healy] Dave focused intently, pushing Healy''s vision deeper into his own body. The world around him seemed to fade away as he peered past his own swirling aura, delving into the intricate systems beneath his skin. What he saw through Healy¡¯s eyes was concerning to say the least. His bloodstream was a highway of activity, with tiny metal flakes floating alongside red blood cells. His muscles bore microscopic tears from recent exertion and his bones were fractured all over. Looking deeper in, he saw his own crystalline core, a small sphere of crystals growing directly below and slightly behind his organic heart. It slowly pulsed with an intense, almost blinding multi-colored light. Each pulse had a unique color to it and sent out a wave of light and sparks dancing across his body, rushing up his spine up to his brain. This was likely what his friends defined as Vexirium. As Dave continued his internal exploration, the banter of his companions filtered through his concentration: "Oi Dave," Dumpich''s voice cut in. "You in there, mate? Or did your chonky Kitlix suck out your soul?" "Don''t be ridiculous," Terri scoffed. "Kitlix don''t suck souls.¡± "Maybe he''s meditating," Leon offered. ¡°Dave-o?¡± Dumpich snapped his fingers in front of Dave¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you seeking the meaning of life?¡± ¡°Stop it you two,¡± Terri huffed. ¡°Dave¡¯s probably just focused on healing himself with his Kitlix.¡± Dave blinked, disconnecting his mind away from Healy. ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± he replied. ¡°I was just¡­ seeing what I need to heal inside me.¡± ¡°You can see your inner self with your green?¡± Leon arched a white eyebrow. ¡°Where did you study how to use a Kitlix? It took me years to get Lisst to peer into myself so that I could determine what sort of an effect each plant had on me.¡± "So, uh, how long does it take to become a full-fledged healer anyway?¡± Dave asked, ignoring the questions. "The full course of study to become a certified Healer usually takes about nine years," Leon explained. "We start as Apprentices, like the three of us, and spend the first four years learning the basics of artifact or Kitlix control, magical affliction, anatomy, herbology, and magical theory." Dumpich chimed in, gesticulating with a piece of bacon on his fork. "Yeah, those first few years are brutal. Many books to memorize and even more plants to identify. I swear, I still have nightmares about mistaking poisonous steelshade berry for blueberries." ¡°I recall you slacking off at herbology and mooching off me and Leon,¡± Terri commented. ¡°Where were we? Right, after the initial four years, we start to specialize in specific areas of healing. Some focus on quick fixes for combat injuries, others on rare magical maladies, and so on. That takes another four years of intense study and practical application.¡± "And the final year?" Dave prompted. "The final year is all about honing our skills in real-world situations," Terri continued. "We work closely with our assigned healer Masters, handling emergencies. After publishing a thesis on a particular subject and passing a series of rigorous exams, we get certified as Healers instead of Apprentices." "So, when do you three expect to graduate as full Healers?" Dave asked. ¡°Terri and I are in our seventh year,¡± Dumpich replied. ¡°Leon¡¯s in his 19th year. He could have become Healer already but he¡¯s an eternal student, much too buried with herbological research.¡± ¡°Leon¡¯s trying to produce the ultimate potion,¡± Terri explained. ¡°One to cure everything.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± Dave arched an eyebrow. ¡°He¡¯s trying to steal our jobs, basically,¡± Dumpich grinned. ¡°The perfect heal-all potion, the kind of stuff bureaucrats dream about.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s possible?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Nah, mate,¡± Dumpich replied. ¡°Voidstorms and God-Emperors constantly summon all sorts of new bullshit into existence. It doesn¡¯t matter how optimal a potion is, there will be something new that infects or kills adventurers. We¡¯re lucky that her Shadow watches over us cleaning the streets at night.¡± Dave turned his eyes to Leon. The eternal student simply shrugged. The group finished their breakfast. ¡°Shall we head to these associates of yours now?¡± Terri asked, standing up. ¡°Lead the way¡­ my Champion.¡± The last two words Terri uttered had a strange pitch to them, almost as if they didn¡¯t come from her mouth, didn¡¯t use her voice. ¡°Champion?¡± Dumpich blinked. ¡°Damn, mate you move fast.¡± As Dave opened his mouth to reply, Terri¡¯s trembling hand dug into her bag and she slid an old, worn, leather book into his hands, making a face as if she was giving up her most precious possession in the universe. ¡°My family held onto this for generations¡­ but I believe this belongs to you. I already memorized everything inside and my parents made a duplicate for their home librarium, but you might find something here that I missed.¡± Dave''s eyes ran over the words on the cover. ¡°The Journal of Saint Saria, the Matrisanct Healer of Xandria.¡± Lari¡¯s portrait was burned into the brown leather front, magical etching preserving a soft, sad smile that seemed to be addressed to him alone. Warped fractal-like symbols seemed to shimmer over the book in Healy¡¯s view. Dave put everything into Wisdom, dove into the fractal as if he was sinking into the abyssal depths of a blue lagoon sinkhole unfolding each segment one by one. The action gave him a blinding migraine, but as the world around him stood still each of the symbols twisted, unfolding into letters he could read. [The Phylactery of Laricianna Andy Turner] [-47-] The Maidenlyne of Saint Saria Dave activated Phantom Sight and stared at the book. There was a star-like formation inside it surrounded by shimmers of magic. It was definitely a spirit, but not a full human soul, merely a tiny fraction of one bound to the book with incredibly complex, potent magic that appeared almost like fractal clockwork. ¡°D-do you like my gift?¡± Terri¡¯s voice came from somewhere far, far above as if Dave was standing in a deep well. With a snap, his mind rushed back into his body, his sweaty palms clinging to the old book. ¡°Is that an original¡­?¡± Leon asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Terri answered. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Uhm, yes, thank you Terri,¡± Dave quickly slid the book into the small side bag that he had pawned from the dead adventurer behind the waterfall. Dumpich pursed his lips, trying to decipher as to what was going on between his friends. ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredibly valuable, the only one of its kind?¡± Leon eyed Terri as she slipped her hand into Dave¡¯s. ¡°Why not give him a copy?¡± "A copy? No," Terri said. "I was always meant to give it to him. I should have done it earlier, should have understood that he¡¯s the one it was meant for.¡± Dave stared at Terri with Healy. A line of magical clockwork disturbingly similar to the one located in the book was spinning across her brain, gears of starlight flickering like distant constellations. Was this just a healer thing? Healy¡¯s eyes snapped to Dumpich and Leon. There was nothing magical ticking inside of their brains. Terri smiled at Dave. There was something eerily familiar about her smile. It couldn¡¯t be. It just couldn¡¯t. ¡°David,¡± Terri said, just like she used to. ¡°Quit staring at me and lead the way.¡± Dave blinked, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling that had come over him. He glanced between Terri and the book now safely tucked away in his bag, his mind reeling with unanswered questions. "Right," he said, clearing his throat. "Let''s head to the Cambria Snail Cafe. That''s where we''ll find my... Other associates." As they made their way out of the cathedral and marched through Shandria''s streets, Dave couldn''t help but notice how Terri possessively clung to his arm. Dumpich and Leon followed behind, engaged in a conversation about their dungeoneering plans. The familiar sight of the giant snail came into view, its pearlescent shell gleaming in the morning sun. Dave''s steps faltered as they approached. "Everything alright?" Terri asked. "Yeah," Dave nodded, not elaborating on his worries. As they neared the cafe, Dave spotted a few maids flitting between tables and Murdoc sitting atop Bessie''s shell. The old wizard''s gray eyes settled on Dave. "Look who''s decided to grace us with his presence again." Murdoc called out. ¡°And with company, no less.¡± Hyrei appeared in front of Dave and the Healers with a gust of wind, her skirts fluttering. Dave took a deep breath. "Murdoc," he said, nodding in greeting. ¡°Hyrei. Uhm¡­ I... I owe you both an apology," he began. "The last time I was here, I behaved rather badly. I was suffering from the effects of a Void dungeon, and it was messing with my head. I''m sorry for the stuff I said and how I acted." Hyrei''s expression softened slightly, while Murdoc''s eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Dave. "I understand if you''re still angry with me," Dave continued, "but I was hoping I could speak with Cedez. Is she around?" A heavy silence fell over the group. Murdoc and Hyrei exchanged a glance that made Dave''s stomach twist with unease. "Cedez hasn''t returned yet," Murdoc finally replied. "Not since..." "Not since you two went off on your dungeon trip," Hyrei finished, her tone sharp. Dave frowned. He had hoped that Cedez would have respawned by now, just as she had claimed she would. The fact that she hadn''t returned washed him in waves of guilt and worry. "I... I see," Dave said. "Do you know when she might be back?" ¡°She might already be back,¡± Murdoc shrugged. ¡°So where is she then?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Talk inside,¡± Murdoc said, getting off his perch. Hyrei led Dave and the Healer apprentices to the black metal stairwell and into Murdoc¡¯s apartment. The old Snailmancer was sitting on his white armchair and offered the couch to Dave and his friends. He eyed Terri who was still clinging onto his arm with deep suspicion. Pale tentacles extended from the wall. ¡°Grab on,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°What?¡± Dumpich sputtered. ¡°A safety measure,¡± Murdoc explained, his voice gruff. ¡°Grab a tentacle or get out.¡± Dave reached out first. Terri followed. Leon made a pause and then grabbed a tentacle too. Dumpich was last and made a face as he touched a slithery, cold feeler. "Now then," Murdoc said. ¡°Introduce yourselves¡­ fully. Speak a single lie and you¡¯ll be zapped half-dead. You first, girl.¡± "I''m Terri Gootali, an apprentice Healer,¡± Terri replied. ¡°And?¡± Murdoc asked, seemingly sensing something else there through the twinkle of his Kitlix. ¡°What connects you to this bumbling adventurer?¡± He waved a hand at Dave. ¡°I am the Maidenlyne of Saint Saria,¡± Terri added with a small blush. ¡°He is the catalyst of my Cantigeist¡¯s awakening.¡± Leon''s eyes went wide at Terri¡¯s second sentence. ¡°Saint Saria?¡± Hyrei asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of this Sect. If you¡¯re anything like the Maidenlynes of Gorefield, then your presence here will not be tolerated.¡± ¡°Elaborate,¡± Murdoc ordered. Dave peered at Terri with Healy. The starry fractal in the elkgirl¡¯s head spun like a thousand ghostly gears, pulses of green stars rushing across her neurons. ¡°My Cantigeist, Saint Saria, served Shandria under Duke Lumir from seven hundred and sixty-one to one hundred and seventy-seven years ago,¡± Terri said. ¡°Her real name was Laricianna and she was a summoned from Earth, like David. Her entire life she was collared, bound into obedience to the Lumir Valeriant. Only after death by the hand of General Nox''s Divine Shadow, she became free.¡± ¡°Free in which way?¡± Murdoc asked. ¡°Free to reshape the Citadel of the damned bit by bit,¡± Terri said, her voice fusing with that of another person. ¡°Free to stand to the all grinding Abyss. Free to take control of the Eternal Wheel. Free to wait¡­ until my Champion arrived to wake me up.¡± Everyone present stared at Terri.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°What the shit,¡± Dumpich sputtered. ¡°A wielder of an echo from the Abyss,¡± Murdoc frowned. ¡°As if my life couldn¡¯t get any more complicated.¡± ¡°Terri, are you possessed or something? Is this some kind of joke?¡± Dumpich added. ¡°Come on, mate, of all the people I didn¡¯t expect you to¡­¡± Terri raised a hand to silence Dumpich. "And what exactly are your intentions now that you''ve ''awakened'', young lady?" Murdoc asked, slipping back into the role of a grandfather figure. ¡°To save everyone,¡± Terri said, speaking with a slight echo of two voices. ¡°To bring justice to all. To uplift Shandria. To break every collar. To serve my Lady¡¯s Champion. To fix everything wrong on Arx. To break the all-pulling Wheel of the Abyss. To protect David.¡± ¡°Big plans,¡± Murdoc commented as Hyrei tensed up. ¡°What are your plans, Snailmancer?¡± Terri asked in turn. Murdoc leaned back in his chair, a wry smile playing on his weathered face. "My plans are rather simple compared to your grandiose ambitions. I plan to run this cafe, brew some excellent tea, and perhaps take Bessie out for a stroll now and then. Nothing too world-shattering, I''m afraid." Terri''s eyes narrowed. "You jest, Snailmancer. You wield a bound echo yourself, one of many. The Engine of Crown Continuity grows stronger with each year because the power of Syntropy reinforces the entire city. Surely you didn''t bind a jewel of the Crown for no reason at all.¡± ¡°Why precisely should I tell you my plans?¡± Murdoc asked. ¡°Dave has a plan for us to work together as companions,¡± Terri replied. ¡°To pretend to conquer the Void dungeon, which he has already decimated. To split the profits from the Voidtree and the corpses of Voidbeasts within. This plan requires your Snail to block the entrance, pretending to blast the monsters within. We¡¯re mere apprentice Healers, the Guild would not believe us if we told them that we took out the Whispering Depths. You¡¯re the leader of this little coven, yes?¡± Murdoc nodded. ¡°We can help each other,¡± Terri offered. ¡°Surely you want better things for Shandria?¡± Murdoc let out a deep, non-committed sigh. ¡°Terri¡­¡± Dumpich said. ¡°Dumpich,¡± Terri turned to her friend. ¡°You always wanted to be in a story. This is the greatest story, one reaching back over seven hundred years, one involving the greatest treasure of Shandria. Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯d give up a chance for an adventure of a lifetime.¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± the apprentice rubbed his brown goatee. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m a simple man seeking glory, and I¡¯m in. You got me, Miss Maidenlyne.¡± Murdoc¡¯s eyes moved to Dumpich. ¡°Introduce yourself.¡± Dumpich cleared his throat, his violet-brown horns gleaming in the soft light of the snail-shell apartment. "Right then. Dumpich Sentirk, apprentice Healer and former adventurer. I''ve got a knack for getting into trouble and an even better knack for talking my way out of it." Murdoc raised an eyebrow. "What made you stop adventuring?" ¡°My party members died,¡± Dumpich said. ¡°We were doing weekend dungeon diving. A dungeon tore them to little bits. I got torn up pretty bad too, mind you, but then again¡­ it¡¯s very hard to kill a Healer.¡± ¡°Are you working for anyone else?¡± Murdoc asked as his Kitlix twinkled next to his ear. ¡°The Rojarl Voicecast Guild,¡± Dumpich revealed, which made Terri and Leon stare at him. ¡°On what terms?¡± ¡°Informant,¡± Dumpich replied with a shrug. ¡°I give them information about any Highborn family maladies I encounter.¡± ¡°None of what you learn here is to be reported to Lord Rojarl or his Guild minions, are we clear?¡± ¡°Crystal,¡± Dumpich nodded. ¡°My orders are to steal information about Highborn competition. Rojarl¡¯s Estate isn¡¯t interested in dungeoneering, or snail cafes, or arcane cults.¡± ¡°Why are you bound to Rojarl?¡± ¡°I lost everything and almost died. I was¡­ insured with them. The Guild¡¯s DelveRaid recovered my half-dead body from the dungeon, helped me get back on my feet,¡± Dumpich revealed. ¡°Studying as a Healer isn¡¯t cheap and I am a bit of an idiot. Blah, do these tentacles have a Truth spellchain on them or something? Really embarrassing to tell these things to my best friends.¡± ¡°They do,¡± Murdoc nodded, gray eyes moving onto Leon. ¡°Now you.¡± "Leon Kodmii," the white-haired eternal student said, his blue eyes meeting Murdoc''s gaze with equal resolve. "Apprentice Healer, specializing in herbology and potion-making." Murdoc leaned forward, his weathered hands clasped together. "And what brought you to this particular... venture, Mr. Kodmii?" ¡°Curiosity, primarily. The opportunity to study Void flora is... unprecedented. But I''d be lying if I said that was my only motivation." "Oh?" Murdoc''s eyebrow arched. "Do elaborate." Leon took a deep breath. "I''m searching for a cure. A universal panacea, the skeleton key to stop death, if you will. It''s... ambitious, I know. Perhaps even foolish. But I believe the key lies in understanding and combining various magical essences. Void flora could be a crucial component. And before you ask, I don¡¯t work for anyone, I¡¯m simply chained to my own ambitions, which won¡¯t let me move forward until I¡¯ve made a breakthrough in potion-making.¡± Murdoc looked at Dave. Something pulled on his mind from the shiny tentacle, but all of the disparate souls slotted into Wisdom seemed to fight against the pull, keeping his lips closed. ¡°You can let go of the tentacle, Dave,¡± Murdoc sighed. ¡°Aww, I was hoping to learn something embarrassing about Dave-o,¡± Dumpich grumbled with a grin. ¡°Bessie can sense that truth spells won¡¯t work that well on Necromancers who can just slot an echo to speak for them,¡± Murdoc shrugged. ¡°No point.¡± A sword made from wind thrummed into existence in Hyrei¡¯s hand. ¡°N-Necromancers?!¡± Dumpich choked, violet brown eyes wide. ¡°Abyss Eternal! So Dave-o is a genuine¡­¡± Leon stared at Dave with a shocked expression. Terri remained an island of calm between the two bewildered Healers. ¡°I¡¯m a Phantomancer,¡± Dave revealed to his friends, sending Murdoc an annoyed look. ¡°Not a Necromancer. I don''t raise corpses. I¡­ absorb spirits and get stronger.¡± ¡°Hyrei, stand down please,¡± Murdoc ordered. The wind-sword in the maid¡¯s hands dissipated. ¡°Maidenlyne, hum?¡± Leon commented, eyeing Terri. ¡°Everyone has a spot of sunshine which they seek,¡± Terri shrugged, hugging Dave. ¡°Your sunshine is your herb garden, Leon. This is my sunshine. This is my life¡¯s purpose.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to feel about this,¡± Dave sighed, looking at the elkgirl. ¡°If you think that I¡¯m wrong in some way, you¡¯re welcome to destroy the book,¡± Terri whispered. ¡°I leave the decision in your hands, David. If you want Lari¡¯s last wish to remain unfulfilled, to end with you, then simply burn her journal.¡± ¡°Gee thanks,¡± David shuddered. ¡°Way to push the responsibility on me, Lari. Or is it Terri? You''re... what exactly? Terri with Lari''s memories? Lari possessing Terri?¡± ¡°Just Terri,¡± Terri smiled. ¡°Lari died a long time ago, but her skill, her desires persisted. I¡¯m the wielder of her final wish, and my biggest desire is to protect you David. Maidenlyne¡­ is basically a maiden, one who dedicated herself to an elder Undying wish. There are many such things in Shandria, many wishes living on, carrying forward.¡± ¡°Maidenlynes dedicate themselves to serving Undying things,¡± Leon affirmed. ¡°It¡¯s not the healthiest existence to serve the desires of an old Cantigeist.¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s forcing me into anything,¡± Terri shook her head. ¡°I want to heal Shandria. I want to help David. I might not be Lari, but I¡¯m here for David on her behalf.¡± ¡°How much influence has your family inflicted on the city serving your Cantigeist?¡± Leon asked. ¡°Not enough,¡± Terri said. ¡°The Cantigeist in my head merely suggests the best way forward. It doesn¡¯t force me into action. I¡¯m a Maidenlyne, not a dungeon Sentinel.¡± ¡°Not enough?¡± Leon tapped his Kitlix who wrapped herself around his wrist. ¡°What terrible things have you done then?¡± ¡°Me? I haven¡¯t done anything except be David¡¯s friend since I woke up to what I am,¡± Terri blushed even more. ¡°I¡¯m talking about your foremothers, Terri,¡± Leon said. ¡°What have they done for this Undying wish as its Maidenlynes?¡± ¡°My grandmother Juli Gootali worked with Necromancer Kells and spent all of her savings to uplift him. She was his first Lieutenant and died with him before passing the book to me,¡± Terri revealed. ¡°My grandmom and Kells destabilized the city, breaking the Crown into a thousand separate pieces. Her work isn''t finished. It is up to me to do the rest.¡± Dumpich whistled while Leon frowned. Dave eyed Murdoc. ¡°Many of my generation served Necromancer Kells,¡± the Snailmancer sighed. ¡°We were trying to change the city, make it a better place for the lowborns. A lot of good it did us. The Highborns still own everything and eventually collar anyone of value.¡± ¡°That was then,¡± Terri said. ¡°This is now. Dave is this generation¡¯s Kells. He''s the one I''ve been waiting for, the one who I have to help.¡± ¡°Odd,¡± Dave thought to himself. ¡°Cedez told me that she was waiting for me too.¡± Sherlock''s violin resounded in his head, suggesting that there was a possible link between Cedez and Terri, a link in the shape of the book currently in his possession. ¡°Why the hell would Lari help Archmage Kells murder the princess of Shandria?¡± Dave demanded as he examined Terri''s words, unfolding them like origami with Wisdom-armed Sherlock. ¡°Because you''re Archmage Kells,¡± Terri replied. ¡°What?!¡± Dave sputtered. ¡°He was¡­ another you, to be precise, one that took an entirely different path,¡± Terri shrugged. ¡°Kells was originally David Horowitz Walter, summoned into existence by the Dragon God-Emperor. He didn''t manage to make it from the bone Citadel with his body or sanity entirely intact. Most of his muscles were torn, burned off and replaced with necroflesh that he could shape into whatever appearance he desired. My grandmother cared for him regardless and tried to help him. It¡­ didn''t work out. They both died when the Shandrian palace was shredded by the magical assault from the capital.¡± Dave simply stared at the elkgirl with wide eyes, his head pounding. ¡°Every so often, another David Walter is summoned to Arx,¡± Terri revealed, her eyes igniting with blue sparks. ¡°And always there is the ghost of Lari¡­ of sorts, waiting for him in Shandria with open arms. This time, I''m not going to fuck things up, David. I''m not going to let you lose your sanity or your body. I''m not going to let you die. I''m going to do whatever it takes for us both to reach a happy ending.¡± [-48-] A Quest from the Past The green-antlered girl spoke the last sentence with Lari¡¯s voice, with Lari¡¯s confident smile playing on her lips. ¡°A-are you really her¡­ are you my Lari?¡± Dave choked, his eyes sparkling with tears. ¡°I thought that I lost you forever, thought that¡­ I saw your ghost in the wilds, found your stained glass, even tried to call you from the Guild cathedral...¡± ¡°I¡¯m just the carrier of Laricianna¡¯s final wish,¡± Terri smiled softly, speaking with her own voice now. She let go of the shimmering snail tentacle and wrapped her hands around Dave giving him a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m the holder of your guiding lantern. I¡¯m the speaker for the dead, the lips for a voice from long, long ago. I¡¯m the girl who¡¯s never going to give up on you.¡± ¡°Is Lari in the book then?¡± Dave asked, hugging Terri back. ¡°The book is just a starting keynote in a symphony I wrote into being. I¡¯m scattered across all of Xandria,¡± Terri whispered with Lari¡¯s voice. ¡°In her cobblestones and rooftops. In her fortifications and sewer and catacombs. In her defense hexagrams. In her wards and in people¡¯s tools. I wasn¡¯t permitted to do much but I had centuries of life because Duke Lumir and his men would not permit me to die. I had time to plan and to influence the future. Seven hundred years to reach this moment. This is merely¡­ a recording of my wish, written in magic and carried forward in time by my Maidenlynes.¡± Dave opened his mouth, not sure what to say. ¡°I died a long time ago, my friend,¡± Lari¡¯s voice spoke from Terri¡¯s lips. ¡°I studied the Maidenlynes of Gorefield in the Undercity, anchored my wish to this book with crystalline ink and gradually orchestrated the fall of the city to the Verdant Republic and General Nox. I bound myself to the foundation of the city and then I let my wish grow like a seed of a tree taking root over generations beneath everything, branches of my leaves reaching out to you with singular purpose. Again and again and again.¡± ¡°What the shit, Lari,¡± David hissed, staring at Terri¡¯s green eyes where blue, cross-shaped sparks danced. ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°On Arx wishes have power,¡± Lari¡¯s voice said. ¡°Power to change everything. I died so that you could live, so that you would remain unbroken, could not simply be bound, could have a chance to remain¡­ human. David, I need you to remain sane. I''ve¡­ seen what happens to you when you go too far, lose your humanity. It''s not pretty. I died so that you could go on.¡± ¡°Why?¡± David demanded. ¡°You must have figured it out by now,¡± Lari''s voice said. ¡°This world is horribly broken, monstrous. The Citadel of Xandria is screwed up in so many ways. Out of everyone on this twisted place I trust you the most David. I need you to be strong and brave for me. I did as much as I could here in Xandria and now I¡¯m passing the baton to you. Trust my Maidelynes. Persist. Fix Xandria first. Beat the System. Step by step by step. You know the drill, David. Accept my Quest. Stand up for what''s right.¡± Terri grabbed Dave''s hand. [Saint Saria''s Cantigeist - Quest: Many Davids before you failed this one. Will you be the one that succeeds at taking over Shandria and beating the System?] [Accept: Y/N?] A message flashed over Dave''s bracelet. ¡°Damn it, Lari,¡± David growled. ¡°Yes. Yes, I will. You know that I will.¡± As the Quest flashed green and the message faded, the blue sparks faded from Terri''s eyes and Lari¡¯s voice fell silent. Dave let go of Terri. ¡°Yeesh,¡± Dumpich commented. ¡°I totally didn''t bet on this much excitement, especially not from our shy resident cutie.¡± Terri blushed, rubbing her elbow. ¡°It''s always the quiet ones you least expect,¡± Leon said with a headshake. ¡°Terri,¡± Dave said. ¡°You really want this? You really want to carry out my best friend''s wish?¡± ¡°I do,¡± The elkgirl nodded. ¡°There is so much magic all around, so much potential and yet so much death and misery. As a Healer I can fix broken bones and individual afflictions, but that¡¯s not enough. It¡¯ll never be enough. I want to fix the city and I¡¯m willing to give up my life for it just like my grandmother did.¡± Dave fell silent, thinking over Terri¡¯s words. The snail tentacles retreated back into the round wall alcoves. Murdoc leaned back in his chair, his weathered hands clasped together. "Now that we''ve all laid our cards on the table, let''s get down to business, shall we?" He turned his gaze to Dave. "I was planning to send Hyrei out to search for Cedez, but since you lot are¡­ volunteering your services, perhaps you can help find her.¡± "Of course. Do you have any idea where she might be?" Dave asked. ¡°Any random rooftop,¡± Murdoc shrugged. ¡°And I¡¯m too damn old to jump around roofs chasing lost foxes.¡± Bessie¡¯s tentacle reached into a closet and pulled out the foxgirl¡¯s outfit before placing it into Hyrei¡¯s hands. ¡°Get her to hold one of the larger gems and she¡¯ll remember who she is,¡± the Snailmancer said. ¡°Bring her back; then we can talk about this pretend-dungeoneering¡­ if she approves of you lot.¡± "We can take different sections of the city roofs. Also, what does Cedez look like?" Terri asked. A snail tentacle presented the picture of younger Cedez and Murdoc to the Healers. Leon looked at the image, while Dumpich simply nodded. The group divided various clothing items belonging to Cedez amongst themselves and were given extra cloaks from the closet by Bessie. ¡°We¡¯ll stay in touch via Voicecast,¡± Terri said, offering her wrist to the owlgirl maid. The Healers and the maid exchanged bracelet taps, deciding which sections of the city each would search. Dave simply watched their exchange. ¡°You and I are heading to a shop,¡± Terri told him. ¡°You¡¯ll need a Voicecast ring of your own.¡±
"Here we are," Terri announced as they approached a shop with a glowing purple sign that read ''Rubix Voicecast Guild''. As they entered, Dave looked over the multitude of crystalline objects displayed on purple velvet cushions. Crystal rings, pendants, and even elaborate tiaras glittered under Kitlix lamps. A sleek man in a fancy suit featuring flowery patterns approached them, nodding at the pair with a head covered in silver leaves. "Welcome to Rubix Voicecast Guild. I am GuildNet Rep Illian. How may I assist you today?"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Terri stepped forward. "We''re looking for a Voicecast ring for my friend here. Something simple but reliable." The man nodded, leading them to a display case. "For a beginner, I''d recommend our basic model. It can hold up to ten contacts and has a range covering all of Shandria plus about ninety clicks out." Dave examined the rings and bracelets. "This base model is 50 silver," the sales Rep showed Dave a simple crystal bracelet. "A very good choice for a new customer. Our shop offers delayed payments for beginner adventurers such as yourself too. And, if you¡¯re interested in keeping your man safe in his delving, I recommend our Guild Delver Insurance!" The man smiled at Terri. ¡°A DelveRaid team of our professional dungeon rescuers can pull anyone from the brink of death by gating to their last known location." ¡°Erm,¡± Terri blushed. ¡°Maybe later. DelveRaid costs quite a bit more than I can afford for the moment.¡± ¡°Do you have something cheap, maybe something used and old?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I¡¯m interested in something with GuildNet Astral projection.¡± ¡°Hrmm,¡± the Rep tapped his chin. ¡°I do indeed.¡± He dug under the counter and pulled out a bracelet covered in shimmering cracks. ¡°A used bracelet with GuildNet access. It should last a month or less, depending on how much you use it. Twenty nine silver. Be aware that unless you have a high Wisdom stat, you won¡¯t be able to do any Astral diving. Also, when the crystalline cracks shatter the entire frame, it¡¯ll turn into a Kitlix overnight and run away. As soon as the frame shatters, I recommend bringing it back to our shop so that we may bottle and then bind the newborn Nuntix Kitlix to you properly.¡± Dave opened his mouth. ¡°The cost of binding the newborn Nuntix to you will depend on its level,¡± the man said. ¡°Buying a used bracelet will save you money now, yes, but cost more later.¡± ¡°What if I use a Healers Hall binder to do it?¡± Dave asked. ¡°You can,¡± the man shrugged. ¡°Just be aware that a general breeder will fail to connect a newborn Nuntix to our GuildNet.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Dave said. He looked at the coins on his wrist. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it if you want this one,¡± Terri offered as Dave turned to her. ¡°Stop looking at me like that, I''ll take it out of the dungeon profits.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Dave conceded. Terri purchased the Voicecast bracelet and Dave put it on his left wrist and watched as Terri tapped hers on it, briefly explaining how to use it to call her. Dave turned back to Illian. ¡°Do you have something really basic and used¡­ something with just one Voicecast contact?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the rep nodded, pulling out an old crystal ring. ¡°A simple model for kids with a single parent connection. Five silver. This one will last a few months at most until it fractures. It has a very low chance to turn into a level zero Nuntix.¡± Dave clipped five silver off his wrist and handed it to the rep. ¡°Who¡¯s this for?¡± Terri asked. ¡°My blacksmith friend, Remicra,¡± Dave replied. ¡°I¡¯m worried that she¡¯s going to be attacked in her smithy and want to stay in touch with her. I¡¯ll take it to her first and then I''ll look for Cedez.¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± Terri said. ¡°You can start the search from that edge of town then.¡±
Dave left Terri as she began climbing up to the roof of the nearby tall building, heading uphill to the old lighthouse smithy. The familiar sight of the weathered lighthouse came into view, the old, overgrown tower standing against the view of the rolling clouds. Dave paused at the entrance. Pushing the heavy wooden door didn¡¯t open it like last time. Dave knocked. In a minute, a gold-violet eye flashed in the metal covered alcove at the top of the door and then he heard the sound of a large iron beam sliding aside. In another second, the metal-reinforced wooden door swung open. Remicra¡¯s claws grabbed and pulled him inside, slamming the door and the beam back into position. "Back so soon?" the dragoness asked wearily. "I do hope you''re not here to steal any more of my windows." ¡°Nope,¡± Dave said. ¡°I see you¡¯re staying safe.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Remicra nodded, red tones dancing across her violet-tinted scales. ¡°A very questionable-looking person came by. She skulked around the edge of the ward, moving all weird-like. She tried to reach the door but was repulsed by the Thunder rune. Also, something is...¡± ¡°Wait,¡± the dragoness finally noticed Healy sitting on Dave¡¯s head. ¡°Since when do you¡­ have a bonded Kitlix?!¡± ¡°Since this morning.¡± Dave made Healy wave a paw at Remicra and then gave the smith a bow. He couldn''t help but smile at Remy''s comically shocked expression. Her jaw hung open, revealing rows of sharp teeth that suddenly seemed less intimidating and more cartoonish. ¡°By the Abyss¡­ How?!¡± She finally let out. "What, this little lady? Just a souvenir I picked up at the Healers'' yard sale. You know how it is - you go in for a patch up, come out with a sentient magical creature." Healy, as if understanding the joke, made a chiming sound that could almost be mistaken for laughter. Remicra''s eyes narrowed. "Very funny. Har har. Now, are you going to give me a real explanation or are you here as a jester? Did you turn ten silver into five hundred overnight or something?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave said. ¡°Remember Lari?¡± ¡°The human Saint?¡± the dragoness asked. ¡°Yes, how could I forget that? What¡¯d you do, sell the stained glass to a collector or something?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave shook his head. "Lari didn''t just live and die here. From what I understand, my best friend from Earth... imprinted herself on Shandria. For something like seven hundred years, her will, her desire to help me and to change this city, has been growing like roots beneath the streets." He paused, gauging Remicra''s reaction. The dragoness remained silent, urging him to go on. "I met¡­ this girl, Terri, in Healers Hall. She''s an apprentice healer, and she gave me Lari''s journal. But it''s more than just a book - it''s a magical artifact, a... phylactery. It contains a fragment of Lari, her final wish¡­ a Cantigeist." Remicra¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°Apparently, I¡¯m not the first Dave in Shandria. There were others¡­¡± ¡°Others?¡± Remicra repeated, tilting her head. ¡°Other Dave Walters,¡± David nodded. ¡°Maybe copies of me or something? Summoned into existence by Dragon God Emperor¡¯s bullshit unlimited isekai magic and guided to Shandria by Lari¡¯s final wish. Necromancer Kells, the man who killed the princess of Shandria was apparently a Dave too. That¡¯s what Terri told me. Pretty crazy, right? Anyways, Terri bought me this Kitlix, since she thinks that I¡¯m her Saint¡¯s Champion or whatever.¡± ¡°What exactly does this Cantigeist of your dead friend want?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°Lari wants me to fix Shandria. To change the System, to make things better,¡± Dave revealed. ¡°And Terri... She''s part of a line of women called Maidenlynes who''ve been carrying out Lari''s will for generations. She said that she''s dedicated to helping me fulfill this Quest.¡± ¡°Hrm.¡± The dragoness crossed her arms. ¡°Sounds like the exact kind of thing that gets fools executed by the High Lords." Dave simply shrugged. ¡°Regardless of that,¡± she said after a moment of silence. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you found yourself some help. Surviving alone in Shandria is an insurmountable task. Now, did you come here to show off your shiny new toy or¡­?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Dave said. ¡°Right. I wanted to give you this. Here, it¡¯s a Voicecast ring. It¡¯s already connected to my bracelet. If someone else stalks your smithy, just give me a call.¡± Remicra arched an eyebrow, her body dancing with orange, red and pink as she accepted the ring, her claws delicately handling the small crystal object. She tried to maintain her usual gruff demeanor, but Dave could see the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "A Voicecast ring?" she asked. ¡°Hrm. Too small for my finger, but I can keep it in my pocket." She quickly cleared her throat, attempting to regain her composure. "I mean, it''s... practical for our little conspiracy, I suppose. But how exactly do you plan to protect me if someone does come around causing trouble?" "I''ll stab them and eat their soul,¡± Dave said. ¡°The things stalking you¡­ are only doing so because I amplified your Metallomancy. They¡¯re living shadows. Also, I think that I¡¯m the only person in Shandria who can handle them permanently.¡± Remicra quickly turned away and walked to her work table. She returned, her scales dancing with orange and pink waves. ¡°You can start right now then,¡± she said, handing Dave a long, sharp steel knife covered in elaborate runes. ¡°Here¡¯s the knife I made from your felislice flakes. There¡¯s something on my roof. It¡¯s been up there since this morning, making noises. For some reason the ward hasn¡¯t shooed it away with a thunderstrike. Deal with it for me. It is annoying.¡± [-49-] All for one ¡°Something?¡± Dave asked, accepting the knife. The weapon sat in his hand well and had a wooden handle featuring what looked like carved female figures of some sort. ¡°I didn¡¯t bother opening the door,¡± Remicra shrugged. ¡°I was hoping that the Custodix would notice it and focus the ward on it, but no such luck.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Dave said, slotting everything into Agility. ¡°Kitlixes can''t see the Shadow people.¡± ¡°Pffff. Don¡¯t look so concerned. I¡¯ll back you up,¡± Remicra commented with a sharp grin, picking up a hefty metal hammer with wave-like patterns on the metal. ¡°I¡¯ll open the door, you will jump in and distract it and then I¡¯ll smash it. Follow.¡± Remicra ascended the tight spiral staircase, her claws clicking against the worn stone steps. Dave followed close behind, the newly acquired knife gripped tightly in his hand. Finally, they reached a weathered wooden door at the top of the stairs. Remicra paused, her scales shifting through shades of orange and red. She glanced back at Dave. With a deep breath, the dragoness reached for the iron beam blocking the door. "Ready?" she whispered. He gave her a reassuring nod. The dragoness shoved the beam aside and pulled the door open. Dave flew inside, his body accelerated several times, knife raised and ready to strike down another abominable Huntsmaw like Oraniss. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight that streamed through the cracks in the old stained glass windows featuring what were probably famed magi Highborns of the Lumir age. A foxgirl wrapped in a shawl of feathery, fluttering shadows was sitting on a fallen beam with a weary expression. She looked up at Dave with crystalline blue eyes. Dave froze. ¡°Cedez,¡± he said, lowering his knife. ¡°Die!¡± Remicra barged into the room, swinging her hammer. The foxgirl yelped, leaping aside. The shadow-feathers coalesced around her arm, forming a shield that deflected the brunt of Remicra''s attack with a thunderous crack. "Wait!" Dave shouted, his voice echoing in the dusty room. He stepped between the two, his hands outstretched. "Remicra, stop! This is Cedez, she''s... she''s my friend!¡± Remicra halted as she glared at the foxgirl. "Friend? This shadow-thing has been skulking on my roof all day!" ¡°RRRrrrrrr,¡± Cedez snarled, sounding like a very angry, wild fox as the shawl of Shadowmancy danced across her figure, elongating her form. ¡°Rrrrmmmmmmyyyy.¡± Dave quickly dug into his bag and threw the foxgirl a collar with the blue gemstone. Cedez caught it in the air and pulled it over her neck. Her eyes became more focused. The Shadows wrapping her form shifted from a monstrous-looking feathery mess into a simple, fluttering dress. ¡°Better,¡± she smiled. ¡°Thanks, darling. Hi Rrremy!¡± "Oh, so you can talk," Remicra lowered the hammer ever so slightly. "Care to explain why you¡¯re on my roof and how you know my name?¡± Cedez, looking even more composed with her gem collar in place, offered the dragoness a sheepish smile. Dave pulled out the robe from his bag and handed it to Cedez. The foxgirl wrapped herself in it, the Shadow dress dissolving away. "My, my, Remy," Cedez grinned. "If you wanted to nail me, you could''ve just asked. Are you always this excited to hammer new guests, or is Dave just bringing out your wild side? Remicra''s scales flushed a deep red, whether from embarrassment or anger, Dave couldn''t tell. "Quit shortening my name, fox," she growled. ¡°Answer my question.¡± Cedez dramatically placed a hand over her heart. "Why, it''s all Dave''s fault, of course!¡± ¡°Say what?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°I tragically sacrificed myself in the Void dungeon so that our man could procure the Void Lotuses and you could remove his Felisice twins. When I reformed as a dreadful, hungry shadow the night or two after, I probably decided that this lovely roof seemed like the perfect spot for a nap in the morning.¡± ¡°So you just happened to reform on my roof? Of all the places in Shandria?" Remicra asked. ¡°Yepperrrrroni. I probably subconsciously realized that this was a safe place for me to¡­ wake up as my daytime self, on the account that I knew that Dave would be coming here sooner or later. I think¡­ that I tried to get down¡­ but someone barr-rrred the door and it was a bit too high for me to jump from the roof. ¡°Why were you making animal noises?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t talk very clearly or think very well without this trinket,¡± Cedez tapped the blue gemstone. ¡°It keeps me mentally focused.¡± ¡°What in the Abyss are you?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°With this on,¡± Cedez petted the gemstone. ¡°I¡¯m a harmless cafe maid. Without it¡­ only Nightingale knows what I am.¡± ¡°She¡¯s Shadow magic, maybe a shard of the ghost of the princess of Shandria who died nineteen years ago. A Shadow bound to a specific personality with purified mana gems, the work of Snailmancer Murdoc who wanted himself a granddaughter,¡± Dave reminded the smith. "She''s the first person I talked to in Shandria and she sent me your way." ¡°Very blunt,¡± Cedez rolled her eyes at Dave. ¡°But yes. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m less a person and more like a magical echo that granpaw Murdoc raised.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Why''d you send Dave my way?¡± Remicra squinted at Cedez. "Because I knew you could help him," Cedez explained. "And because I thought you two might hit it off." She winked at Dave. Remicra''s scales flickered between shades of orange and pink. "Hit it off? What''s that supposed to mean?" ¡°As dense as ever, I see,¡± Cedez sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t talk ¡®bout me like you know me!¡± Remicra growled. ¡°I sor-rrt of know you,¡± the foxgirl shrugged. ¡°If you know me, then you¡¯d realize that I¡¯m this close to smashing your face in for being an annoying brat,¡± the dragoness growled, the metal handle groaning in her claws as she squeezed the hammer. ¡°Rrrrrr¡­ scary drrrrrragon,¡± Cedez shuddered, growl-chattering as she slipped slightly behind Dave. ¡°Rrrrremy, look¡­ I just want to be friends. Plz no smash fox. I¡¯m already thrrrroughly exhausted and I need the rest of my drrrress not to lose focus.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Dave said. ¡°Hang on. I totally spaced out here.¡± He lifted the Voicecast bracelet to his face. ¡°Voicecast Terri Gootali¡­ Hey, Terri?¡± ¡°Yes, David?¡± Terri¡¯s voice came from the bracelet. ¡°Call everyone and let them know¨CI found Cedez,¡± Dave said. ¡°She¡¯s at Remicra¡¯s lighthouse smithy at the edge of town.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Terri replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be there with everyone in a few. See you then!¡± ¡°Let''s go wait for everyone¡­ outside,¡± Dave offered, trying to diffuse the glares between fox and dragon. ¡°Fine,¡± Remicra said.
¡°Didn¡¯t Dave tell you about me?¡± Cedez asked as she sat next to Dave on a mossy rock, looking up at Remicra. ¡°He did,¡± the dragoness replied. ¡°And?¡± the foxgirl tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re a questionable creature with even more questionable motivations,¡± Remicra responded with a shrug. ¡°Oh, yeah? Well, you''re¡­ you¡¯re a lump of felisteel who can¡¯t even admit her own feelings!¡± Cedez snapped back. ¡°That¡¯s Pathosteel and you¡¯re lucky that you¡¯re sitting outside the ward, fox,¡± Remicra shot back with a deep growl. Cedez stuck her tongue out at the dragoness. ¡°Can you two not get along for like five minutes?¡± Dave asked. ¡°We''re all on the same team here." ¡°She¡¯s being extra obtuse,¡± Cedez grumbled. ¡°Hey, is that your new Kitlix from Healer¡¯s Hall? Oh wowza! She¡¯s a chonky girl.¡± Healy jumped onto the foxgirl¡¯s lap. Cedez immediately smothered the crystalline kitten in her embrace, squishing it this way and that. In a few minutes of silence, interrupted by Healy¡¯s chime-purr, Dave spotted familiar figures approaching in the distance. Terri led the group, her green antlers gleaming in the sunlight, with Dumpich, Leon, and Hyrei following close behind. "Looks like the cavalry''s arrived," Dave announced, standing up from the mossy rock. Healy jumped off Cedez, rushing up his leg onto his shoulder. With a gust of cold wind, Hyrei flashed right next to Cedez and smacked her on the head. ¡°Owie,¡± Cedez complained, dark ears drooping. ¡°Idiot,¡± the owlgirl commented, hugging Cedez tightly. ¡°Why¡¯d you go to a Void dungeon with this incompetent? Do you have any idea how worried we were?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m fine,¡± Cedez grumbled. ¡°You are not fine!¡± Hyrei fluttered. ¡°How are you fine? You look half dead! Stay still!¡± Dave walked over to Remicra while Hyrei helped Cedez pull on her leather dress under the large cloak. The Healers reached them too. ¡°You must be Cedez,¡± Terri smiled, offering Cedez her boots. ¡°I¡¯m Healer Terri Gootali! Here, I believe these are yours.¡± ¡°Much obliged¡­ Terri,¡± Cedez smiled at the Healer. The two girls stared at each other, seemingly exchanging silent communication or maybe just evaluating each other. Dumpich bounded up next to Terri, giving Cedez another piece of her outfit. "Oi, Ceddy! Good to see you.¡± ¡°Hey Dumpling!¡± Cedez smiled. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you at our cafe that often." ¡°Yeah,¡± the apprentice sighed. ¡°My bad. Healers Hall keeping me busy in my final year.¡± Leon approached more cautiously, his blue eyes studying Cedez as he handed the rest of her outfit to her. "Leon Kodmii. A pleasure.¡± ¡°Cedez Astra,¡± the foxgirl shot back. The Healers moved onto introducing themselves to Remicra as Cedez was outfitted fully by Hyrei. After the introductions concluded, Dave explained the fake dungeon-conquering plan to Remicra. Remicra''s scales flickered through a kaleidoscope of colors, finally settling on a deep violet with patches of orange and red. ¡°You want to¡­ rent me as a dungeon delver?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°For as long as I can afford it,¡± Dave replied with a shrug. ¡°You¡¯ve been stuck long enough in this lighthouse. I think it¡¯s about time you got out for a bit.¡± "And what makes you think that Burgundy''s Estate would even consider such an absurd arrangement?" The dragoness asked. "I can be very persuasive when I need to be," Dave replied. ¡°Reeeeally?" The dragoness asked, eyeing his ID token. ¡°I very much doubt that my Overseer would bother listening to a Level Six Iron with that much in the red.¡± Cedez slid next to Dave, now wearing her full leather outfit. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Remy. We all are going to make Dave shine brighter than the sun,¡± she supplied. ¡°This is a joint operation. You¡¯re going to be involved in it too, don¡¯t worry. Everyone will have their part to play. One for all, all for one!¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± the smith pursed her lips, flashing orange and clearly not trusting the sly-looking fox. ¡°Remicra, can you tell us a bit more about your past?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I have the general idea for a plan, but it could use more information to be truly effective.¡± ¡°What specifically would you like to know?¡± The dragoness turned to the ex-programmer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a debt token on you? How did you become a slave?¡± He asked. "By resisting the incursion of the Shadow and being unlucky enough to successfully murder one of her Highborn scum," Remicra replied, red tones dancing across her body. "A few weeks after the Shadow Empire spread its wings over my mountain village¡­ Some kind of monstrous magic suffocated anyone who had a level higher than ten. I picked up my father''s arbalest," the dragoness hissed out. "And then hid amongst the bushes and waited... until I spotted a fully armored magisteel knight surrounded by his retinue. The man declared that he was here to rescue anyone still alive, to bring the survivors to Shandria to serve his noble house. I didn¡¯t believe his words. This was a takeover, not a rescue. I guessed that one of his mages cast the suffocating spell that killed my parents. The bolt reinforced by my father¡¯s Metallomancy found its mark, puncturing the bastard¡¯s narrow eye-hole slit just as he promised everyone a job and temporary housing in Shandria. My moment of victory was short-lived, as I was quickly caught and shackled by the others. ¡°How old were you then?¡± Dave frowned. ¡°Eleven. The other surviving children were permitted to join the Shadow Empire as lowborn workers under the Einhelm Estate, but I was marked as a murderer of a Shadow Officer and then sold on a public market to the highest bidder. One of the auctioneers scanned me with an Infix and discovered my innate Metallomancy talent. Overseer Princess acquired me for Lord Burgundy and then bound me to this abandoned lighthouse. I do not regret what I¡¯ve done, for if I had the chance I would slaughter more of the Shadow-bastards." Remicra¡¯s fists opened and closed. "I don''t have a debt token because I''m a slave for life." ¡°What was the man¡¯s name?¡± Dave added. ¡°Knight Moch Einhelm,¡± Remicra replied. [-50-] Lease Contract Pricci Destrie sat at her ornate marble desk, delicately picking at the remains of her breakfast - a perfectly seared slice of Thundersnarg steak paired with roasted stripe-tubers. The meal, while exquisite, did little to alleviate the constant stress that came with managing Lord Burgundy''s vast array of properties and often disobedient living assets. As she dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a silk napkin, her personal Nuntix chimed. With a sigh, she tapped the sparkling Kitlix on her wrist accepting the call. "Overseer Pricci speaking," she said, her voice crisp and professional. "Pricci, it''s Valen from the Huntsmen Guild," came the reply. "We''ve got an... unusual request that needs your attention." Pricci''s eyebrows rose slightly. Valen rarely contacted her directly unless it was a matter of some importance. "Go on," she prompted. "There''s a group here looking to sublease one of your charges. They''re specifically requesting the dragoness blacksmith, Remicra." ¡°If they want something made by her, they should ask her themselves at the smithy,¡± Pricci replied. ¡°No. They want a sublease contract, not a metal sword.¡± Pricci''s lips thinned. Remicra was a valuable, long term investment, one she''d personally overseen the acquisition of years ago. "And who, pray tell, is making this request? Are they not aware that this slave is an immobile asset bound to the smithy, not available for rent?¡± "The lease request comes from the Estate of Lord David," Valen said. "The young Lord and his posse are currently waiting here at the Guild to speak with you. They won''t take no from me for an answer and wish to talk to someone higher up. That would be you.¡± Pricci''s mind raced. Lord David? She prided herself on knowing every noble of rank in Shandria, yet this name was unfamiliar. A new player on the board, perhaps? An outsider trying to make inroads into the city''s political landscape? Why Remicra? "I see," she replied, keeping her voice neutral. "And what do we know about this... Lord David?" ¡°Nothing at all, I¡¯m afraid,¡± the Secretary replied. "His secretary claims they''re new to Shandria, having recently gated here from... Illatius. They''re offering a very odd contract for a short-term lease of Remicra''s services." ¡°Smithing?¡± ¡°No, dungeon delving,¡± Valen replied. ¡°Dungeon delving? Remicra isn¡¯t a freaking delver,¡± Pricci replied. ¡°What is your opinion of this¡­ Lord? Is he some kind of a loon or an idiot?¡± ¡°If I may be blunt,¡± Valen purred. ¡°Ridiculously dashing. Intelligent. Pure human. Has a green Kitlix on him, somewhere around level forty maybe fifty. Has three Healers with him, a wind-aligned owl bodyguard and a fox secretary. I think that she¡¯s his personal Charismancer. By her Shadow, Pricci, she¡¯s a true master, genuine Illatius shit. I¡¯m seriously drowning over here.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, damn it,¡± Valen hissed. ¡°I¡¯m seriously melting into my chair. Just get your rock ass here ASAP. This could be big.¡± ¡°Fine, be there in a bit,¡± Pricci hung up and quickly finished her lunch. The Overseer stood up, examining herself in the large wall mirror. Deciding that she could use a quick polish she reached into an alcove beside the mirror and pulled out her Abstergix. The Kitlix ran over her head and armor, quickly polishing everything to a shine. With a quick call to her team¡¯s Waymancer, she had a gate open and stepped into the Hall of Burgundy Hunters Guild. She spotted the group Valen described right away. Three greens¨Ctwo male, one female, a dark fox secretary and what was presumably the owlkin bodyguard. Their ginger-haired Lord dressed in pure white robes turned and Pricci froze. A wave of pure Charisma washed over her like a fiery, intoxicating breeze. It was one of the strongest magical calling cards that she had experienced - a palpable aura of charm and authority. For a moment, she found herself struggling to maintain her usual composure, her carefully cultivated mask of cool professionalism threatening to slip. Valen did warn her about this, but Pricci found herself entirely unprepared for just how potent it would be. She felt that she was just a teenager in love or a young acolyte standing in front of an idol of pure gold. The man''s presence was magnetic, drawing her in like a spiral despite her best efforts to remain detached. His piercing blue eyes met hers, and Pricci felt a jolt of electricity run through her. She had dealt with Highborn-employed Charismancers before, but this was on another level entirely. It was as if every fiber of her being was suddenly attuned to his presence, standing at attention. With a herculean effort, Pricci managed to regain some semblance of control. She straightened her back, lifted her chin, and strode forward with as much dignity as she could muster. Yet even as she approached, she could feel her heart racing, her palms growing damp beneath her steel and leather gloves. "Lord David, I presume?" she said, her voice squeaking ever so slightly. "I am Overseer Pricci Destrie, manager of Lord Burgundy''s assets."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The young Lord smiled, and Pricci felt her knees go weak. Damn it, focus! ¡°Ah, Overseer Pricci,¡± the Highborn man spoke, his voice smooth and just as captivating as his smile. ¡°I appreciate you taking the time to see me on such short notice. I understand that my request is rather unusual, but I believe it could be¡­ mutually beneficial." Pricci nodded, trying to focus on the business at hand. She sent an annoyed glare towards the dark foxkin Secretary who simply smiled back at her with far too much smugness. "Yes, I was informed that you have an... unusual request regarding one of our assets?¡± ¡°Correct. My Lord is interested in personally subleasing one of your Lord''s assets - specifically, the dragoness blacksmith Remicra,¡± the fox said, blue gemstones sparkling all over her dark leather dress. The bitch was trying to show off. Only a complete airhead would cover themselves head to toe with purified mana gems like that. ¡°For... dungeon delving?" Pricci asked, arching a gray eyebrow. "Indeed," Lord David confirmed. "I¡¯m planning to use her to clear the Whispering Depths to retrieve the Voidtree.¡± ¡°The Voidtree?¡± Pricci tried to focus her scattering thoughts. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand. Why a blacksmith? Remicra is a rather valuable and immobile asset, bound to the smithy. I can offer a team of highly professional delvers more befitting this particular enterprise.¡± ¡°No,¡± the Highborn shook his ginger head. ¡°I want to lease this slave.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lord Dave explained with a solemn expression, "You see, Lady Pricci, I recently discovered that dragoness Remicra was responsible for the death of my four-times removed uncle from Shandria, Moch Einhelm. I want her to pay for killing my uncle, but in a way that''s... productive." Pricci frowned, distantly recalling that Remicra was a slave for life for the crime of murder of some Shadow officer from the Einhelm family. While she enjoyed breaking the stubbornly disobedient dragoness herself, she didn''t want the smith dead as that would reflect badly on her job as Overseer. "My Lord, while I understand your desire for¡­ retribution, Remicra is a significant investment for Lord Burgundy. We can''t risk her death or permanent injury. She is a long term asset, bound permanently to the lighthouse property and powering its ward.¡± Lord David''s blue eyes sparkled with an intensity that made Pricci''s breath catch. "Oh, you misunderstand, Lady Pricci. I have no intention of letting her die. Ha ha ha, no. That would be far too merciful." He gestured to the three individuals in green and white robes. "As you can see, I have three highly skilled healers with me. And I myself am a talented Healer.¡± The large Vitalix Kitlix atop of the man''s shoulder bobbed its head with a twinkle to confirm the man¡¯s words. A smile played at the corners of his mouth, but it didn''t reach his eyes. "You see, I need the practice. Healing grievous wounds over and over¡­ can be a rewarding experience for leveling up. I won¡¯t be hiring anyone else to storm the dungeon. One of my mages will draw the Void beasts out with Thunderstrikes. Remicra¡¯s job will be to kill ALL of the Voidbeasts and Sentinels that emerge from Whispering Depths, no matter how long it takes. After the Dungeon is cleared and the Voidtree is retrieved, she will be returned to you in¡­ perfect health.¡± Pricci pursed her lips. ¡°We can highlight this part in the lease contract with whatever financial penalty you may impose in case your asset is found to be injured after the fact,¡± Lord Dave''s Secretary added. ¡°My Lord''s Estate guarantees that your asset will be returned to you more capable, more cooperative and with a higher level to boot, ready to serve your Lord as a smith once again, no worse for wear physically.¡± ¡°She will only bear mental scars,¡± Lord David smirked. ¡°The kind that comes from Depthknell spikes being repeatedly teleported into her muscles. The kind that comes from Voidcrawlers snipping her arms or legs off and me reattaching them. She will be given high quality magisteel chest armor to protect her heart core and a full magisteel helmet to protect her brain, but that is all. Her arms and legs will be maimed and repaired for however long it takes for the Void dungeon to run out of beasts.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Pricci thought. ¡°This prick knows how to exact cold-served vengeance. Even without Charisma radiance I¡¯m starting to like him.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll teach the smith a lesson about respecting her betters,¡± the foxkin secretary added after her Lord finished his speech. ¡°I hear she¡¯s quite obstinate and tried to run away from the smithy a few times. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll keep an extra tight leash on her, make sure she stays at the lighthouse for most nights. Here, review the contract I¡¯ve drafted. I believe it¡¯ll be entirely to your Estate¡¯s liking.¡± Pricci¡¯s eyes glinted as she accepted the contract. She could not imagine a better fate for the disobedient smith. If Lord David was as skilled at healing torn limbs as his fat Kitlix implied, Remicra would indeed return in better condition than she left. Perhaps she¡¯d even begin to appreciate working the smithy in comparison to what this devious Highborn knave was going to put her through! ¡°Hang on,¡± she said as she read over the pages. ¡°It says here that the sublease payment will be only a silver a day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nominal price. Keep reading, darling,¡± the foxkin purred. ¡°There¡¯s more on the table.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Pricci¡¯s eyebrows went up. ¡°Ten percent from sale of all the slain Void beasts and ten percent from sale of the Voidtree?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the Secretary nodded. ¡°According to our lowest estimates the Void Tree is worth 50 platinum. With a good auctioneer, we¡¯ll pull far more cash from it.¡± Pricci did mental calculations in her head. 50¡¯000 silver was a decent sum to bring to Lord Burgundy, but she felt like the base daily lease price was far too low. After all, other smithies would have to take over Remicra¡¯s job for a couple of weeks or however long it would take Lord Dave¡¯s party to procure and sell the tree. On the other side, if Remicra died during the Whispering Depths clearing, Lord David''s Estate would be billed one hundred platinum. She opened her mouth to raise the price to a hundred silver a day and the overall percentage to twenty, but the fox interrupted her by silently sliding another parchment tube into her gray fingers. Pricci went over the second contractual parchment quickly. Ten percent from sale of the tree and dungeon monsters would go entirely to her in cash as a tip for doing such a great job as property Overseer. A very sly move, one that she didn¡¯t expect from an Illatius Highborn. The High Lords generally saw everyone with extra affinities far beneath them and not worthy of note nor financial rewards. She quickly Voicecast the Adventurers Guild archivist, checking on the estimated total value of the Whispering Depths dungeon. Her eyes lit up when she heard the answer. The Voidtree and the beast cores could easily net her over ten thousand silver at a public Shandrian auction. Now, if the stuff was sold in Illatius at a private Highborn auction then... Pricci forced herself to remain calm. ¡°Satisfied?¡± The fox purred, blue eyes twinkling. ¡°Yes,¡± Pricci said, already thinking of the nice runic or even magisteel armor set she would buy herself with the cash. ¡°We¡¯ll use the Hunters Guild¡¯s Burnix to sign the first and blood to sign the second.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± The fox grinned. [-51-] Remicra Ognemeskra Remicra stood rigidly, her scales a vibrant crimson from head to toe. The pain from the iron nail she''d driven into her foot throbbed with each heartbeat, sending waves of red across her entire figure. She watched as Overseer Princess approached with the runic rod, Dave walking behind her in pure white robes. "Well, well, well¡­ Dragoness," the Overseer sneered, tapping the rod on Remicra''s collar. "It seems your past has finally caught up with you." Remicra fake-sputtered, staring at Dave, opening her eyes wide. "You..." she growled, baring her teeth. "You look just like the man that executed my kin at night! Moch Einhelm. But you can¡¯t be him. I¡­ I killed that human!¡± ¡°Ah that,¡± Dave idly examined his fingernails. ¡°Lord Moch was my late uncle.¡± Remicra¡¯s snout snapped to her Overseer. ¡°This man is related to the bastard Knight I murdered when I was eleven. You¡­ you can¡¯t transfer me to him! What if he¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m counting on it,¡± Princess laughed. ¡°You¡¯re counting on the fact that this human asshat will murder me as soon as you leave?!¡± Remicra snarled slamming her foot down to make more red dance over her body. ¡°If you die, I get paid. If you live, I get paid,¡± Princess shrugged. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s a win for me." Remicra choked. "Don''t worry, he''s contractually obligated to return you to me in good condition after he''s done playing with you," the Overseer added with a malicious grin of sharp teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll effin¡¯ kill you, you Abyss-born twat!¡± Remicra growled, kicking the ground again to send pain lashing across her body. ¡°Oh ho ho, such scary promises,¡± the Overseer rolled her eyes. She handed the control bracelet to Dave, who promptly snapped it onto his wrist. ¡°Here, it¡¯s been set to sub-control the building¡¯s ward and the living asset bound to it. I suggest you keep her in the lighthouse at night. She tends to slither out from other¡­ less reinforced places.¡± Dave nodded. ¡°W-what¡¯s your plan for me, human?!¡± Remicra spun towards Dave. ¡°I¡¯ll be working you to near-death of course,¡± Dave replied, spinning the pain dial up slightly. Remicra howled, clawing at her collar. ¡°Until you beg and weep at my feet, dragon. I¡¯ll break you again and again and heal you a thousand times over¡­ Inhuman scum like you need to know your place in the world. Your tears and blood will satisfy my desire for retribution and serve to amplify my healing skills.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡­ Overseer! Don¡¯t leave me with him! Please!¡± Remicra made a horrified expression, slamming her foot into the ground again. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to see. Have fun with her,¡± Princess winked. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you in a couple of weeks, Remicra. Maybe spending some time in the retinue of a¡­ genuine Illatius Lord will teach you how lovely I am in comparison.¡± Dave nodded with a smile. ¡°I''ve had my gate mage clear out the storage room of any supplies,¡± Princess commented at him. ¡°If you want her to repair something, buy your own metal.¡± ¡°I won''t be having her do any metalwork,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°No worries there.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t! Please! Come back¡­ you, bitch! You can¡¯t give me to this man! You¡­¡± Remicra howled with a look of utter desperation. A portal flashed into existence behind the Overseer and she stepped into it, sending another smug glance at Remicra. As the portal winked out of existence, Remicra''s scales slowly shifted from their vibrant crimson to a deep, somber blue and violet. She exhaled slowly, her shoulders sagging as the tension drained from her body. Sliding down onto a mossy rock beside the lighthouse, she lifted her right leg and pried the large iron nail from her foot with her claws. Dave¡¯s Kitlix jumped from his shoulder and put a paw onto the bleeding cut. Warmth spread across Remicra¡¯s leg, the pain vanishing away. ¡°Guys, get to it,¡± Dave ordered. Remicra flinched, expecting a horrid twist or some kind of betrayal. ¡°Let''s heal her up good,¡± the ginger man added with a soft smile. Three more green Kitlix joined Healy, jumping from his Healer friends and running across her entire body. The aches and pains she had grown accustomed to over years of hard labor suddenly began to fade away. A particularly persistent twinge in her left shoulder, a remnant from an old injury inflicted by the Overseer, suddenly vanished. Remicra rolled her shoulder experimentally, marveling at the smooth, pain-free motion. The constant dull ache in her lower back, a result of countless hours hunched over the forge, melted away like snow under a warm sun. The fresh wound on her toe, self-inflicted for the sake of their ruse, closed up without a trace. Remicra wiggled her toes and fingers, feeling freedom of movement she hadn''t experienced in years. Warmth danced across her entire body wherever the Kitlix moved, fixing something that she wasn¡¯t even fully aware of. The dragoness closed her eyes, relaxing. For the first time since her entire village of Starisle was decimated, she let out a content, happy purr. Her entire body was probably gold and pink now and she didn¡¯t give a damn. "Abyss Eternal," she murmured. "I''d forgotten what it felt like to not be in constant pain." ¡°You were pretty convincing there. I almost believed you myself for a second,¡± Dave commented sitting on the mossy rock next to her. ¡°Great idea with the nail.¡± Remicra opened her eyes ever so slightly, looking the man over. She found herself wondering, not for the first time, about the strange twists of fate that had brought him into her life. He was an anomaly, this Dave. A human who treated her with respect, who saw past her scales and claws to the person beneath. It was... Incredibly unsettling, in a way. She''d grown accustomed to the cruelty of humans, had built her defenses high and strong. But Dave seemed to slip past those barriers with infuriating ease. As the Kitlix continued their healing work, Remicra felt a warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with their magic. It was a feeling she''d almost forgotten - gratitude, perhaps even the stirrings of trust. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°How did you convince the Overseer that you¡¯re a Highborn Lord?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Just shook hands with Cedez,¡± Dave explained. ¡°For the next twenty two hours I¡¯ve a ¡®Casanova¡¯ affliction, which allows me to amplify my Charisma in brief intervals of a few seconds waaaay above my level.¡± ¡°That easy, huh?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°Eh,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°Another Shadow princess or two is probably going to try to murder me today.¡± She squinted at him. "It''s fine," he shrugged. "I''ve dealt with them and their Champions before." ¡°I see. So¡­ what now? You gonna work me to death in a dungeon or what?¡± The dragoness asked. ¡°Now I¡¯ll ask Murdoc to park Bessie at the Void dungeon¡¯s entrance, occasionally blasting it with thunder,¡± the extra-infuriating fox appeared in Remicra¡¯s view. ¡°The healers can slowly collect Void beast corpses, while you two live here at the lighthouse. I didn¡¯t specify any contract length. Maybe we can push this pretend dungeoneering to a month or two, we¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Two months of¡­ being free,¡± Remicra repeated, her heartbeat accelerating. ¡°Unless l figure out how to extend it forever,¡± Dave offered. Remicra¡¯s head snapped from the fox to the human. He couldn¡¯t be serious about this, could he? No, she couldn¡¯t allow herself such hope. Lord Burgundy or Overseer Princess would eventually figure out that they were being screwed with and then there would be pain and she would be alone again, forced to make armor for idiots, forced to¡­ ¡°Hang on. Does this mean that the cafe is closed and that I¡¯m not getting tips for two months?¡± the owlkin girl asked, interrupting Remicra¡¯s self-flagellation. ¡°Ehhhh,¡± Cedez tapped her chin. ¡°Can¡¯t please everyone. Lemme think¡­¡± ¡°What if we opened a cafe here, on this meadow?¡± Dave suggested. ¡°This area is pretty close to Adventurers Gate.¡± ¡°What?¡± Remicra sputtered at the sudden absurd suggestion. ¡°The contract Cedez drafted stipulates that I¡¯m leasing the smithy along with you as a¡­ living asset,¡± Dave explained. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to mess with Hyrei or the other cafe maids¡¯ daily income. The cafe is their livelihood. Clearing the Whispering Depths and getting the tree out and selling it will likely take a long time.¡± "You can''t be serious," Remicra said, her tail swishing nervously behind her. "This place is barely fit for smithing, let alone serving food!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as good as being right outside the gate, but I think that we can make it work,¡± Hyrei looked over the meadow. ¡°The chasm is pretty scenic.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Dave nodded. ¡°We could call it the Lighthouse maid cafe!¡± The man grinned, that infuriatingly charming smile that made Remicra want to both punch him and... well, she wasn''t quite sure what else. "Why not? We''ve got space, we''ve got a great view," he gestured towards the rolling hills beyond the lighthouse, "and we''ve got you." "Me?¡± Remicra hissed. ¡°I¡¯m not a freaking maid!¡± "It could work," Cedez chimed in, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Think about it, Remy. ''The Forged Brew'' - Shandria''s first smithy-cafe hybrid!" ¡°You¡¯re both¡­ complete nutcases, you know that, right?¡± Remicra snapped. ¡°What if someone reports that the smithy is now a freaking cafe to Princess?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Cedez wiggled her eyebrows. ¡°Dave¡¯s a Lord from Illatius. If he wants to open a cafe here for a bit to make cash on the side, who¡¯s gonna stop him? The contract I wrote didn¡¯t specify any such limitations.¡± Remicra''s claws dug into the mossy rock beneath her, anchoring her to reality as her mind reeled with possibilities. A small, traitorous spark of excitement ignited in her chest. She quickly tamped it down. "Seriously, what if Princess comes to check on me?" she asked, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice. ¡°We can extend the ward to encompass the entire meadow,¡± Cedez said. ¡°That bracelet on Dave¡¯s wrist can modify it to keep certain individuals like Pricci out. ¡®Sides, I''m sure between all of us, we can come up with another convincing show of ''torment'' if needed.¡± Remicra opened her mouth, trying to protest, trying her best to come up with a wry explanation about how all of this would inevitably crash horribly around them. ¡°Remy,¡± Cedez suddenly hugged the dragoness with gloved hands. ¡°Be positive. For Dave. He needs you to be strong.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The dragoness tried to send the fox a deadly glare, which didn¡¯t come out as hostile as she¡¯d wanted on the account of the four green Kitlix making her melt from within. ¡°Dave isn''t just some random human who stumbled into our lives,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°He¡¯s the key to changing all of our fortunes.¡± Remicra squinted at the dark vixen. ¡°Don¡¯t sell me fairytales, fox.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a fairytale, Remy,¡± Cedez shook her dark mane. ¡°Each one of us has a role to play in Dave''s future. I¡¯m his dark Shadow, his skill amplifier. You¡¯re his sword. Together, you and me¨Cwe¡¯re going to forge him into a proper Shandrian Highborn.¡± ¡°What, another noble prick who¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Cedez shushed the dragoness. ¡°Obviously not. He''s never going to be someone like Burgundy or any of them really.¡± Terri stepped towards Remicra, her Kitlix jumping off the dragoness. "Remicra," the Healer began, "there''s something you need to understand about David.¡± ¡°Hrm?¡± ¡°Because of his skill, he has potential for greatness,¡± Terri waved a hand. ¡°David''s ability to manipulate souls... is incredibly powerful and rare, but it comes at a terrible cost¡­ We healers call it¡­ Vexirium, Skill Psychosis.¡± Remicra noticed that Dave frowned. ¡°Psychosis?¡± She repeated. ¡°Isn¡¯t that an old mage thing?¡± "Mental instability, false memories, degradation of self, etcetera," Terri nodded. "It afflicts him because his heartcore is growing in power far too quickly. Ordinarily, a mage reaches Level Forty Attributes by the time they''re twenty five or thirty years old. David did that in less than a week. You¡¯ve noticed him acting weird, have you not?¡± ¡°I¡­ yes,¡± Remicra admitted. ¡°He stole my window, acting quite deranged. He also told me that there were other Daves here too or something.¡± ¡°That part is actually true. Other David Walters were summoned to Shandria over many generations by the Dragon God Emperor... Sadly, none of them made it past ten years.¡± ¡°What?¡± the dragoness sputtered. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Healer said. ¡°Their soul-manipulating, rapidly growing skill eventually snapped their minds, turned them into something... inhuman, monstrous. Mad Mage Kells was another David.¡± Remicra¡¯s eyes widened. Terri took a deep breath, her green antlers seeming to glow faintly in the afternoon light as she stepped closer to the smith. "I''m the Maidenlyne of Saint Saria. It''s my duty, passed down through generations, to guide and protect David, whenever he arrives in Shandria. But I can''t do it alone. We must keep him grounded, help him navigate the incredibly dangerous currents ahead.¡± ¡°Maidenlyne¡­¡± Remicra muttered. ¡°You¡¯re a cultist then¡­ one of those idiots believing in whack elder ghosts or some-such nonsense?¡± Terri frowned. ¡°Unfortunately, the fraction of my best friend¡¯s ghost Terri carries is quite real,¡± Dave sighed. The dragoness stared between the elkin healer and the human. She turned to the fox. ¡°Shandria is all sorts of effed,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re all effed in some way or another. Let''s be less effed together, yeah?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Remicra huffed. ¡°We¡¯re just a basket of fruits. A group of nutcases planning to keep this one nutcase sane. Freaking great plan!" She threw her clawed hands up in exasperation. She noticed that Dave''s shoulders dropped at her outburst, his face falling into a mask of tired resignation. The sight tugged at something deep within Remicra, something protective. Before she could second-guess herself, Remicra suddenly reached out and pulled Dave into a tight hug. She held him close, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, listening to the beating of his heart, feeling the tiny metal flakes moving across his veins. She¡¯d have to pull those out in a few days, maybe make his knife into a short sword or something. "Listen here, you impossible, crazy human," she grumbled, her voice lacking its usual bite. "I don''t know if I believe all this nonsense about reincarnations, ghost of your friend and whatever else. But..." She paused, struggling to find the right words. "But I do believe in you. You''ve shown me more kindness than anyone has in years. More than I deserve. So if you need me to help keep you sane, then¡­ fine. I''ll do it¡­ I¡¯ll be your sword. Abyss, I¡¯ll make you a sword. Whatever. Umm¡­¡± David leaned into her embrace, and Remicra suddenly found herself unable to let go of him. It was as if he was the perfect weapon that she¡¯d forged herself so long ago that she¡¯s forgotten all about it, as if he''s always¡­ belonged to her. She knew that it was a terrible idea to hug him, that she was screwing with him magically, infecting him with her affinities, yet she couldn¡¯t push him away. No, this was crazy. How could a human¡­ She choked. Unable to control herself, she possessively hugged him even tighter. It was probably just the metal flakes. The metal flakes had to be the rational explanation for the madness that had come over her! ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°Thank you for giving me a spark of freedom. Thank you¡­ Davey.¡± ¡°Anytime, Remy,¡± he replied and she inexplicably felt that everything was finally alright with the world. [-52-] Incepted Love ¡°Huh, did you just cute up my name?¡± Dave asked, his mind catching onto the blacksmith¡¯s words. ¡°She did,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°It¡¯s official, I heard it too. It¡¯s one small step for man, one giant leap for grumpy dragonkind!¡± Remicra sent the foxgirl an annoyed glare unable to understand the moon landing reference. ¡°Now that you¡¯re his sword, does he get to polish you regularly?¡± Cedez wiggled her eyebrows. Remicra''s eyes widened, and her scales flushed a deeper pink. "I... what? That''s..." she sputtered. "Aww, she''s blushing so hard!" Cedez cooed. "Look Dave, she¡¯s extra pink!" "I am not blushing!" Remicra protested. "These are just... temperature regulation patterns!" Cedez cackled like a supervillain, clearly enjoying Remicra''s flustered state. Dave couldn''t help but smile at their antics, even as he felt the dragoness''s grip on him tighten protectively. Remicra buried her face in his neck, giving up the fight for a moment. "Stop teasing my sword," Dave commented at Cedez. "She might get dull." "I''m going to bite both of you," Remicra grumbled. "Kinky," Cedez quipped. The dragoness tried to swat Cedez away, but the sly fox flitted behind Dave giggling. "We could set up some tables right here," Hyrei mused in the meanwhile, pacing around the tower with professional interest. "Maybe string up some Ignix lanterns between posts for additional cozy atmosphere." She went into the building itself and whistled. ¡°This area is going to need serious cleaning up. Hey Healer boys, come in with me and help me move some of this old stuff to the back to make it a bit more presentable?¡± Dumpich and Leon vanished in the lighthouse with the owlgirl. Remicra glanced at the lighthouse wondering if she should help, but decided to stay on the rock with Dave, as his Vitalix was still retouching her old bruises. ¡°Is there a Kitlix for cleaning houses?¡± Dave asked idly. ¡°There¡¯s a Kitlix for everything, darling,¡± Cedez purred in his ear, trying to hug both of him and Remicra. ¡°Abstergix Kitlix scrubs dishes, polishes armor and cleans up messy floors. We can rent one for a day and it¡¯ll have this building looking spotless. Ohh, what if we had Remy forge some custom tea sets?" She added thoughtfully. "Imagine drinking from dragon-crafted cups. We could charge premium prices for authentic dragonforged teaware!" "I''m a weaponsmith, not a teapot maker! Also, who permitted you to grope me?¡± Remicra growled, trying to squirm away from Cedez''s embrace while still maintaining her hold on Dave, resulting in an awkward three-way hug that made Dave feel like filling in a dragon-fox sandwich. "Oh come now, Rems, we''re all friends here!" Cedez grinned, her tail dancing playfully. "We are not friends," Remicra huffed, her scales flickering between pink and orange. "And stop shortening my name!" "But you let Davey call you Remy," Cedez pouted dramatically. "That''s... that''s different!" The dragoness objected. "Oh? How so?" Cedez''s sharp foxy grin widened impossibly further. "Because he''s... he''s..." Remicra struggled for words. ¡°He¡¯s a precious human bean?¡± Cedez filled in. ¡°I know! I found him first! I was the one who told him to come to your lighthouse! Why do you snub me so, when I have offered you a Dave?¡± "Because you come off as a very annoying pest," Remicra growled at Cedez. "And I don''t trust you. You''re some kind of shadow creature pretending to be a person. You don¡¯t make sense. People don¡¯t just die in dungeons to reappear on rooftops.¡± ¡°Ouchies, breaking my Shadow-heart over here,¡± Cedez pretended to faint onto Dave. ¡°Come on, stop hating on me. I drafted the smithy acquisition contract. I deserve praises, hugs, pets, and compliments!¡± Remicra opened and closed her mouth. "Fine. Thank you for the contract.¡± She gritted out. ¡°That was one out of ten on the appreciation scale,¡± Cedez shook her head. ¡°Try again with a big smile. Is this the kind of attitude you¡¯re offering your brilliant co-rescuer?¡± ¡°Perhaps you could stop agitating the smith with excessive physical contact and give her time to get used to you?¡± Terri, who had been quietly watching the trio, injected herself into the conversation. Cedez made a face like she''d swallowed a lemon. "And what would you know about acceptance?" Cedez''s voice took on an edge. "I¡¯ve been waiting ten years to burr my two best friends! Maybe more! You¡­ you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like! I can¡¯t even remember if I had parents¡­ All I had to hold onto was my dream of Dave and Remy!¡± ¡°Best¡­ friends?¡± Remicra sputtered, her scales shifting to mild orange. "Yes!" Cedez insisted. "I''ve been dreaming of you both for so long! Every night I forget everything except that I need to find you! It was like... my life''s purpose to find you!" ¡°...Why?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Cedez admitted. The dragoness squinted at the fox with a look of mistrust. ¡°What are you judging me so hard for? I¡¯m a prisoner of Shandria, like¡­ like you were a prisoner of this lighthouse! I don¡¯t have answers to that question and it¡¯s not my fault I¡¯m messed up and broken like this! Quit glaring at me! Why not glare at our resident Maidenlyne! She¡¯s far more sus than I am! I didn¡¯t even see her face in my future-dream of us!¡± Dave noticed that Terri bit her lip. ¡°Terri?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡­ um,¡± the elkgirl said, her antlers drooping slightly. "I think that¡­ it''s¡­ my fault.¡± ¡°Your fault?¡± Dave repeated. ¡°My grandmother''s fault. The fault of my family line. Saint Saria''s wish..." Dave felt Cedez and Remicra tense up on either side of him.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "What do you mean?" Cedez asked. ¡°Urm,¡± Terri wrung her hands. "A Shandrian princess could not be killed by a mundane blade. My grandmother Juli Gootali... She procured a Knell blade forged from dragonglass for Necromancer Kells. Kells struck princess Nixlix Astrix down with it and chopped her body into hundreds of pieces, shearing her soul into fragments and setting them into a necroflesh construct to use later.¡± The blue eyes of the dark fox grew wide. ¡°The plan was to unmake and to remake the princess, to weaken her Divine Shadow''s hold on Shandria. But... things didn¡¯t go exactly as planned, since the spell wasn¡¯t completed. After Kells was killed by the heroes brought from the capital and all of his goreflesh constructs were destroyed¡­ I think that¡­ the fragments attached themselves to various¡­ newborn girls throughout the city,¡± Terri concluded. ¡°WHAT?¡± Cedez barked. She was upright now, a shadow blade stretched from her fingers, pointing at Terri¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ are the reason why¡­ I can¡¯t remember my parents?!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Terri swallowed, not moving. ¡°Not me¡­ specifically, but my family¡¯s Cantigeist¡­ Saint Saria advised my grandmother to manipulate Necromancer Kells to¡­¡± ¡°TO WHAT?!¡± Cedez snarled. ¡°What have you done to me, you freaking Wish-worshiping cunts?!¡± Dave extracted himself from Remicra¡¯s embrace and pulled on Cedez¡¯s hand, trying to prevent her from attacking Terri. ¡°It wasn¡¯t her,¡± he said. ¡°Terri isn¡¯t her grandmother, nor is she Saint Saria now. Put down the Shadow blade, Cedez. Let her talk.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Cedez trembled, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything¡­ It¡¯s not my fault! I¡­¡± ¡°One fragment... was specially prepared, heavily modified by Necromancer Kells under the guidance of my grandmother. Using Saint Saria''s crystalline ink and a dragonheart, they created a vessel that would carry not just a piece of the princess, but also a fraction of Lari''s kindness and care for David. An error within the Engine of the Crown Continuity, an injection of a modified soul shard into the Shadow princess reincarnation System. That fragment was meant to find and guide David whenever he appeared in Shandria¡­ in case the Maidenlynes were all cut down¡­ in case Saint Saria¡¯s journal was lost or destroyed.¡± Cedez choked. "I understand it now," Terri added. "You''re both a piece of princess Nixlix and a carrier of Saint Saria''s protective instinct towards David. That''s why you''ve been dreaming of him, why you felt compelled to help him." ¡°No, no, no,¡± Cedez cried, slipping to her knees, the shadow blade detonating into fading black mist. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I love¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Dave said. ¡°That¡¯s how you know the songs Lari used to sing to me. That¡¯s why you like books from Earth she¡¯s read.¡± He felt his heart twist as he watched the foxgirl wrestling with this devastating revelation. Shadows ignited, writhed around her like dark flames, reflecting her inner turmoil. "The songs, the stories, the way my heart skips when I¡¯m with..." Cedez''s voice cracked. "Are you saying none of that belongs to me? That I''m just... just an echo of someone else''s love?" "Cedez," Dave placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. The shadow essence curled around his fingers slicing up his robe and skin. He winced, refusing to back away. "Listen to me. Whatever fragments make up who you are, whatever pieces of Lari or princess Nixlix exist within you¨Cyour feelings are your own!¡± "But how can you know that?" She uttered. "How can I know that anything I feel is real? That I''m not just... playing out someone else''s script?" "Because I knew Lari," Dave said. "And while you might carry a fragment of her¡­ understanding, you''re absolutely nothing like her. You''re devious where she was very straightforward. You''re playful, sly and you love to tease everyone. You''re you, Cedez." ¡°That¡¯s just the Nixlix bits,¡± Cedez lamented. ¡°Sorry,¡± Terri said. ¡°I¡­ It all just came together to me, clicked in my head. My Cantigeist just figured out exactly what you are.¡± ¡°What am I? A failed Necromancer¡¯s project? A reject princess?¡± The dark fox sniffed. ¡°Effin¡¯ Abyss! I really feel effed¡¯ with now!¡± ¡°You¡¯re Saint Saria¡¯s attempt to fix the equation of the future,¡± Terri said. ¡°To fix Shandria.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to freakin¡¯ fix Shandria!¡± Cedez hissed. ¡°I just want to run away¡­ except I¡¯ve got freaking nowhere to run to! I don¡¯t remember who my parents were! I can¡¯t escape this damned city!¡± ¡°Wait! The farmhouse¡­¡± Dave said. ¡°I can put everything into Intelligence, recall its shape exactly. It has this swing and a violet tree! Maybe I can sketch it out. Maybe¡­ we can find who your real parents are, who you were?¡± ¡°Really?¡± The Shadow flames winked away as Cedez turned to look up at Dave. ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded. ¡°You deserve to know who you are.¡± ¡°Hah,¡± Remicra commented from behind them. ¡°And here I thought that my life was messed up.¡± Dave helped Cedez stand up as she wiped her tears with a gloved hand. ¡°Oh no,¡± she said, eyeing his bleeding hand. ¡°I cut you with the shadows. Sorry. I lost control for a moment there.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Dave shrugged. Healy jumped off Remicra onto his body, running along his right hand and sealing the sliced skin. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got a magic band-aid-cat.¡± Cedez made an attempt at a smile. It came out crooked. Dave smiled back at her. ¡°Nah,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re too different from her. Too wild. Besides, being a soul-copy of Saint Saria doesn''t explain why you¡¯d be dreaming about Remicra. Maybe Terri is wrong about this. Maybe that fragment is in someone else.¡± ¡°Nuh-uh,¡± the dragoness commented briskly when everyone eyed her, her scales violet-blue. ¡°Keep me out of this Cantigeist mire! I don¡¯t want to hear that I¡¯m Saint Saria¡¯s left toe or that I¡¯m part of some ridiculous prophecy. Piss off with that nonsense. I wasn¡¯t even hatched anywhere near Shandria.¡± Terri sighed, clearly feeling bad about what she revealed. "Look, fox. I get that you''re messed up,¡± Remicra said. ¡°Trust me, I''m pretty messed up too. But you don''t need some grand destiny or magical explanation to be or not to be friends with someone. If you want to be my friend, fine, you can... earn my friendship. Stop trying so hard though. Stop jumping ahead of yourself. Just be you - whoever that is. And, uhm, take it easy with the pawing.¡± ¡°Okki,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°Sorry if I don¡¯t go slobbering all over you or gushing out my feelings,¡± Remicra said. ¡°I¡¯ve a problem with trusting people on the account that Overseer Princess burned most of that out of me, to the point where I stopped believing that anyone would ever be my friend or help me out. There were adventurers who promised to help me when I was younger¡­ but they betrayed my trust in the end, when I tried to run away. I¡¯m¡­ trying really hard to tolerate your presence. It¡¯s not easy. You understand?¡± ¡°I¡­ understand,¡± Cedez mewled. ¡°Also, if you really dreamed about me, why didn¡¯t you come help me?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think that I could free you without endangering us both,¡± Cedez rubbed her elbow. ¡°Not without Dave being here as our mutual best friend. Without his skill to amplify, I¡¯m just a cafe maid with mediocre Shadowmancy and far too many enemies. Knowing how snappy you are, I¡­ I was too scared to visit you, but¡­ I sent you presents.¡± ¡°Presents?¡± "Yeah," Cedez nodded, tail swishing tentatively. "Those fancy metal tools that were delivered to your smithy every so often as anonymous donations for ¡®most excellent armor repair¡¯? That was me. I saved tips from the cafe for months to buy those." Dave watched Remicra''s scales shift through various colors as the dragoness processed this revelation. "The level 70 damascus steel hammer?" Remicra asked quietly. "The one that showed up after Princess broke my old one over my head?" "Mhm," Cedez confirmed. "And the precision tongs last winter?" "Those too," Cedez smiled softly. "I couldn''t approach you directly, couldn''t get involved¡­ but I wanted to help somehow, wanted to let you know that you weren¡¯t¡­ alone.¡± Dave noticed Remicra''s scales settling into a soft mix of blue and pink as she absorbed this information. The dragoness opened her mouth, closed it, then finally managed to speak. "Thank you," she said simply. ¡°I thought that it was Princess screwing with me¡­ giving me false hope just to break me later.¡± "You''re welcome, Remy," Cedez replied. "Still not best friends though," Remicra added quickly. "Yet," Cedez grinned. The dragoness rolled her eyes. Dave relaxed. Things were finally looking up. He had friends he could trust, more friends than he¡¯d ever acquired back on Earth. Even if things were tense between the shadow fox, slave dragon and Maidenlyne elk, he could make this work, he could¡­ His positive train of thought was suddenly derailed by a low, menacing growl. Dave''s head snapped away from Cedez and Remicra, his eyes scanning the horizon. In the distance, he could see a group of cloaked figures approaching the meadow from the city, their movements odd¡­ inhumanly so. "Huntsmaws!" Cedez barked, her ears flattening against her head. ¡°Get behind the ward!¡± The Remicra-forged knife was already in Dave¡¯s hand. The dragoness rushed into the smithy and was back in less than a few seconds, growling and holding the large damascus hammer. Hyrei and the two Healers came out after her. The group stayed behind the invisible ward of the lighthouse, watching as the lanky figures approached. There were eleven of them. [-53-] Hunters ¡°I smell that which belongs to us,¡± the gray skinned horned woman at the front spoke. Her lanky, dark finger extended, pointing at Dave. ¡°You! You hold that which is ours! Give it back!¡± ¡°And what if I don¡¯t?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Then we take it by force,¡± the Huntsmaw leader pulled out a long, rusty blade from her raggedy cloak. The ten others pulled out similar shoddy-looking weapons. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go through all of us,¡± Terri shot back. Her Vitalix Kitlix shined with green sparks, sitting between her antlers. ¡°Yeah,¡± Dumpich voiced. His Vitalix rushed down his arm and warped into the shape of a green, crystalline rapier, which made him resemble a French musketeer. Leon reached into his leather bag, his fingers holding a bottle of some kind of powder. ¡°Three healers, a maid, a smith¡­ and one of us¡­ defending a mere Level Six Iron Adventurer?¡± the Huntsmaw leader asked. ¡°You might be able to strike some of us down and delay us¡­ but we will not stop even if you slay us. We will take each of you out when your back is turned. You shall never know a moment of peace. Not until we take back what belongs to us!¡± Dave stepped forward, standing at the edge of the ward. He unleashed his absolute Charisma radiance, which had been amplified by the handshake of Cedez to make him seem like he was a Highborn from the capital. As the invisible Charisma pulse struck the Hutsmaws, their blue eyes grew wide. ¡°Drop your weapons and bow!¡± he ordered, pushing his voice through the Charisma wave. A few of the lanky figures fell to their knees, succumbing to his words, their rusty knives and arbalests falling. The leader only swayed slightly, her blue eyes glazing over. Remicra¡¯s hammer swung through the air with a thrumming hum, obliterating her head with a crunch. As her headless body fell forward, Dave reached out, pulled the body of the Huntsmaw leader into the ward and absorbed the discordant soul shards from within. The other Hutsmaws attacked, slamming into the shimmering barrier. Dumpich¡¯s rapier struck one of them, igniting with green. The stabbed Huntsmaw fell, her muscles paralyzed. Green lightning struck from Terri¡¯s Vitalix, disabling another Hutsmaw. A bottle of powder detonated against another, bringing her down. A dark chain from Cedez bound the other. Hyrei slashed another attacker with a windsword. Dave spun the ward control dial on his wrist. The lighthouse hummed ominously and then a deafening, blinding lightning struck from an old rune above the entrance, frying the remaining Huntsmaws. They fell, thrashing and flailing onto the grass, clawed hands opening and closing. Dumpich moved forward, stabbing each in the chest with his Kitlix rapier, stilling them. Dave reached out to each of them, devouring their souls. Beneath his hands, the gray-skinned creatures crumbled and fell apart into dust and spilling shadows. In another few minutes, the meadow was clear of attackers and Dave¡¯s bracelets flashed with [37.4851] overall soul bits. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± He asked, looking at the gradually descending hillside and edge of town below. ¡°Maybe, but I wouldn¡¯t count on it,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°You should stay inside the ward until your Charisma runs out, just to be on the safe side.¡± ¡°Can do,¡± Dave said. ¡°I¡¯ll call Murdoc to get the snail here,¡± Hyrei said. ¡°That¡¯ll up our defense.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°In the meanwhile, we can all help with cleaning the smithy.¡±
Thalass watched from the rooftop via a Farcast orb as eleven Huntsmaw idiots fell. Her two trusted Champions stood by her side, staring at the images projected by the orb.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°We should break her before she gets any stronger,¡± Knight Jorsh commented. ¡°She is gathering allies. Accelerate me, so that I can¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Thalass said. ¡°Even if I make you move faster than sound for a day, they¡¯re hiding behind an arcane ward of unknown power level armed with a Thunderstrike Rune. We will observe. Study, understand what she is doing, find weaknesses in her plot. If the shared dream is to be believed, that ginger-haired human is a Necromancer.¡± ¡°A Necromancer?! That¡¯s only more reason to act,¡± Knight Laternia said. ¡°What happens if he starts to build an army of corpses like Kells did?¡± ¡°Patience, my darling,¡± Thalass hissed at her impatient minion, smacking her head with an armored, gemstone encrusted wrist. ¡°We will take action when the time is right and only through the hands of others. It is unwise to stick your head out. That would only get it chopped off and your soul sucked out. If he starts raising corpses, we will direct the City Watch to capture him and then take him from a holding cell. Every action has a consequence, every act has a counter to it. Killing Astra will do nothing. We absolutely must capture the Necromancer alive¡­¡± ¡°To what end?¡± Jorsh inquired. ¡°He¡¯s the perfect weapon to put down the other Crown seekers¡­ permanently,¡± Thalass explained. ¡°A hired Mentalist or a Dreamancer should be able to overwrite what he is, to make him obey my cause instead of Astra¡¯s. We¡¯ll need to locate and bind one to my cause before we act. I want a full dossier on each of Astra''s new minions before then, especially the Necromancer. I want to know what he desires and what he hates. Learn as much as you can. Learn how strong he is. Do not reveal who you¡¯re working for, do not act without foresight. Be as silent as a mouse and as focused as a hawk.¡± ¡°Your will is my command, my lady.¡± Jorsh bowed. ¡°Very well,¡± Laternia acquiesced with a sigh. ¡°I shall monitor all of them and see what I can discover.¡±
Brief flashes of desire to feast on stolen magic danced in Dave¡¯s head as the memories of the Huntsmaws slowly dissolved in the depths of his psyche. By the time he fully came back to Dave-ness, he found himself being led up the stairwell to the upstairs loft. The wooden door slammed shut behind them. A clawed hand, covered in pearlescent scales, was wrapped around his own fingers. "Sit," she gestured to a bench in front of a round stained glass window. "You look like you''re about to fall over." ¡°Am not,¡± He said, but complied, sinking into the bench. Remicra pulled up a wooden chair and sat in front of the ex-programmer, staring at him. ¡°You look¡­ lost,¡± she said. ¡°Just a bit of¡­ Vexirium,¡± Dave replied as Healy pawed his head, kneading away the alien feelings of madness and hunger out of his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re losing yourself to your skill?¡± She looked at him with a worried expression. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just give me a few minutes to sort out what¡¯s me and what isn¡¯t.¡± The dragoness frowned. Dave¡¯s eyes slowly wandered about the space. Despite his somewhat mentally disoriented state, he couldn''t help but notice how the room seemed to reflect Remicra''s personality. Sunlight streaming through the circular, gothic window cast intricate patterns across worn wooden floorboards and thick support beams. The space was surprisingly tidy and cozy, with a modest bed topped by a handmade quilt in one corner. A simple wooden table stood nearby, bearing marks of expert craftsmanship. What caught his attention most were the wall decorations - detailed wood carvings depicting dragons in various acts of destruction, laying waste to armies and cities. ¡°Your work?¡± He asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Remicra nodded, following his gaze. "I made them during my first year here. Before Princess broke my claws for ''wasting time on frivolous activities.'' Thanks for all the food you brought me last time, by the way. The usual fare Overseer Princess brings me is the cheapest, nearly rotting stuff.¡± She paused. ¡°I have to admit, you played the role of vengeful noble in front of her perfectly. Where''d you learn to act like that?" "It was mostly amplified Charisma¡­ But, would you believe me if I said I used to play Dungeons & Dragons?" Dave grinned. "What?" Remicra asked with a confused look. "It''s a¡­ tabletop game where you pretend to be different characters - warriors, wizards, dragons, that sort of thing," he explained. "Lari and I used to play it with our other friends. We''d spend hours around a table, drinking beer, rolling dice, telling imaginary, wild stories..." "You... pretended to be dragons?" Remicra''s scales shifted to a curious gold. "Why would humans want to do that?" "Because dragons are awesome?" Dave grinned. Remicra raised an eyebrow. "My world didn''t have magic," Dave explained. "No dragons. No dungeons. If I think about it..." Dave trailed off, his expression darkening slightly. "This world is like someone took all our fantasy stories and twisted them into something utterly horrible." "From what you told me so far, your world sounds... peaceful," Remicra commented, her scales shifting to a contemplative blue. "It had its own problems," Dave shrugged. "Just different ones. No magic collars or soul-eating necromancers, but plenty of other ways people found to hurt each other." "Like what?" Remicra asked, leaning forward slightly. "Well, we had these things called corporations - kind of like the Guilds here, but bigger and more impersonal. They''d slowly work people to death in different ways, with contracts, deadlines and boring meetings instead of collars." "Uh-huh. Sounds awful," Remicra commented. [-54-] Parastruck "Okay, it wasn''t all bad, I guess," Dave smiled. "We had ice cream." ¡°Oh?¡± "Frozen sweet milk with flavors. Like... imagine the coldest, sweetest thing you''ve ever tasted." "Yeah. We have that here too," Remicra commented with a look of mild amusement. "The Frostix Kitlix make it." "Of course there''s a Kitlix for that," Dave chuckled. "Is there anything these crystal cats can''t do?" "They can''t fix stupid," Remicra deadpanned, then quickly added. "Not that I''m calling you stupid right now. Just... What did you think of me when we first met?" "Honestly? I thought you were beautiful and equally terrifying," Dave admitted with a grin. "All scales and claws and ''get out of my smithy before I eat you'' energy." "Good. That was the intended effect," Remicra commented. ¡°Wait¡­ beautiful?" Her scales suddenly shifted to bright pink, the color spreading from her neck up her face and then towards her hands. ¡°Are you messing with me right now?¡± ¡°What? Have you seen yourself? The way your scales catch the light, constantly changing colors like living aurora? It''s pretty amazing,¡± he grinned. ¡°I¡¯m being serious. It¡¯s like you were designed to look perfect. Honestly, every girl in Shandria is pretty in one way or another, but you¡¯re like a living gem. Living mood ring?¡± ¡°Mood ring?¡± ¡°We had these neat rings back on Earth made from thermochromic liquid crystals. It wasn¡¯t real magic, but they were marketed as ¡®magic rings¡¯. When I was seven and my parents were still together, my mom bought me one. I wore it on a necklace for years after, since it wouldn¡¯t fit on my finger anymore. Eventually the thermochromic element faded away¡­ but I still treasured it as the memory of my childhood, of carefree days filled with sunshine that I¡¯ve lost. Your scales remind me of that ring.¡± "S-shut up," Remicra stammered, her tail curling around her leg. "You can''t just say things like that!" "Why not?¡± "Because!" Remicra huffed. "Humans aren''t supposed to find s-someone like me beautiful like a precious ring!¡± ¡°Heh. What am I supposed to see you as?¡± ¡°All highborn humans see someone like me as incredibly impure poison,¡± the dragoness explained. ¡°Thrice corrupted by otherness¡­ Since my scales constantly change color, humans think it''s a third affinity.¡± "Eh, sorry to disappoint," Dave grinned. "You can¡¯t scare me away with your magic scales. Back on Earth, I thought dragons were the coolest thing ever. Had dragon posters all over my room as a kid." "You... collected pictures of dragons?" Remicra asked with an incredulous look. "Yep. Dragons, spaceships, and computers. I was quite the nerd,¡± Dave rubbed the back of his head with a grin. "What''s a ¡®nerd¡¯?" "Someone who gets really excited about specific obscure things and knows way too much about them," Dave explained. ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®spaceship¡¯?¡± ¡°Uhhh,¡± Dave pondered. ¡°The closest local analogy would be a skyship. A metal tube that can fly¡­ except instead of magic it uses explosive fuel.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So, what did you think when I first showed up?" He added trying to redirect the conversation away from his nerdiness. "You were incredibly suspicious.¡± Remicra muttered. "And very annoying. Still are, actually." He raised an eyebrow. "Fine. Marginally less annoying than the handsy fox and dangerous green elk making a mess of my forge downstairs," Remicra added, her pink and gold tinted cheeks betraying her words. ¡°Hm? What do you have against Terri?¡± He asked. ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s dangerous?¡± "Her smile is fake," Remicra said. "She''s too... perfect. Too controlled. Like she''s playing a role she''s rehearsed a thousand times. Like deep inside, she¡¯s afraid of taking the wrong step. At least the fox is openly bothersome and doesn''t try to hide it. But that elk... she feels wrong¡­ lethal like a hidden blade.¡±
Downstairs, Cedez watched as Terri meticulously arranged chairs and tables that Hyrei had brought from the cafe, guiding the two other Healers with a soft smile. "Hey," Cedez said, grabbing Terri''s arm. "Elk. We need to talk." Before Terri could protest, Cedez dragged her into the back storage room, closing the door behind them. ¡°Yes?¡± Terri asked with a soft voice. "What exactly do you want from Dave?" Cedez demanded. "I want what Saint Saria wanted."You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°To break the pattern,¡± Terri replied. ¡°I¡¯ve already explained myself. I serve Saint Saria¡¯s wish.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± Cedez purred. "To prevent David from becoming someone worse than Kells," Terri replied. ¡°To guide and protect him.¡± ¡°What happened before Kells? You keep saying that there were other Davids. Why in the Abyss did Kells have Necromancy? Why did Dave get Phantomancy without killing anything?¡± Terri''s smile faltered slightly. "I... I don''t know all the specific details." "Come on now," Cedez insisted. "You''ve got your Saint''s memories in that noggin of yours, no?" "It''s not that simple," Terri''s ears drooped. "It¡¯s not like using a Kitlix¡­ I can¡¯t just recall everything that the Saint knew. The connection is imperfect. It comes and goes.¡± "Try harder," Cedez stepped closer, a shadowy halo dancing atop of her head. ¡°What happens to Dave when he becomes fully overcome with Vexirium?¡± "He won''t," Terri insisted, trembling ever so slightly. "I won''t let him." "How many Davids has your family ''guided'' into the Abyss?" Cedez demanded. "I don''t know," Terri stammered. "Liar liar pants on fire," Cedez sang, the halo over her head growing darker, pulsing with shadowy blades flickering upwards almost like a crown. ¡°Come on, darling Lari¡­ come out and talk to me. I tire of conversing with your clueless pawn.¡± Terri¡¯s green eyes ignited with blue rings from within. The green Kitlix sitting on the Healer''s head suddenly stretched itself across her antlers forming a spider-web-like pattern of green, sharp strands. "You think you''re the only one who cares about him? Who wants to protect him? My family has carried this burden for generations! We''ve watched him die again and again, watched him lose his mind, become twisted by the power he carries!" Terri snapped. Her voice became overlaid with that of another, older female. ¡°It¡¯s not his fault! It¡¯s this damned place! This cursed megastructure screws with everyone!¡± "Eh? Don¡¯t give me your angry ghost attitude," Cedez hissed back. "You claim that you made me. I deserve to know why! Tell me about the first David, Lari! Tell me what he did!¡± ¡°Terrible things,¡± Terri replied with a voice that didn''t belong to her. ¡°Unimaginably terrible things. I¡­ arrived on Arx far too late to stop him.¡± ¡°Yeees?¡± ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s still alive,¡± The ghostly voice revealed. ¡°He won¡¯t die. He¡¯s still out there... I¡­ We¡­ We have to stop him. At any cost.¡± "Oh? Is that why you''re so desperate to ''guide'' our Dave?" Cedez''s eyes narrowed. "Because you''re afraid he''ll become like the first one? What¡¯s the current name of this first Dave? Is he in Shandria now?!¡± ¡°I already told you too much,¡± Terri shook her head. ¡°I told the second Dave that came to Shandria about the first. It was a terrible mistake. It didn¡¯t go well. He didn''t take the fact that he turned into a monster very well.¡± "Oh, so now you''re being coy?" Cedez''s shadow crown grew larger, more menacing, shadow wings spreading behind her back. "After your thrice-damned Maidenlyne literally shattered my soul and bound it with a piece of you? Wait¡­ is it¡­¡± Cedez choked on her own guess just as green lightning struck her, sending her careening into a wall, the shadow wings and crown decaying away into vanishing wisps of smoke. She tried to move, but found herself completely paralyzed, her last thought knocked out of her mind. Terri¡¯s eyes became filled with ocean-blue, completely drowning out the green. Cold, ancient eyes examined the fox on the floor as the elk walked towards the fallen fox. ¡°Kells clearly screwed something up catastrophically when he made you,¡± the voice of an old, female Archmage spoke. Cedez blinked, looking up at the Healer¡¯s white and green robes. Terri reached down to the fallen fox, caressing her head with slender fingers. Green crystalline roots of the stretched Vitalix Kitlix spread across the Healer¡¯s hands, green lightning dancing on the edges, striking Cedez in the head. ¡°How did the Huntsmaws know that David was in this tower? Are they attracted to you? Do the other shards of princess Nixlix know everything you know?¡± Saint Saria asked. ¡°Cus they''re me. They learn what I know when I turn into a shadow and remember things about Dave when they look at him¡­ just like me,¡± Cedez thought blearily. ¡°Damn it, this elk has big sharp ghost teeth.¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± the ancient ghost puppeteering the elkin frowned. ¡°You¡¯re leaking valuable information to the other princess shards then.¡± ¡°Are you in my head? Argh. I¡¯m not leaking anything,¡± Cedez thought. ¡°Not on purpose¡­ It¡¯s just the shared dream¡­ I wish that¡­¡± "You''re their eyes and ears, their perfect spy in our midst,¡± glacier-blue, emotionless eyes stared down at Cedez. ¡°This is a problem.¡± "I would never betray Dave!" Cedez choked mentally. "Not consciously," the Cantigeist said. "But you''re somehow connected to all the other shards. Everything you see, they can see. You¡¯ve caused enough problems for Dave, foolish girl. You¡¯re escalating his condition with your handshakes!¡± ¡°I just want to help him,¡± Cedez thought. ¡°I just want him to get strong. He hasn¡¯t fallen into a coma, he¡¯s not like the others¡­ My handshake attracted eleven Huntsmaws to Dave, but we''ve beaten them back and Dave consumed their souls so they won''t return again..." ¡°You¡¯re making his Vexirium worse, making his heartcore grow far too quickly for his body to handle. This is enough cause for me to unmake you right now. I am curious though. Who is Remicra exactly? Why did you bring David here? Why not live with him at your Cafe? Why involve the dragon smith in your plans at all?¡± "I... I don''t know," Cedez struggled against the paralysis. "I just... dream of them both. Every night when I lose myself, I see them together, happy. I saw her future with him in fragments, glimpses. I''ve been dreaming of her smile for years. She''s... important to our success! Without Remy at Dave''s side¡­ everything falls apart! She¡¯s the key to open every door!¡± "An unexpected variable," Saint Saria''s voice considered. "Desire not born from my fragment or Nixlix''s shards.¡± ¡°What if it''s¡­ Foresight?¡± Cedez thought. "Hrm," Saint Saria pondered. "A Nixlix shard with precognitive abilities? No. The eyes of my Kitlix witness no Wisdom stars in your Aura, only the Null Shadow. I don¡¯t like unexpected variables. They don¡¯t lead to good results.¡± ¡°What results have you to show for it? Have you succeeded at least once or are you just making it worse for Dave?!¡± Cedez snarled mentally. ¡°Hrm,¡± Terri''s face frowned. ¡°Too many variables were set against me. I am stronger now, more magically potent. I can succeed this time. I found him early, unbroken.¡± "Damn it, release me!" Cedez hissed mentally. "I want to help Dave. I want to protect him, just like you do!" "You aren¡¯t helping him if you''re feeding information to the shadows of Shandria," Saint Saria pointed out. "Give me a chance damn it," Cedez thought desperately. "Then find a way to sever your data connection to the other shards before this day ends," Saria commanded. "Or I will be forced to unmake what you are to protect David. Do we understand each other, fox?¡± [-55-] Soul Gaze Dave stretched on the bench, considering the smith¡¯s words. Healy purred contentedly on his head, her crystalline form refracting the light streaming through the stained glass window like a small disco ball. "I don''t think that Terri''s dangerous," he said. "She bought Healy for me from Healers Hall." "That just proves my point," Remicra countered. "Who spends that much silver on someone they barely know?" "Maybe she''s just nice?" Dave suggested. Remicra snorted, a small puff of smoke escaping her nostrils. "Nobody''s that nice without an agenda." ¡°She has Lari¡¯s¡­ my best friend¡¯s Cantigeist in her head,¡± Dave tried to defend Terri. The dragoness arched an eyebrow. ¡°So you trust a girl wielded by a centuries-old ghost? What if your Lari changed over her lifetime on Arx? What if she¡¯s not someone you remember anymore?¡± Dave fell silent at that. ¡°You¡¯re too trusting,¡± Remicra added. "Maybe," Dave shrugged. "But hey, it worked out with you.¡± "That''s... different," Remicra muttered. "How so?" "Urgh..." Remicra momentarily struggled to form a response. "I''ve been honest about who I am from the start! I never sold you lies, never pretended to be overly nice or extra-helpful." "And now here we are, having a friendly chat," Dave grinned. "That''s because you''re," she let out, "...bothersomely persistent. Like a bonded Kitlix that won''t stop following me around! Your motivations don¡¯t even make sense from my perspective." "What about me is so confusing?" "Why in the Abyss would you have posters of dragons?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with posters of dragons?¡± Dave asked, waving a hand at Remicra¡¯s carvings. ¡°You literally have that on your walls. Wooden art of dragons!¡± ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± Remicra protested. ¡°My Alignment is¡­ a Pathosteel Dragon!¡± "Which is what exactly?¡± Dave asked. "Hrm,¡± she paused. ¡°A dragon who can somewhat manipulate metal through¡­ emotions. My scales change color based on my feelings, and those feelings can be somewhat channeled into metalwork. Metal is softer for me, so I can etch basic reinforcement hexagrams into it with my claws." "Oh? You can shape metal with emotions?¡± "Yes. I can make metal change colors," Remicra revealed. "Add, remove or repair a heraldic crest on someone''s shield or armor. Nothing advanced." "Can you show me?" ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to learn everything about you,¡± He replied. ¡°Why?¡± Dave opened his mouth and found his thoughts too scattered, insufficient, shallow. Slotting all of his soul bits into Wisdom he leaned on Sherlock to try to explain himself better. "Where I come from, friendship is built on understanding each other. People share their interests, their skills, their stories.¡± He waved a hand, relaxing into the metronome-like flow of ghostly Wisdom discerning deductions about everything around him. He gestured at the wooden carvings. "Like these - they tell me something about you. That you''re skilled with your hands, that you appreciate art despite what your owners might think, and that you have pride in your draconic heritage." "And understanding me serves what purpose exactly?" "It''s not simply about that," Dave explained. "It''s about making¡­ a connection. When I was a programmer - that''s someone who writes instructions for¡­ uhh¡­ thinking tools - I had lots of online friends who''d spend hours telling me about their favorite books, or games, or how they solved particularly tricky coding problems. Not because it served any purpose, but because sharing what we love helps build trust.¡± "Trust," Remicra chewed on the word. "You want me to trust you?" "I''d like that very much, yes," Dave nodded. "And I want to earn more of your trust¡­ by actually getting to know you. Show me how your feeling-based Metallomancy works. Tell me about growing up in Starisle or what it was like for you in Shandria when you could walk outside the smithy. What places did you like visiting? Etc. I want to learn about the real Remicra."Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The dragoness simply squinted at him. Sherlock¡¯s deductive ghostly hand reached out towards Healy and began to examine Remicra through the eyes of the Kitlix. Every micro-expression, every bruise and cut, every tiny shift in her posture told a story. The way she sat slightly hunched, protecting her core - years of abuse from Princess had taught her to always guard against attacks. Her claws clicked against the floor rhythmically - a self-soothing behavior likely developed during long hours of isolation. The carvings on the wall weren''t just art - they were likely a way to maintain her sanity, to remember who she was before the collar, displayed a deep desire to seek vengeance against the people who bound her. "The real Remicra?" she finally asked with a bitter smile. "Abyss, I''m not sure if I know who that is anymore.¡± He noticed how her tail curled tightly around her leg when she said this - a sign of growing insecurity. "I think you do," Dave-Sherlock said. "She¡¯s the girl who carved those scenes¡­ A talented smith who maintained her craft, made me an awesome metal knife, helped me despite everything Princess did to break her. The girl who just helped me trick her Overseer because she chose to trust me, even though she¡¯s been burned before." Her scales flickered briefly to pink before she could suppress it. His human and magic eyes caught the reaction - affection between layers of jagged patterns of defensive hostility. Her heart beat a complex rhythm - slightly elevated, but steady. More elevated when she stared at him. The blood cells rushing through her veins sparked what looked like some kind of metal¡­ Pathosteel? The metallic particles seemed to dance in time with her emotional state, creating intricate patterns that shifted with her mood, rippling across her entire Aura. Her crystalline scales weren''t just changing color - they were actually conducting minute electrical impulses, creating a feedback loop with her nervous system. When she felt embarrassed, the pink flush wasn''t just superficial - it was accompanied by a surge of warmth and increased blood flow to her scales. "I..." Remicra began, then stopped, her internal temperature rising slightly. The metallic particles in her bloodstream swirled faster, creating beautiful fractals that reminded Dave of computational fluid dynamics simulations he''d once worked with. Activating Phantom Sight and pushing it through Healy, he saw her, all of her anatomy, magical and mundane, all at once like an unfolded flower of Auric data, breathing in and out. A violet constellation, a brilliant soul standing out against an ever-rippling abyss of a gargantuan, endless funnel. ¡°Wow,¡± he breathed out. The violet stars seemed to respond to his gaze, reaching out towards him with pink Auric threads across the infinite void. The way they pulsed trying to synchronize themselves to his own Aura wasn''t just attraction - it was resonance. Sherlock''s analytical mind raced through the implications. The precise resonance between their souls - it all pointed to one inescapable conclusion: Remicra was¡­ SLAP! Dave''s head snapped to the side, his deep analytical trance shattered by the sharp sting of Remicra''s scaled palm across his cheek. Healy tumbled off his head with an indignant chime. ¡°Hey, what?¡± He blinked, refocusing on the dragoness whose scales were dancing with brilliant violet and pink fractal swirls. "You! You''re doing something¡­" she growled softly. ¡°S¡­ stop it!¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± Dave blinked as Healy climbed onto his lap with an annoyed look. "Looking right through me,¡± she said with a small shudder, biting her lower lip. ¡°Cutting¡­ right into me with your eyes.¡± "Uhm," he exhaled. "I didn''t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just trying to understand..." "Understand what?" Remicra demanded with a growl. She stared at the fading fractal pattern on her hands. ¡°What in the Abyss have you done? My scales have never done that! What are you doing with that damn Kitlix? Are you trying to control me?! Mess with me with amplified Charisma?!¡± ¡°No, nothing like that. I was just... seeing you. Really seeing you, through Healy''s eyes. No Charisma magic, I swear. I was trying to understand your Metallomancy, but I saw... more than I intended. Sorry." ¡°WHAT? Are you¡­ undressing me with your Vitalix?¡± Remicra¡¯s growl deepened as she glared at the crystalline kitten. ¡°Is that it?¡± Her tail lashed behind her as she leaned forward grabbing him by the collar bringing his face to hers. "You can''t just... just... look at a girl like that! It''s invasive! Just because you¡¯ve a fancy-ass Healer Kitlix you can¡¯t¡­ look at someone¡¯s¡­¡± "No!" Dave protested, raising his hands defensively. "I was looking past your physical body, at your Aura and at your soul. It''s... beautiful. Like a fractal flower, a constellation of violet stars." ¡°Liar,¡± she growled. ¡°You¡¯re not just looking. You¡¯re making me¡­ feel things!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, I swear! I didn¡¯t think that just staring at you would do anything! I didn¡¯t mean to do anything bad¡­ Maybe it¡¯s like¡­ Observer Causality?¡± He asked, catching onto what Sherlock was thinking about Remicra. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I think that your aura and soul responded to me because I simply looked at it. This didn¡¯t happen when I looked at my other friends¡¯ Auras earlier! Maybe it¡¯s ''cus I got better at using Healy or¡­ maybe¡­¡± "Don¡¯t try to confuse me with fancy words! You think that you can just peer into whatever you please¡­ take whatever you want, is that how it is?¡± She snarled, claws tightening. "No! It¡¯s nothing like-" "Like Burgundy¡¯s men?" Remicra''s grip tightened, shaking him. "At least they¡¯re honest about their intentions! But you... you pretend to care, pretend to want to understand, and then you just... just..." "I do care, damn it!" Dave snapped back, grabbing her wrists and automatically putting everything into Strength. "I wasn''t trying to invade your privacy - I was trying to see the real you, the person behind all these damn walls you''ve built!" Remicra simply growled in reply, her entire figure bathed with bright orange and pink. She wrestled against his hands, but found herself immobilized. ¡°You got stronger?¡± she hissed past her sharp teeth. ¡°I ate an entire Void dungeon,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Argh! I have to catch up,¡± she commented, violet tones replacing the orange. "What?" Dave asked, not expecting her words, his heart pounding from their proximity. "You heard me," Remicra growled softly, her breath hot against his face. "I can''t have my human being stronger than me. That would be... embarrassing. Does it amuse you to embarrass me?¡± "Yes," Dave admitted, choosing the path of honesty. "You''re heart-stoppingly dangerously cute when you try to be scary while blushing pink from head to toe. Hang on¡­ your human?¡± [-56-] Unfortunate Truths For a few seconds, Remicra simply growled, blushing furiously. ¡°Heh. That sounded pretty darn possessive," Dave teased. "Almost like you might care about me or something. Did you bite your tongue off there? What¡¯s all this growling?¡± "What do you want from me?!" Remicra finally burst out, her voice cracking slightly. Dave fell silent for a minute, thinking about the answer. Being open and honest seemed to do the trick. "I want to take you out," he said. "On a date." "A... what?" Remicra blinked. ¡°WHAT?!¡± "A date. You know, where two people who like each other go somewhere nice together?" ¡°Nowhere is nice for me in Shandria,¡± she hissed back. "I''m a slave. I can''t just go¡­ out." "You can now," Dave pointed out. "I am a haughty human Lord from the Shadow Empire capital or whatever. I own you. I can take you wherever¡­ you want to go.¡± Remicra¡¯s growl intensified at the middle of his sentence, but then her mouth opened and remained open as she simply stared at him. ¡°I want to see you get stronger too. Nowhere is nice? What kind of excuse is that? Train with me. Help me beat up some monsters. Go on Quests with me. I want to see you shine bright, Remy." "Why?" "Because in this cesspit of a screwed up inverted world, you''re a brilliant, warm ray of sunlight," Dave admitted, releasing her wrists. "Arx is horrible and twisted from every which way I look at it. God Emperors, the Shandrian High Lords, the Shadow Leviathan, the endless wars, the lowborn suffering - and it''s probably been this way forever. But you... you''re different. Despite everything they did to you, you''re still shining bright. You can pretend that you¡¯re broken, growl at me, snap at me as much as you want¡­ but I know who you are now. I¡¯ve seen your soul, Remy.¡± Remicra choked and pulled back slightly, her scales dancing between shades of pink and orange. She wrapped her arms around herself defensively, her tail curling tight against her leg. "I... Argh! You impossible, clueless human! You don''t understand what you''re asking for," she growled. "What don''t I understand?" Dave got off the bench and walked forward, closing the distance she''d tried to create. Healy jumped back onto his shoulder. "You''re a pure human," she said, gesturing at his chest with a clawed hand. "You can''t date a¡­ a Pathosteel Dragon." "Why not?" "Because I''m toxic to you!" She exclaimed, waving her scaled hand. "You already got Felislice flakes in your system, you knob! Do you want to add Draconic Pathosteel to that? You have no extra affinity, no resistance to me! My sweat and saliva is basically¡­ poison to a pure human!" ¡°Oh,¡± Dave said with a frown. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Remicra said. ¡°Didn¡¯t know that, did you?¡± "But you''ve touched me before," he said. "Yes because I had to pull Felislice flakes from you," she said. "But this stuff gradually builds up in your body, weakens you like an insidious infection." Dave caught her hand before she could pull it away. "Maybe I don''t care about that? Maybe I¡¯ll go align myself to a Cantigeist, get some extra affinity? Hell, even as I am now, I¡¯ve got a Level Thirty Four Vitalix. I¡¯m not going to perish tragically if some more metal gets into my blood or whatever. Also, can¡¯t you pull the excess metal out of me, make me more weapons or something?¡± ¡°What are you¡­ s-some kind of masochist?!¡± Remicra demanded. ¡°Eh,¡± Dave replied with a shrug. ¡°Everything on Arx is already trying to kill me. You¡¯ll have to get in line.¡± Healy chimed in agreement, hopping onto Remicra¡¯s shoulder and rubbing her face against the dragoness¡¯ cheek. ¡°See, Healy likes you,¡± he said with a smile. Remicra stared at the Kitlix with an incredulous expression. ¡°One date. If it goes terribly, you can go back to growling at me and pretending you don''t care."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "I don''t pretend¡ª" she started to protest, then caught herself as Dave raised an eyebrow. "You know what¡­ Fine! Fffffine. Abyss-damned persistent human! If your heart stops because your veins get clogged with metal and crystalline scales don¡¯t whine at me!¡±
As the pair descended into the main floor of the lighthouse, Dave was surprised by how much progress had been made in cleaning and organizing the space. Several wooden tables were arranged in a semicircle near the entrance, each adorned with a small vase containing what looked like luminescent algae blooms. Hyrei was busy hanging small, glass Ignix lanterns from newly installed hooks in the ceiling, their soft golden light adding a cozy ambiance to the space. "You guys work fast! The place is already looking much cozier," Dave commented, noticing how even the forge area had been tidied up. "Too fast," Remicra muttered. "Where''s all my stuff?" "Still here," Hyrei called down from her perch near the ceiling. "We just organized it better.¡± ¡°Organized it to where?¡± Remicra demanded. The owlgirl jumped down with a flutter of wind, landing softly. ¡°Here, into the cabinets along the wall. Since Burgundy¡¯s men emptied the storage room of all supplies, I got the extra shelves from there.¡± ¡°Hrm, fine,¡± the dragoness acquiesced. ¡°I still think that this is a terrible idea. Smithing makes noise and heat¡­ Plus, Dave wants me to teach him¡­ smithing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll separate the forge area off with a noise and heat canceling ward curtain,¡± Hyrei said, leading them outside. ¡°Off you go, don''t get in the way now.¡± Murdoc''s enormous snail was parked directly in front of the lighthouse, pearlescent shell gleaming in the sunlight. ¡°That¡¯s one big snail,¡± the dragoness commented. She stopped at the edge of the ward, nervously glancing at Dave. Dave looked down at the control bracelet on his wrist, carefully adjusting the ward''s boundary. The metal disc clicked as he turned it, expanding the protective barrier further out into the meadow. The shimmering ward bubble extended out far ahead of them, past the massive snail shell. "Come on," he said, taking Remicra''s hand. "It''s safe." They settled into two of the newly placed chairs outside the lighthouse. The view was breathtaking - rolling hills stretched out before them, their gentle slopes dotted with patches of colorful flowers. In the distance, the colorful mage tower spires of Shandria rose like colorful, crystalline fingers reaching for the sky. On the other side, curtains of clouds rolled across the abyss. Dave was just starting to relax, enjoying the scenic view with Remicra when the lighthouse door burst open. Cedez stumbled out, her dark fur bristling, ears flat against her head. Her usual playful demeanor was completely gone, replaced by a panicked expression. "Cedez?" he called out, turning. "What''s wrong?" The foxgirl didn''t even look at him. She darted past, her leather boots clicking rapidly against the stone as she rushed up the lighthouse''s spiral staircase to the balcony. "Hrm," Remicra commented dryly. "Who buggered the fox?" Terri emerged from the lighthouse. The elkgirl''s usual serene expression was firmly in place. "Terri?" Dave turned to the Healer apprentice. "Is Cedez still upset at the whole soul-modding business?" "No. This is merely another small disagreement," Terri replied smoothly. "Huh?" He voiced. "Small? She looks pretty terrified.¡± Terri didn¡¯t say anything in reply, but there were blue sparks dancing in her eyes, the Cantigeist gears spinning in her head visible to Healy¡¯s sight. ¡°Right then,¡± Dave frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on how she¡¯s doing.¡± He quickly climbed the winding metal staircase, his footsteps echoing against the dark steps. When he reached the balcony level, he found Cedez curled into a ball on the red and black patio sofa, fluffy tail wrapped around herself protectively. Her ears were still flat against her head, and she was visibly trembling. Murdoc was there too, sitting on a patio armchair, his arms crossed. The old Snailmancer''s face was creased with concern as he looked down at his adopted granddaughter. "What happened?" Dave asked, moving closer to Cedez. "Not sure," Murdoc replied gruffly. "Won''t even reply to me. She''s pretty upset by the look of things. What''d you say to her?¡± ¡°This wasn''t Dave''s fault.¡± Remicra came up the stairwell. ¡°I was with him for the past few hours.¡± Dave sat down next to Cedez, careful not to startle her. "Hey," he said softly. "Want to tell me what''s going on?" Cedez''s ears twitched at his voice, but she remained curled up. ¡°And who might you be?¡± Murdoc asked the dragon smith. ¡°According to the fox herself, I¡¯m her future best friend,¡± Remicra shot back at the old wizard. ¡°Oh?¡± Murdoc asked. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she keeps insisting on,¡± Remicra shrugged. She looked at Dave¡¯s attempts to coax an answer out of the potential shadow princess. Without ceremony, the dragoness stepped towards the sofa and grabbed Cedez by the scruff of her neck like an unruly kitten and lifted her up. ¡°Hey, bestie!¡± Cedez made a mewling sound, opening a single blue eye to stare at Remica. "Oi fox," Remicra said. "What''s wrong with you now? Did Dave not sort out your problem?¡± Cedez squeaked a reply, her legs dangling. She looked at Terri who also joined them on the balcony. Remicra turned to the healer still holding Cedez by the scruff of her leather dress. "What did you do to her?" Remicra demanded, turning to face Terri. ¡°Why is she so limp?¡± "I merely explained some unfortunate truths to her," Terri replied. "She is a security risk. Every night, when she loses herself to the Shadow, she shares everything she knows with the other fragments of Princess Nixlix. Our plans, our weaknesses, our locations - all of it bleeds through to our enemies." "Is this true?" Remicra asked Cedez. The foxgirl gave a tiny nod, her fluffy ears drooping even further. The dragon smith frowned. [-57-] Containment ¡°Speak up,¡± Remicra ordered. "I''m sorry Remy. I can''t help it," Cedez choked out, tears welling up in her crystalline blue eyes. "When night comes, I lose myself to the shadows. Everything I am just... slips away. I¡­ I don''t know what to do about it. I can''t change what I am.¡± Remicra''s grip on Cedez''s scruff softened. The foxgirl took this as an invitation and suddenly latched onto the dragoness, burying her face in Remicra''s metal apron. "Hey!" Remicra protested weakly as Cedez clung to her. "I didn''t say you could..." But the foxgirl just pressed closer, her entire body shaking with more sobs. With an exasperated sigh, Remicra awkwardly slid onto the sofa with the foxgirl in tow. In the next moment, Cedez curled into a tight ball against the dragoness''s side, halfway on her lap, dark tail wrapped around Remicra''s waist. The dragoness sighed and began petting the fox, sending Terri an annoyed glare which the Healer simply ignored. Dave turned to Terri. "What exactly happens to Cedez at night?" ¡°From what I understand¡­¡± Terri leaned on a dark metal balcony railing. "When the Leviathan Nightingale appears, it calls to all Shadow fragments within the city. They are drawn to it, becoming part of its flock. This includes Cedez''s consciousness - her memories, her experiences, all of what she is¡­ becomes accessible to the other shards of Princess Nixlix." "Like a shared network?" The ex-programmer asked. "All the fragments connecting to a central server?" ¡°Sure,¡± Terri shrugged, eyes sparkling with unnatural bright blue. ¡°Like public Discord messages anyone else there can read.¡± "And there''s no way to block this connection?" ¡°If I knew of a way to simply block it with my Vitalix, I would have done so already,¡± Terri said, crossing her arms. ¡°Her entire body is aligned to Shadow to an insane degree, every cell permeated with Shadowmancy. Essentially, she¡¯s a fully converted dungeon Sentinel, a magic skill projecting itself into a completely hollowed-out shell of a person.¡± At being called a dungeon Sentinel, Cedez curled harder into Remicra, trembling as if terrified of being struck down. ¡°A Sentinel?¡± Dave repeated, recalling the emaciated, undead, Void-filled adventurers from Whispering Depths. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ not alive enough for me to help her,¡± Terri explained. ¡°Sorry. She might have been a person a decade or two ago, but it''s far too late now.¡± ¡°Cedez isn''t like the practically mindless Sentinels I killed in the Void dungeon though,¡± Dave said. ¡°Shandria isn¡¯t exactly a dungeon,¡± Terri shrugged. ¡°And Kells did something to this fox, attached some other stuff from the Abyss to her.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Terri shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there and Kells was insane at the time, puppeteered by his Vexirium.¡± ¡°Is Terri¡¯s assessment of Cedez correct?¡± Dave turned to Murdoc. The old Snailmancer stroked his beard with a sigh. "When Nightingale comes down from the ring of clouds, her body slowly dissolves into shadowy smoke, presumably drawn up into the Leviathan, yes. She¡¯s smarter than a Dungeon sentinel because of her dress, it keeps her together.¡± ¡°Does she have memories of the other fragments?" Dave asked. "Not usually," Murdoc shook his head. "She doesn''t like talking about it. Though sometimes she has... impressions. Feelings of what the other fragments experienced the day before. She tries her best not to become like them, to be a good person. She doesn''t always succeed and occasionally acts a tad mean spirited, but she hasn''t hurt anyone at the cafe or broken any laws as far as I am aware.¡± Dave pursed his lips, rolling the problem over in his head. He suddenly thought about the bottled shadow belonging to Cedez and Stellaris. ¡°Hang on,¡± he said. ¡°What if we¡­ don¡¯t let her rejoin the other shadows?¡± "What do you mean?" Murdoc asked, leaning forward in his chair. "Well," Dave began, pacing the balcony as he thought aloud. "When I amplified Remicra''s Metallomancy, I used a bottled shadow. This bottle sat in my bag overnight, didn¡¯t rejoin the Leviathan. What if we did something similar with Cedez¡­ bottled her up for the night?¡± Cedez''s ears perked up slightly at this, though she remained pressed against Remicra''s side. "A container?" Murdoc stroked his beard thoughtfully. ¡°It could work¡­ but what if she turns into a Shadowbeast, and simply slices a hole in it with a Shadow blade?¡± Dave frowned and then he looked at the ward control bracelet on his wrist. ¡°Maybe¡­ we could readjust the ward of the lighthouse to hold her?¡± he offered. ¡°She could slice through that too,¡± Terri said. ¡°She gets much stronger when she changes fully. What if she calls Nightingale to aid her? There''s no way that the ward would stop the Leviathan. That abomination could bring down the entire tower in a single swat.¡± Dave shuddered as he remembered the burning silver and red eyes of the monstrous titan. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He looked at Terri. ¡°What''s your solution then?¡± He asked. ¡°Why is Cedez so upset?¡± ¡°I can paralyze the Shadowmancy-filled shell,¡± Terri said, her voice turning colder. ¡°Then, a Burnix Kitlix could be used to strike specific memories from the crystals.¡± ¡°What memories?¡± Dave blinked. Murdoc frowned. ¡°Her memory of you, me, Remicra, this lighthouse,¡± the elkgirl said. ¡°This way, she won¡¯t dream of you anymore. She could live in the snail with her¡­ grandfather. She¡¯ll be safe. You will be safe.¡± ¡°No! I.. I don''t want to forget Remy or Dave,¡± Cedez trembled in Remicra''s embrace. ¡°I don''t want to be alone, please¡­¡± ¡°She clearly doesn¡¯t want this,¡± Dave expressed. ¡°David¡­ please understand,¡± the elkgirl addressed the ex-programmer. ¡°She is dangerous to you. As long as she remembers you and wants to spend time with you¡­ she will bring you unending heaps of trouble.¡± ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Cedez Astra is my mistake, yes,¡± Terri said with Lari¡¯s voice, her eyes filling up with more blue. ¡°Her obsession over you is my fault. However, if I have to choose between keeping her around as she is and protecting you¡­ I will always choose you.¡± ¡°Lari,¡± David said, his voice trembling ever so slightly. ¡°David,¡± Lari''s voice spoke from Terri''s lips. ¡°Listen to me. You have to slow down, stop before you crash. You can''t save everyone. I can see that you like Cedez. I know that you want to save this long dead girl who has a bit of me in her, but you cannot. The probability of outcome is set against you here.¡± ¡°You''re certain?¡± David walked to Terri and stared at the glacier-blue eyes, searching for his friend in their depths. "I watched her shake your hand this morning via my Maidenlyne¡¯s Vitalix. The amplification Cedez offers is going to fragment you. Her handshake ¡®empowerment¡¯ might not put you into a coma, but it''s inevitably pushing your skill right over the edge, bringing more Shadows to attack you. Without her dreaming of you, she can live a normal life, unburdened by my mistake, unbound from the programming your previous iteration wrote into her soul.¡± "And what about her dreams?" Dave challenged. ¡°What about her feelings?¡± "Echoes of echoes," Lari replied. "Fragments of my care for you, fused with Princess Nixlix''s shadow. They''re not real, David. They''re making her yearn for something she can never truly have.¡± "Why is she drawn to Remicra then?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Is that really just programming the other me wrote?" ¡°When Kells carved up the princess of Shandria, he was already one foot in the abyss. At that time he was already nothing like you and more of a typhoon of barely contained myriads of personalities within a patchwork of corpse flesh,¡± Lari shrugged Terri¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s possible that in his madness, he simply wrote something like¡­ ¡®desire for dragons¡¯ into the modified soul shard.¡± ¡°God damn it, Lari!¡± David snarled. ¡°This isn''t like one of our DnD games! Cedez isn''t an NPC I can simply leave behind. Does it matter if she''s technically dead? She''s clearly a person! If anything, you are just as dead as she is! Cedez and Murdoc agreed to help us here in Shandria! I owe them both, damn it! Without their help, Remicra would remain a slave and¡­¡± ¡°Your safety is more important than the freedom of a blacksmith sla¡ª" Lari¡¯s echo began. "More important than what?" Dave cut her off with a snarl. "More important than helping people who need it? More important than fighting against the system that treats people like property? That''s not the Lari I knew. My Lari would find a way to save as many people as possible! She was a paramedic who dedicated the remainder of her brief life to save everyone around her, including me!¡± ¡°I am still trying to save you!¡± Saint Saria declared, Terri''s hands grabbing his. ¡°I''ve seen you lose yourself too many times, David. If you succumb to Vexirium, your skill will do terrible things! You will lay waste to half of Shandria, kill everyone in your way! Kells lost all of his friends and supporters on the day when he declared himself Supreme Sovereign!¡± ¡°Kells was insane for a long time,¡± Murdoc pointed out. ¡°And if you keep tormenting my granddaughter by saying that you are going to erase her memories, I will have you removed from our home by force.¡± ¡°I get what you''re saying, but the odds are clearly against you, ghost,¡± Remicra commented with an underlying growl. ¡°Lay off my little fox. You can''t take on all of us.¡± ¡°Your fox?!¡± Lari-Terri sputtered. ¡°You¡­ you barely know her! You barely know David! It¡¯s only been¡­¡± ¡°I understand fear,¡± Remicra snarled, her figure painted with red waves. ¡°I understand pain and loneliness. I think I understand what the fox is now.¡± ¡°You clearly don''t get it! We have to protect Da¡ª¡± Lari began. ¡°No,¡± Remicra shook her head. ¡°Give it up. Don''t you see it in Dave¡¯s eyes? Read the room. You already lost. Give it up. Your memory cutting plan is stupid. We will figure something else out.¡± Terri¡¯s blue-green eyes looked across the balcony, taking in the unified opposition. A transparent tentacle cracked with dancing lightning above Murdoc. Remicra held onto Cedez, and Dave stood firmly between Terri and the others. "I..." Lari''s voice faltered. The blue light in Terri''s eyes flickered. "I can''t... I can''t watch it happen again. I can¡¯t lose you, David." "Then help me stay me," Dave said firmly. "But not by hurting my friends. Not by erasing their memories. That''s not protection - that''s control. If you¡¯re my Lari and not just a ghost of her ground to a singular purpose over the passing centuries¡­ then you¡¯d understand. Let go of Terri, Cantigeist!¡± The blue light in Terri''s eyes flickered and faded, the fractal gears in her head dimming and slowing their spin. Terri blinked, her natural green eyes refocusing on Dave¡¯s angry face. "Saint Saria¡¯s last wish... She''s just really overprotective of you. Maybe because she''s been fighting this battle for so long¡­ she¡¯s become over-focused on a single goal. She was created to be your guiding light, not a fire that burns your friends. I''ll keep her down until this problem is sorted out. I''m sorry.¡± Terri turned and quickly slipped down the spiral stairwell. A single blue eye in the otherwise dark foxball opened and watched her disappear below. ¡°You do like me!¡± The eye turned to look up at Remicra. ¡°I tolerate you,¡± the dragoness repeated. Then she paused, mulling it over. ¡°For a dungeon Sentinel¡­ you''re surprisingly tolerable. If you were a free person, it would be a different story. But, you are like me¡­ bound and broken.¡± ¡°Thank you for defending me, Remy,¡± Cedez murmured, unfurling and embracing Remicra. ¡°Thank you for understanding me.¡± The dragoness hugged her back, her figure painted in violet tones. "So," Dave said, sitting down next to the hugging pair. "About that bottling idea..." "The problem is that Nightingale''s call is incredibly strong," Cedez said, finally pulling away from Remicra slightly. "Even if you put me in a magisteel case behind a ward, I''m not sure I could resist it and summon the other Shadows to attack the container. The Leviathan¡¯s song vibrates through every part of me, utterly changing, reshaping what I am.¡± ¡°What if it''s not a mundane container or a permeable Ward?¡± Dave contemplated, recalling the specialized magic wielded by Voidmancer Zolish Yaslor. ¡°What if we use¡­ Void magic to completely separate you from Shandria, seal you off in a dimensional bubble?¡± [-58-] Naming Convention "Dimensional bubbles are extremely dangerous, lad,¡± Murdoc pointed out. ¡°Without properly made anchoring, they can become completely inaccessible - lost forever in the Void.¡± Dave turned to the old wizard. "Extradimensional bags have specific enchanted rings or tokens that serve as anchors, allowing access to that pocket space," Murdoc explained, gesturing to Dave''s bag. "Without those anchors, the space becomes completely cut off from our reality. Many an adventurer lost their entire fortune by damaging the anchor ring of their dimensional storage." "So we''d need some kind of anchor point to maintain access to wherever we put Cedez?" Dave pondered. "Even with a magisteel anchor in place, it''s not that simple," Murdoc sighed, running a hand through his gray hair. "After I got Bessie, I thought we could just... leave Shandria. Take Bessie and ride past the first ring of mountains during daylight hours when Cedez was herself." "What happened?" Dave asked. "We made it about ninety clicks out," Murdoc''s face darkened at the memory. "Then Cedez... changed. Not like her usual, silent and rapid night transformation. She started freaking out, pacing back and forth, begging, clawing at me. When we went further, she began screaming, howling like a banshee. Before I could do anything, she''d torn through Bessie''s reinforced door with a Shadow blade and was running and then flying back toward the city, transformed into this writhing mass of winged shadows. It took me a week to find her again, curled up in some alley, barely remembering who she was." Cedez shuddered against Remicra at the memory. The dragoness squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "So she''s bound to the city itself," Dave contemplated. ¡°The further she gets from Shandria, the stronger the pull becomes." "Precisely," Murdoc nodded. "If we gate her to another city, she¡¯d instantly go berserk and fly back as a Shadow and we¡¯d lose her in the clouds. If we put her in a dimensional space, she''ll likely destroy everything inside in her panic to get back to Shandria, damaging any anchors we set up. And without those anchors..." "She''d be trapped forever in the Void," Dave finished grimly. "Plz no banish fox into Void," Cedez commented. ¡°So,¡± Dave said. ¡°It has to be an anchor that she can¡¯t destroy.¡± "There''s no such thing," Murdoc shook his head. "As a Shadowbeast, she pulls power directly from the city-defending Leviathan. At night, she''ll tear through anything in her way - even magisteel walls. Nothing physical can contain that." Dave looked thoughtfully at Healy, who was perched on his shoulder. "What if... it''s not physical?" he said slowly. "What if the anchor is in another shadow?¡± "What do you mean?" Murdoc frowned, confused. ¡°Shadows don¡¯t attack shadows, right?" Dave said and then pointed at Healy. "Kitlix aren''t physical beings - they''re crystallized magic. When they bond with someone, they become part of that person''s soul structure. What if we used a Kitlix as the anchor?" Cedez''s ears perked up. "You mean... like how Healy is bonded to you?" "Exactly," Dave nodded. "We''d need a special type though. Something that could handle Shadowmancy. There are Shadow-controlling Kitlix, right?¡± "A Noxix," Murdoc said. "A Shadow-aligned Kitlix. But those are incredibly rare. Shadowmancers with Noxix are bound into servitude by Undertown Assassins Guild pretty quickly and are never heard from again.¡± ¡°I think that I can make one of those using the soul shards belonging to the Huntsmaws, Stellaris and Castiss,¡± Dave said as his Kitlix leapt onto his lap with a twinkling sound. ¡°Healy has three attributes already.¡± ¡°I like this plan,¡± Cedez smiled tentatively. ¡°Actually¡­ Now that I think about it, this might solve my Vexirium problem. I can keep the rational parts of the souls I absorb and push everything else into Healy," Dave explained, scratching his Kitlix behind her crystalline ears. "She''s already storing quite a bit of my Intelligence and Wisdom. Maybe she could hold onto the other disparate, foreign memories and skills too, like an external storage device." "Healy is going to burst if you keep stuffing her with soul shards," Remicra commented. ¡°She¡¯s already looking pretty chonky for a Kitlix.¡± "Uh-huh. She''s gonna Kitlix up and become a mom soon," Cedez giggled, some of her usual playfulness returning. "Soon you¡¯ll have a whole litter of tiny multi-colored Healys running around! You can give them all equally terrible names. ¡°Strength-aligned ''Beefy'', agile ''Zippy'', dexterous ''Nimby''..." Dave groaned. ¡°Charismatic ''Charmy'',¡± Cedez teased on. ¡°Magical ''Sparky'', future-seein¡¯ ''Seery'', clever ''Smarty'', and wisdom-dispensing ''Wizy''!¡± ¡°Wow, these are terrible,¡± Remicra commented. "Oh! And the Noxix one can be ''Darky''!" Remicra winced. "Moody?" Cedez suggested, wiggling her eyebrows at Remicra. "Gloomy? Broody? Shady!¡± "You''re starting to give me a headache with these stupid names,¡± Remicra huffed. "Aw, come on Remy! Don''t be so..." Cedez''s grin widened impossibly. "Grouch-yyy!" The dragoness made a strangled sound somewhere between a laugh and a growl. "I swear, fox, one more ''y'' and I''m throwing you off this balcony." "You wouldn''t do that to your best-yyy!" Cedez declared triumphantly. True to her word, Remicra stood up, lifting Cedez by her scruff again. The foxgirl squealed and wrapped herself around the dragoness''s arm. "No! Dave, save me!" Cedez laughed. "She''s being all scary-yyyy!" "You brought this on yourself," Dave chuckled. "Traitor-y!" Cedez declared as Remicra swatted her off, dropping her onto the sofa. Murdoc watched the scene with a smile, his earlier worry melting away at seeing his adopted granddaughter returning to her usual playful self. Bessie¡¯s tentacle menacingly hovering behind him vanished.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Alright, alright," Dave intervened. "How about we focus on actually making the shadow Kitlix first, before we worry about naming it?" ¡°That¡¯s your job, so get to it, Mr. Phantomancer. I¡¯ma entertain myself by bugging Remy,¡± Cedez winked at Dave and threw a red pillow at the dragoness. ¡°Consider this, darling¨Cwhen Healy gives birth to a Metallomancy Kitlix for you, you can name her¡­¡± "Steely?" Remicra suggested with a deadpan expression, catching the pillow. "Yes!" Cedez clapped excitedly. "See? The ''y'' makes everything cuter!" "I was being sarcastic," Remicra growled. "Sure you were, Rem-y-y," Cedez grinned. "That''s it!" Remicra lunged at the fox with the pillow. "Extended ''y'' in my nickname is where I draw the line!" Pillow-crushed Cedez squealed. "Help! The big mean Pathosteely-y-y dragon is trying to smother me out of existence!" "Considering Remicra''s ability to manipulate metal through emotions,¡± Dave said thoughtfully as he slipped everything into Intelligence and began to mentally separate the Shadow-princess bits out of his soul. ¡°Maybe we should call her Kitlix¡­ ''Feely''?" Both Remicra and Cedez stared at him from the couch. "That''s... actually far worse than anything I came up with," Cedez laughed. "Well done! I bow to the master of terrible naming conventions.¡± "I take back everything nice I ever said about you," Remicra growled at Dave. ¡°Nice things? What sort of compliments did my Remy-y offer Dave-y??¡± Cedez giggled from under the pillow. ¡°Did the stoic smith finally admit her feelings for our dashing hero?¡± "I will end you," Remicra growled, her scales flushing pink. Dave tuned out their banter, focusing entirely on the task at hand. He closed his eyes, mentally reaching for the tangled mass of soul fragments within him. With Sherlock¡¯s help, he began to carefully separate out the shadow-aligned, fractured soul shards. The process felt like untangling a complex knot of dark threads from a tapestry of memories and abilities. As each shadowy strand was isolated, he guided it into Healy. The Kitlix absorbed each fragment, her crystalline form gradually taking on a darker hue. Spots of shadow began to manifest between the green, cyan, and magenta stars that made up her body. With each transfer, Dave felt his mind becoming slightly clearer. The alien hunger for magic that had been gnawing at him since absorbing Oraniss began to fade. The discordant whispers of madness grew quieter, making his pulsing head lighter. He pushed Void-aligned souls into the Kitlix next, adding to the Shadow mix. Ribbons of shadow and Void began to weave themselves across the entire crystalline matrix of Healy like small, entwined supercell storms with odd multi or one dimensional violet-tinted edges. ¡°Mrrrrddddd,¡± Healy formed a mouth and pawed at his face. Dave stared at Healy¡¯s paw with Healy¡¯s eyes. [Healy: Vitalix-Infix-Vestix. Soul-Bonded Kitlix LV 34] [Primary Alignment] - [Vitality: 34] [Secondary Alignments] - [Intelligence: 6.1976] [Wisdom: 6.1976] [Shadow: 1.7425] [Void: 1.7425] Checking his own stats he noted that he had fallen back to [34] soul bits, the amount needed to fully utilize Healy¡¯s primary alignment. ¡°Never seen a talking Kitlix,¡± Murdoc commented, observing Dave¡¯s familiar. ¡°Or one that could simply take on different alignment like that. Phantomancy is a mighty useful skill.¡± ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡± Remicra asked, releasing Cedez. ¡°She¡¯s hungry,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Abyss! I can sense the Shadow pulsing in her. Not just any Shadow. My shadow. My skill. Wowza. It¡¯s like¡­ she¡¯s¡­ She¡¯s one of us!¡± Healy turned her head, staring at Cedez. ¡°You can¡­ see me?¡± Cedez asked tentatively. ¡°Mrrrrrrrr,¡± Healy replied. ¡°She could see you before,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°She jumped on your lap earlier. She can see you even better now. I purposefully filled her with Shadow.¡± Leaping off Dave Healy pawed at Cedez. ¡°Eeeeeeee! She can see me! A Kitlix can see me!¡± Cedez squished Healy, grinning wide. ¡°I¡¯m on it, darling! Hold on!¡± Clinging to Healy, Cedez leaped off the couch and yelled for Hyrei. The maid landed on the balcony with a hum of wind, skirts fluttering. ¡°Yes?¡± The owlgirl asked. "Behold!" Cedez declared, holding up Healy to the maid¡¯s face. "A Shadow-Vitality-Intelligence-Wisdom Kitlix!" ¡°Uhhh,¡± Hyrei blinked with big yellow eyes at the crystalline critter. ¡°What?¡± "She can see me!" Cedez shook Healy in front of the maid. "She has my Shadowmancy! We need mana crystals to feed her so that she can multiply!¡± ¡°If, she can multiply,¡± Remicra commented. ¡°No ifs. She wants to multiply,¡± Cedez insisted. ¡°I can feel what she feels through the Shadow. She''s absolutely gonna multiply¡­ after nightfall.¡± Hyrei looked at Murdoc with a somewhat confused expression. "Here," Murdoc received a jingling bag from a transparent tentacle and handed it to Hyrei. "Get as many mana crystals as you can from the market." The owlgirl accepted the coins with a nod and took off with a gust of wind, leaping off the balcony and rushing towards the Adventurers Guild. "You can feel her needs too?¡± Dave asked. "Yep!" Cedez confirmed, still holding onto Healy. ¡°It¡¯s like she¡¯s MY Kitlix! This is amazing!¡± "So there''s a connection between the Leviathan and Kitlix reproduction?" Dave asked. "Most magical creatures in Shandria become more active at night, when the Leviathan descends,¡± Murdoc explained. ¡°Nightingale''s presence releases magic throughout the entire city. That''s why Kitlix tend to multiply during nighttime - the ambient magic is strongest then, the Aetheric density highest. The Divine Beast and her flock maintain the city''s magical ecosystem.¡± ¡°So then Nightingale creates all new Kitlix from magic tools and such?" Dave asked. ¡°Yepperoni,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°What about Agrilopods?¡± Dave wondered about the gargantuan farm-walkers. ¡°They¡¯re pretty massive, no? How come the Shadows don¡¯t eat them? Also, what happens to Bessie at night?¡± ¡°Agrilopods and Bessie are herbivores. During the night, the colossi walkers are guided into giant half-buried leviathan skulls and rib cages owned by the Agromancer Guilds. The old leviathan bones are covered in red Night runes,¡± Murdoc clarified. ¡°Nightingale''s predatory presence terrifies Agrilopods so they simply hunker down for the night - it''s pure survival instinct. Bessie¡¯s shell is fully covered in the same runes¨Cshe simply hides inside at night, breathing in the increased ambient mana.¡± ¡°What about predators like Wyverns?¡± ¡°Night predators and hunters like wyverns become attracted by the release of ambient mana,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°They fly to Shandria and become snacks for the flock, increasing Nightingale''s power.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised there¡¯s anything left alive around Shandria,¡± Dave commented. ¡°Monsters don¡¯t take their sweet ass time to date or breed like people,¡± Cedez said. ¡°They multiply simply by eating each other. Plus, Celestorms constantly manifest new ones into existence from the Astral Abyss.¡± ¡°Every night Nightingale cleans up the infestations in the vicinity of ninety clicks around Shandria, but every day even more of them appear all around Arx born in dungeons from the innards of Sentinels,¡± Murdoc added. ¡°So then the Felislice and the Prismatic Beetles came from a metal dungeon,¡± Dave said. ¡°Yes,¡± Remicra nodded. ¡°They both had very distinctive steel in them.¡± ¡°Oh! I know exactly where the bugs came from," Dave said. "A lake in the mountains, about five hours walking." "You should check with the Guild¡¯s dungeon map. If it''s unregistered, you could make a bit of coin selling the location. Or..." Murdoc glanced at Remicra, "keep it to yourself, since you¡¯ve got a smith on hand.¡± Remicra¡¯s scales flickered with gold at the prospect. "More metal would be... useful. Especially since those bastards cleared out my entire stockroom." Her tail swished behind her irritably. "They didn''t even leave me a single iron ingot." "We could go check it out sometime," Dave suggested. ¡°We would need some kind of non-metal armor though¡­ the damn flesh-eating beetles can sense metal.¡± "Ooh, already planning a date to a metal dungeon lake!" Cedez grinned, vigorously petting Healy. "How romantic!" "Not a date," Remicra flushed pink. "Just... resource acquisition." "Sure, sure," Cedez winked. [-59-] Bottled Shadow The sun began its descent towards the black hole corona, painting the sky in brilliant shades of purple and orange. Dave watched as the three Healer apprentices prepared to leave for the evening. "Are you going to be fine?" Terri asked, lingering behind the others. Her green eyes flickered between Dave and Cedez, who was preoccupied with feeding mana crystals to Healy. "Yes," Dave nodded firmly. "I''ve got a plan to separate Cedez off from the other shadows. A dimensional bag.¡± "And if that doesn''t work? What if she gets out and then the other shadows learn everything?" Terri pressed. "Then we''ll figure something else out," Dave shrugged. ¡°Or fight them off. Together. I¡¯m not going to abandon anyone. Is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Terri said, lowering her eyes and shuddering ever so slightly. ¡°Be safe, David.¡± She gave him a quick hug and then rushed off to join Dumpich and Leon, heading down the hillside towards Healers Hall. Dave walked back up to the balcony, following the sound of a familiar melody. Cedez was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, humming "Waiting For Love¡± while Healy sat in her lap, twinkling along with almost music-like chimes. The Kitlix''s crystalline form was now much bigger and had distinct swirls of shadow dancing through it, making her look like a miniature galaxy. His stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. "Oh my, someone else is hungry!" Cedez''s ears perked up. "Come on Remy, let''s feed our dashing necromancer before he noms on our souls for sustenance!" Before Dave could protest about the fact that he couldn''t eat the soul of someone who was still alive, Cedez had grabbed Remicra''s hand and dragged the dragoness downstairs. They returned about ten minutes later with plates of sizzling steaks. "Did Bessie cook these?" Dave asked, accepting a plate. "Nah, I did the spicing while Remy burned them on her forge," Cedez grinned. "See, she''s quite good at burning things as a dragon, unlike me. You should keep her!¡± "It''s not burning, it''s searing¡­ using the Ignix," Remicra shot back, blushing slightly. ¡°I can''t personally manifest dragonfire or whatever.¡± ¡°I think that you need a magic hoard for that,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°Best start hoarding stuff. I recommend making Dave into your first kobold.¡± Remicra simply glared at her in response. After dinner, Dave began to carefully examine his expanded bag, trying to recall exactly how Zolish used dimensional magic, figuring out the bag¡¯s spatial mechanics through Healy''s vision. The bag''s interior appeared as a two-by-two meter sphere of extradimensional space, manifested and anchored to reality via a crystalline runework burned into a metal ring gate which framed the bag¡¯s entry covered by a leather flap. Using the knife Remicra made for him, Dave carefully cut up the expansion bag and broke the crystal ring up into smaller chunks, watching as the extradimensional space vanished from existence. Then, he slowly fed each piece of the broken ring to Healy. Using the knowledge of Voidmancer Zolish and Sherlock''s fine control over Healy''s Voidmancy, he guided his Kitlix to absorb and organize the fragments, gradually incorporating them into her already complex internal matrix. Through Healy''s eyes, Dave stared into the Kitlix, observing distinctive crystalline fragments floating inside her. "Why are you feeding your broken bag to your Kitlix?" Remicra asked, watching his work. "I¡¯m making Healy into a living dimensional gate," he replied. "Is that even possible?" The dragoness asked. "I think so. At least the ghostly memories of Zolish suggest that it''s possible," Dave said. He focused on Healy, directing her to reshape herself into a large ring. The Kitlix complied, her crystalline form flowing like liquid mercury until she formed a perfect circle in his hands. The crystalline ring pieces snapped together inside her and with a crackle of static and a flash of released mana, the dimensional gate opened up once again. "Damn! Dave just invented a living expansion bag!" Cedez clapped. "A Kitlix bag! A Baglix! No wait... a Katpack! A Purrrse!" "Do you think you¡¯re funny?" Remicra asked. "A Pouchix!" Cedez continued undeterred. ¡°Yes. I am and you love it. Hrm. Heals, which end of you do I pet now?¡± A pair of crystalline ears emerged out of the top of the ring and a single, small eye opened between them. ¡°Here we go,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°Yes. Purrfect.¡± She petted the space between the ears and the eye slanted contentedly into a halfmoon at Cedez''s pets, the crystalline ears wiggling. "I''ll be damned," Murdoc commented, watching Healy''s ring form. "Never seen anything quite like this in all my years.¡± ¡°Don''t old magic bags turn into Kitlix?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Old magic bags usually implode,¡± Murdoc said. ¡°Gate mages have gate opening Portalix Kitlix. They aren''t ring shaped. I''ve no idea how you even turned it into a ring.¡± ¡°Must be a Phantomancy thing,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°Can Healy maintain the extradimensional space when the gate is closed?" Remicra asked. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Only one way to find out," Dave replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to need something organic to test it on.¡± Cedez grabbed one of the flowerpots from the balcony garden. At Murdoc¡¯s whispered order to his Kitlix, a transparent tentacle emerged from a wall alcove and dropped a frozen fish onto Dave¡¯s lap. Dave accepted the flower and the fish and shoved both into Healy. Then he mentally ordered Healy to close the gate, while maintaining the extradimensional space. The gate vanished and then Healy¡¯s form flowed back into a more typical Kitlix shape, though notably larger than before, a spark of dimensional magic burning in the center of her crystalline body. "Did it work?" Cedez asked, leaning forward with interest. ¡°I think so,¡± Dave focused his control over the Void. A new eye of Healy¡¯s opened, this one located inside the extradimensional space itself. Dave stared at the fish and the plant floating inside the extradimensional bubble with his third eye. ¡°Yes!¡± He declared. ¡°The bubble is still being maintained, and there¡¯s no exit!¡± "Urm, how much air is in there?" Remicra asked, peering at Healy. "Would it be enough for Cedez to survive the entire night?" Dave tried to recall the formula for the volume of a sphere. "Let''s see... V = 4/3 ¡Á ¦Ð ¡Á r3... With a two meter radius that''s about 16.8 cubic meters of air¡­ I think?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry your adorkable head about it,¡± Cedez commented. "Shadows don''t actually need to breathe. When night comes or when I get disconnected from Shandria, my body stops being physical. It''s more like... concentrated, angry darkness given form." "Are you sure?" Dave asked. "I don''t want to accidentally suffocate you." ¡°Pretty sure,¡± Cedez nodded with a small frown. ¡°You heard your ghost pal, Saint Saria¡­ I¡¯m not actually alive. I¡¯m Shadowmancy, emulating a person. Look, why don¡¯t I go inside now for ten minutes? Just a quick test¡­ before I have to spend the whole night there?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Dave nodded, reopening the Healy-gate with a flash of magic. "Wait," Remicra said suddenly. "What if something goes wrong? How will we know if she''s okay in there?" ¡°Aww you¡¯re worried about me,¡± Cedez cooed. "I''m just being practical," Remicra huffed. "We need some way to communicate with you." ¡°Just admit it, you always wanted an awesome beastie like me,¡± Cedez grinned with foxy chompers. "I can see inside the dimensional bubble through Healy''s eyes," Dave assured the smith. "And Cedez can sense Healy and talk to her through the shared Shadow connection. Likewise, I should be able to sense and assess Cedez through Healy. I''ll know if anything''s wrong, don¡¯t worry.¡± The dragoness ignited with orange tones. "It''s okay, Remy. I won''t tell anyone how much you care," Cedez teased, hugging Remicra. ¡°Accept it. You''re stuck with me forever now. We''re going to be the best of friends and go on magical adventures with Dave and..." "Like I believe that, you blabbermouth. Can we please focus on testing the storage bubble? Sunset is less than an hour away!" Remicra interrupted, though Dave noticed her tail had curled around Cedez protectively. "Fine, fine," Cedez sighed dramatically, releasing the dragoness. With a spring in her step, she ran inside the snail-shell apartment and emerged in another minute in a white robe and handed Dave her gemstone covered dark leather dress. "If I don''t make it back, tell Remy I loved her grumpy face!" "Just get in there already," Remicra grumbled, scales dancing with orange and violet. Cedez blew them both a kiss and stepped through the gate. Dave immediately focused on Healy''s inner eye, watching as the foxgirl sat on the pitch black floor of the bubble in a lotus pose. ¡°I¡¯m ready! Send me into the abyss!¡± Cedez gave Dave a thumbs up. Dave deactivated the gate, separating the extradimensional bubble off from the rest of Arx. Guided by Dave, Healy formed a single ear above the inner-space eye. "Houston," Cedez joked at the Kitlix ear, floating up as gravity within the space vanished. "The artificial gravity seems to be malfunctioning. Also, I left my space helmet at home." ¡°How is she?¡± Murdoc asked, pale, wrinkly fingers kneading his Kitlix nervously. ¡°Fine so far,¡± Dave said. At first, the foxgirl seemed merely amused by the weightlessness, slowly twirling in the air. But then her ears flattened against her head, and her playful expression morphed into one of rising panic. A bone-chilling howl erupted from her throat as shadows began to pour from her body, writhing and twisting around her like living smoke. Her back split open with a sickening crack as blade-like wings burst through the white robe, followed by more wings, and more sharp edges, until she resembled a nightmarish angel-moth. The transformation didn''t stop there. Her body elongated, segments sprouting from her torso like a centipede made of pure darkness. Her face stretched into a draconic muzzle filled with saw-like teeth, while new eyes multiplied across her form like burning blue stars. The shadow creature that had been Cedez spiraled frantically around the confined space, searching desperately for an exit, her segmented body coiling like a trapped serpent. Multiple wings beat against the air, twisting her in increasingly erratic patterns. Then she spotted Healy''s eye watching her. The creature froze, all of its blazing eyes fixing on that single point of observation. The way she stared at Healy''s eye was unnervingly intense, like a predator that had just spotted potential prey... or perhaps a desperate prisoner who had just found a possible means of escape. "Dave," Remicra said nervously, noticing his tense expression. "What''s happening in there?" ¡°She changed into a shadow,¡± Dave said. ¡°And?¡± Murdoc asked. ¡°She¡¯s staring right at Healy¡¯s eye,¡± Dave replied, swallowing nervously. ¡°Hopefully there¡¯s enough Shadow in Healy for Cedez not to outright attack her.¡± The shadow creature''s eyes remained fixed on Healy''s crystalline eye. Dave felt a sudden wave of wild emotions wash over him through the Shadow connection. [Trapped. Angry. Confused. Need to return to the flock.] Emotion-thoughts-visuals pounded against the eye. "She''s... communicating!" Dave said. ¡°How? Shadows don¡¯t talk,¡± Murdoc asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not words, more like¡­ uhh¡­ visual feelings,¡± Dave replied. [Hive! Must return to hive! Where exit?] Shadow-Cedez demanded. Her wings beat frantically, creating ripples of darkness that spread through the round space. Her segmented body coiled tighter, like a spring ready to release. Long, dark feelers probed the edges of the dimensional space, searching for escape. [Calm. Safety. Stay.] Dave replied, trying to replicate the pattern of image-feelings flowing from the Shadowbeast. [NOT SAFE! WRONG! ALONE! WHERE FLOCK?!] [Flock is here. Relax.] Dave sent back. [Where Flock?! Only one of you here, weaker than me! Panic! Concern! Where Mother?! Where exit?! WHERE HIVE?! Don¡¯t understand!] [Relax! You are safe, promise!] Dave pushed against the waves of fear, irritation and confusion. The intensity of her emotions almost overwhelmed him, making him dizzy. But beneath the panic and desperate need to return to Shandria, he sensed something else - perhaps a tiny spark of recognition, of Cedez''s consciousness still present within the writhing mass of shadow. [This is a place for you to rest. Rest! Relax.] He insisted. [Flock is here. Nearby. Watching. Listening. This is temporary.] The shadow creature''s frantic movements slowed slightly. Several of her eyes blinked in sequence, creating an almost hypnotic pattern. [Rest?! Relax?! Why?! Don¡¯t understand! Must protect the hive. Must fly. Must seek, tear, consume enemies! WHERE ENEMIES?! YOU LOOK WRONG. Maybe¡­ Enemy pretending to be one of our flock?] [-60-] Shadowmancy The last thought that came through the connection was more like internal monologue and less like direct communication. The shadow-creature that Cedez had turned into seemed to be behaving almost like a confused insect. Dave decided to take advantage of this deduction, to trick her into compliance. [I am Shadow like you, not enemy! Enemy different, enemy cannot commune!] Dave insisted. [Mother sends instructions: Rest here. Safe place. Important mission.] He projected, activating the handshake-amplified Charisma and trying to mimic the authoritative, eldritch presence of Nightingale by picturing the Leviathan abomination in his head. [Wrong! Rest is only during daytime! Active now! No orders! Trapped!] The shadow creature''s many eyes flickered uncertainly, overwhelmed by his pretend-authority. [Mission? What mission?] [Guard. Watch.] Dave sent back, readjusting his strategy. [Important task from Mother. Stay here.] Gradually, the frantic beating of her wings slowed. The writhing segments of her body began to settle into a more organized pattern. [Guard what?] She asked, still suspicious but less panicked. [Guard here. Guard this space! Very important mission from Mother!] Dave insisted firmly. [Focus! New Job! Very important for hive!] [Guard... here?] The shadow creature seemed to consider this, her many wings folding slightly. [Why guard empty space?] [Secret space. Important space. Special mission.] Dave projected, maintaining the authoritative tone. [You were chosen. Special guard.] The shadow beast''s segments rippled with what might have been pride. [Chosen? Special?] [Yes. Very special. Very important. Stay alert. Watch for enemies.] Dave encouraged. [Enemies could appear anytime!] [Understood. Vigilant and ready to strike.] Blue eyes opened all across her figure, staring in every direction with unnerving intensity. "Is she... okay?" Remicra asked, her scales flickering between orange and blue. "I think so," Dave nodded. "She was scared at first, but I managed to calm her down. It''s strange - when she''s in shadow form, she''s like a completely different being. More... primal. All instinct and raw emotion." "And you can really communicate with her in there?" Murdoc stroked his Kitlix, his bushy brows furrowed, perhaps not believing Dave. "Yeah, through the Shadow connection in Healy. It''s not exactly speaking - more like... exchanging emotional impressions. She sort of recognized me as another Shadow and understands that I am not a threat." "Impressive," Murdoc mused. "In all these years, I''ve never been able to communicate with her night form. She just... changes and flies away. But you... you actually reached her. I¡¯m glad. She doesn¡¯t have to be alone in the dark anymore.¡± "It''s all because of the Shadow connection through Healy," Dave explained. "I put bits of Huntsmaws into my Kitlix, which makes Healy and me... part of the Leviathan¡¯s flock, I guess?" "And you''re sure she''s comfortable in there?" Remicra asked. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ preoccupied,¡± Dave replied. ¡°With?¡± Murdoc asked. ¡°I convinced her to guard the extradimensional space,¡± Dave confessed. ¡°I see,¡± Murdoc said after another minute of silence. ¡°So, are you gonna get her out? Ten minutes are up. I want to make sure that she¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Yes.¡± [Guard duty done for now,] Dave sent. [Understood! What now?! WHERE ENEMIES?!] The sentient shadow spiked up almost like a dog that was wagging its tail. [No enemies. Can you go back to sleep? It is still day. I will open the way out.] [Yes. Sleep until Mother wakes me!] The shadow replied simply, coiling into a tight spiral. Dave reopened Healy''s dimensional gate. The writhing ball of shadow that was Cedez wobbled for a second and then flowed like dark smoke coiling into itself, the jaggedy wings condensing back into her foxgirl form. She stumbled slightly as gravity reasserted itself. Remicra dove inside the ring with the black leather dress in hand and pulled it on Cedez as the foxgirl opened her eyes. ¡°Thanks,¡± Cedez exhaled as both of them climbed out from the Kitlix-ring. "How do you feel?" Murdoc asked, examining Cedez closely. "Any disorientation? Memory loss?" "I''m fine, gramps," Cedez smiled, adjusting her leather outfit. "Still a bit woozy from the transformation, but otherwise okay. The dimensional bubble worked perfectly¡­ I think. I sort of remember being trapped, being annoyed and then guarding the space? Right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dave nodded. "And you''re sure you want to spend the entire night in there?" Murdoc pressed. "Yes," Cedez nodded firmly. "It''s better than losing myself completely to the flock and sharing all of our plans with ¡®em. Don¡¯t worry, grandpaw, Dave can keep an eye on me through Healy." ¡°You trust him?¡± ¡°I trust my hero,¡± Cedez grinned. ¡°How¡¯s he gonna watch over you all night?¡± Murdoc asked. He turned to Dave. ¡°Don¡¯t you sleep?¡± ¡°Actually¡­ I sort of don¡¯t,¡± Dave replied. ¡°One of my Phantomancy skills allows my soul to stay conscious while my body is asleep¡­ to communicate with the dead. I usually spend the nights talking to my detective friend Sherlock.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I see,¡± Murdoc squinted at Dave. ¡°Stop fretting granps!¡± Cedez smiled at the old Wizard. ¡°Remicra will be close by. She¡¯s my destined bestie. She can bonk Dave in the head if anything.¡± The sun was nearly touching the event horizon now, painting the world in deepening crimson. ¡°Very well,¡± Murdoc sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll see you tomorrow gramps!¡± Cedez grinned. She pulled Dave and Remicra down the spiral stairwell towards the lighthouse-facing meadow. ¡°Wait,¡± Remicra voiced, stopping in front of the door. ¡°There¡¯s only one very small bed in the lighthouse. My bed.¡± ¡°Hrm yeah,¡± Cedez tapped her chin. ¡°I saw.¡± Dave opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re not sleeping on the floor like a peasant,¡± Cedez declared. ¡°Bee-rrr-beee.¡± She rushed up the stairwell and returned with a large coin pouch. ¡°Shook some cash from grandpaw-bank,¡± she commented as she shoved the bag into Remicra¡¯s claws after pulling out four silver coins. ¡°Here. I trust you to keep track of it. There¡¯s about seventy silver in there.¡± Remicra eyed Dave. ¡°You can sense metal,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°So, you hold onto it. It¡¯s nearly impossible to steal money from you, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Remicra agreed, slipping the money pouch into her metal apron. ¡°I guess it is. So where are we staying if not the lighthouse?¡± ¡°Adventurers Guild!¡± Cedez pointed at the white cathedral in the distance. She pulled Dave and Remicra by their elbows across the grassy hill down to the city. After some ten minutes, they entered the massive building through the side door. Guardsman Golrik Bostrum grinned at the trio from behind his desk, revealing inhumanly sharp teeth, recognizing Dave. "Ah, the mysterious Healer-in-training with the Vitalix-Kitlix! Back for another night?" "Yeah," Dave nodded. "Need a room again." "Just one?" The guard raised an eyebrow, looking at Remicra and Cedez who were still connected to each other and to him via their elbows. "Uhh..." Dave hesitated. "One room with one bed," Cedez interjected smoothly before Dave said anything. "Queen sized! Maybe heart shaped!" "Ho!" Golrik barked a laugh. "First you show up with an inexplicably high-level Kitlix, now you''re back with two lovely ladies? Trying to speedrun Adventuring, are we Sir Dave? Should I expect you to conquer a dungeon by the end of the week?" Dave blushed slightly, considering the absurdity of his rapid rise in status and the fact that he already sort of conquered the Whispering Depths dungeon. "I... that''s not..." Remicra sputtered at his side, her scales igniting with brilliant pink from head to toe. "We''re not..." "Don''t listen to our dragon''s yapping," Cedez grinned. "We just bought her. She''s still not properly house trained." "CEDEZ!" Remicra hissed, turning red, her tail lashing behind her. "What?" The foxgirl asked innocently. "A room with a Queen bed is four silver," the guardsman said. Cedez quickly shoved four silver coins into his scaled hand. "Follow me," Golrik added, winking at Dave. Remicra made a strangled sound somewhere between a growl and a squeak as Cedez dragged her by the elbow up the spiral stairwell. Golrik led them up several flights of stairs to a room on the eighth floor. Then, the guardsman quickly directed an Ignix to make Dave a key from his token. "Room 818. Shared bathroom is down the hall. Enjoy your... Night." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Dave before departing. Dave opened the door revealing a spacious chamber with a large, comfortable-looking bed, a desk with the Nuntix Kitlix, and a small window overlooking the city. As soon as the door closed behind them, Remicra rounded on Cedez. "What was that about?!" she demanded, her scales undulating between pink and red. "What?" Cedez asked innocently. "I got us a nice room for cheap. More beds is more expensive. It¡¯s called being frugal." "You made it sound like... like¡­ we are¡­¡± Remicra sputtered. "Like what?" Cedez grinned. "Like we''re... you know!" Remicra growled, her tail lashing behind her. "Oh, am I making assumptions about you and Dave?" Cedez made a cheeky expression. "My bad! I just thought since you two were so cozy up in your loft earlier..." "We were just talking!" Remicra growl-protested. "Uh-huh," Cedez nodded sagely. "Just talking about dragons for two hours I bet." "Nothing happened!" The dragoness insisted. "Sure, sure," Cedez winked. The window shutters began to close as the somber wails of Night bells came from outside. "Anyway!" Cedez clapped her hands together. "Sun''s down. Time for me to get in my shadow-proof ball! Dave, if you would do the honors?" "Be safe," Remicra said quietly to Cedez as the foxgirl climbed into the Kitlix-manifested extradimensional space. "Uh-huh. Don''t worry about me, I''ll be fine, shadowing in a circle or whatever. Just keep our Dave company and make sure he doesn''t get too lonely watching me all night." Before Remicra could sputter another protest, Cedez pulled off her dress and threw it at Dave''s face. "Ready!" she called out cheerfully, her figure rapidly darkening with dancing shadow-flames. Dave deactivated the gate and opened the eye of the Kitlix. Cedez''s body became fully wrapped with writhing shadows. In another moment, she transformed completely into the many-winged, many-eyed serpentine creature. [Confusion! Where is Mother?! Where is nest? Where is flock?!] The shadow¡¯s thoughts crashed against Dave''s mind in waves of panic. [Guard duty! Remember? Special mission from Mother!] Dave projected back. The shadow beast''s multiple eyes blinked in sequence as recognition slowly filtered through. [Guard! Watch! Remember. Ready to strike enemies! Understood!] [Good. Stay alert.] Dave encouraged, relieved that the shadow version of Cedez was responding to the same story he''d used earlier. With Cedez safely contained in Healy''s dimensional space, Dave turned his attention back to the room. Remicra was standing by the window, watching as the enormous form of Nightingale descended from the clouds, its titanic body blocking out the false stars. "She''s okay in there?" the dragoness asked, not turning from the window. "Yeah," Dave replied. "She''s... guarding the space. The shadow version of her seems to respond well to being given a task." Remicra nodded, her scales shifting to a contemplative blue. "Good. That''s... good." "So..." Dave said, looking at the large bed. "About the sleeping arrangements..." Remicra growled, her scales flickering between pink and orange. "That meddlesome fox planned this!" "I can sleep on the floor," Dave offered quickly. "Or in the chair." "Don''t be ridiculous," Remicra huffed. "The floor is cold stone and that chair looks about as comfortable as Princess'' personality." As Dave considered his next reply, he felt a sudden shift in his connection with Healy. The shadow-creature had noticed his distraction and somehow seized partial and then full control of Healy. Silver-blue eyes bloomed across the body of the Kitlix staring at everything and eventually settled on the pair. [Attained greater control over space by fusing with minor shadow. Can¡¯t hear Mother''s song, but expanded vision! Two meat-forms observed! Enemies!] The shadow beast''s thoughts crashed into his mind as multiple blue eyes focused through Healy at Dave and Remicra. ¡°What the¡­? Remicra stared at the eldritch, eye-covered Kitlix. [No! Not enemies! Friends!] Dave quickly projected back. [Meat things! Enemies!] Cedez-shadow insisted. [Bisect small limbs first. Then large ones. Shred the body slowly and carefully not to damage core. Take core to Mother!] Dangerous-looking shadow blades stretched from Healy into all directions. [Stop! I am Shadow, like you!] Dave mentally snarled, blocking Remicra with his body. [This is a trick! You are weak meat, not shadow!] Cedez-monster thought-growled from the extradimensional space. [-61-] Obedience ¡°Those are shadow blades and Shadowbeast eyes!¡± Remicra hissed at Dave from behind. ¡°How¡¯d she take control of Healy?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Dave replied, sweating as Healy advanced towards them across the floor, making Dave and Remicra retreat up onto the bed. [Start with the smallest limb bits.] Healy jumped onto the bed, clearly intent on cutting off Dave¡¯s fingers and toes. "Healy, stop!" Dave commanded, but the Kitlix continued advancing, her form bristling with glittering dark blades. [Must harvest core for Mother! Meat things are enemies!] Alien thoughts crashed through their connection, pounding against his head. Dave frantically tried to think of a way to regain control. Remicra squeezed the hammer Cedez bought her. ¡°Don¡¯t attack Healy,¡± Dave whispered. ¡°If the extradimensional hexagram she¡¯s holding is disrupted even slightly, then we lose Cedez forever to the Void.¡± ¡°I know,¡± the dragoness hissed back. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± Both of them reached the end of the bed, bumping into the bedframe and into each other. "Do something!" Remicra hissed. [I AM SHADOW!] Dave mentally roared, activating his amplified Charisma and projecting the eldritch presence of Nightingale through their connection. He pictured himself as a vast, dark shadow with many blue eyes, pushing all the remaining bits of Huntsmaws to the forefront of his soul. [STAND DOWN!] Healy froze, her many eyes blinking in confusion. [You... shadow? But meat shell...] The shadow-Cedez''s thoughts wavered slightly. [Yes. I hide in meat form at night. Secret mission. Important task.] Dave projected firmly. [Observe the Shadow in me as proof!] [Hrm. You do have Shadow in your meat. Strange.] The shadow creature''s confusion deepened. [Kill the meat thing behind you if you are Shadow!] [No kill meat thing! This is MY meat thing! Mine! Own her!] Dave projected back desperately, pushing back the image of Remicra¡¯s slave collar in his head. [Special mission from Mother - watch meat thing! Study this meat thing!] [Study... meat thing?] The shadow creature''s confusion rippled through their connection. [Why study? Just harvest core! Mother wants cores. More cores, bigger hive!] [Important, new Understandings! Must learn meat thing behaviors, strengths, weaknesses!] Dave improvised. [Meat things¡­ infest our hive during the day when we are asleep! Must understand meat behavior! Own this meat thing! Can prove!] [Don''t understand. Show! Demonstrate meat thing control!] The Cedez-shadow demanded through Healy. "What''s happening?" Remicra whispered, still pressed against Dave''s back. "She wants me to prove I own you by ordering you around," Dave replied with a wince. "What?!" Remicra hissed. [Command meat thing! Show control!] Shadow-Cedez insisted eagerly through Healy. [Going to make her sit down. Observe.] Dave took a deep breath. "Remicra... can you... um... sit?" The dragoness''s scales flashed orange. "I am not a pet!" [No control! Trickery!] The shadow creature''s thoughts radiated disapproval. "She''s not buying it," Dave muttered. ¡°Sit!¡± "Fine!" Remicra growled. She slipped from behind Dave and sat on the bed with exaggerated obedience, her tail lashing behind her. "Happy now?" [Slow! Meat thing disrespectful! Slow compliance!] Shadow-Cedez projected. [Order meat thing roll over! Jump! Wiggle every appendage in varying degrees of sync! Prove control!] Dave groaned internally. "Remy... roll over, then jump, then dance¡­ wiggling your limbs.¡± "I will END you both," Remicra growled, her scales now bright red. ¡°Am I a joke to you?! Is she screwing with me from in there?!¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. [Where is compliance?! PROVE COMPLIANCE!] The shadow beast''s thoughts practically screamed in Dave''s head. [Establish dominance!] ¡°Remicra, just bloody do what I tell you,¡± Dave turned to the dragoness. ¡°I¡¯m serious. This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± Remicra''s eyes narrowed, but something in Dave''s expression must have convinced her of the gravity of the situation. With an exasperated growl, she flopped onto her back and rolled over on the bed, her tail nearly whacking Dave in the face. "There! I rolled over!" she snarled. Then, with movements that suggested she was imagining various creative ways to murder them both, she jumped up and down on the bed and then began to dance, awkwardly wiggling her arms, legs, and tail. [Meat thing moves strange,] Shadow-Cedez observed through Healy. [Affixed joints. Inefficient locomotion. Lack of coordination. Limited, finite limbs. Weak. Prey. Order meat thing to display maximum flexibility!] Dave swallowed. The absurdity of the situation he found himself in was rapidly escalating. ¡°What now?¡± Remicra groaned, still dancing awkwardly. "She wants to... assess your physical capabilities," Dave translated. ¡°Uh. Do stretches. Touch your toes.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± "Please? She''s studying your... um... biomechanics." With a deadly glare, Remicra bent forward, her tail sticking straight up for balance as she attempted to touch her toes. Her scales cycled rapidly between red and orange as she stretched, sending Dave and the Kitlix angry glares. [Interesting! Limited motion radius! Order meat thing attempt full rotation at full speed!] "Spin around as quickly as you can," Dave translated. As Remicra spun in an angry circle, gritting her teeth, her tail knocked the Nuntix from the bedside table. The crystalline creature shimmered and climbed back on, sending Remicra a somewhat blank, slightly bothered look. [Very poor spatial awareness! Coordination suboptimal! No eyes on back.] ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡± ¡°The Shadowbeast is not impressed with your spatial awareness.¡± Remicra growled, her body undulating between red, orange and pink. [Sound emissions detected! Meat thing produces vibrations! Order meat thing to produce more vibration types!] "She wants you to... make a variety of noises," Dave said apologetically. "WHAT?! I am NOT going to-" Remicra''s scales turned such a brilliant shade of pink that she was practically glowing like a nuclear reactor. [COMPLIANCE REQUIRED!] "Remy, please," Dave whispered urgently. "This isn''t a game. She''s literally trying to decide if we''re worth harvesting for parts. We have to keep her distracted!¡± Dave watched with a lopsided small smile as Remicra, her scales cycling between mortified pink and furious red, produced a series of increasingly reluctant squeaks, growls, purrs, and chirps. [Order meat thing demonstrate maximum volume capacity!] "She wants you to... uh... roar. As loud as you can," Dave added. With a glare, the dragoness took a deep breath and let out an impressively loud roar that made the window shutters rattle. [More. Order it to produce more coordinated vibration.] "Now sing something," Dave said. ¡°Sing what?¡± Remicra asked, dark, sharp claws opening and closing. "Anything!" Remicra''s eye twitched. Her claws dug into the bedsheets as she took several deep breaths, her scales cycling through shades of red and orange. Finally, she closed her eyes and began to hum. The melody started low and haunting, like wind through mountain caves. As her voice gained confidence, the tune transformed into something both melancholic and beautiful. Dave found himself momentarily lost in the song. [Acceptable. Query: Why meat thing change colors?] [Meat thing¡­ has secondary affinity that¡¯s not meat,] Dave explained. [Metal changing colors depending on mood.] [Don¡¯t understand. Make meat thing explain it. Listening. Observing. Understanding vibration communication.] ¡°Yes?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°She wants to know why you¡¯re changing colors. Explain. She¡¯s listening to you through Healy¡¯s ears.¡± "My scales change color based on my emotions," the dragoness replied, staring at the many-eyed Kitlix. Her tail lashed behind her as she spoke, her claws flexing. "This constant color shifting is happening because of this damn collar! Without it binding me, feeding on my mana and restricting my Innate defensive magic, I''d have full control. Without it on, I can blend better into the landscape, become less visible. But no - this damn thing puts all of my emotions on display!" Remicra snarled. [Meat thing has defense capabilities! Suppressed! Limited because colorful meat thing is bound to obey! Proceed. Explain current color variance.] ¡°Keep talking,¡± Dave said, mentally trying to wrestle control of the Kitlix from the shadow. ¡°Explain the colors.¡± ¡°Urgh. Orange means I''m annoyed. Like right now. Very, very annoyed. Red means I''m angry or stressed," Remicra began, her voice taking on an edge. "And trust me, I''m feeling plenty of both right now. Pink is... ugh, never mind. Green means I¡¯m jealous or suspicious. Blue is when I''m calm or thinking, which isn''t happening much at the moment. Violet means I''m focused or working. Gold means I''m curious, excited or interested in something." [Why it skip pink? Trying to hide information?!] ¡°Don¡¯t skip the pink,¡± Dave said. "Fine!" Remicra snapped. "Pink means... attraction. Or embarrassment. Or both. Usually both. Happy?" [Attraction? Embarrassment? Don''t understand. Explain both. Display both.] The shadow creature''s thoughts pulsed with curiosity. "She¡¯s like a hive insect. She doesn''t understand attraction or embarrassment," Dave said. "She wants you to... demonstrate." "Absolutely not!" Remicra''s scales flashed brilliant pink. [Meat thing uncooperative. Slice this one up and find another!] "She''s insisting," Dave said. ¡°She is considering cutting you up and locating another specimen, one that¡¯s more compliant.¡± Remicra buried her face in her hands with a groan. "This is revenge, isn''t it? Cedez is in there somewhere, laughing at me." "I don''t think the Shadow version of her remembers being Cedez," Dave replied. ¡°I¡¯m not sensing anything like that from her. She¡¯s¡­ somehow fused with Healy from the inside. I don¡¯t even know how or why. Just explain embarrassment.¡± "Alright, fine!" Remicra growled, glaring at Dave¡¯s Kitlix. "You want to understand embarrassment? This whole situation is embarrassing! Being forced to perform like some pet, having my emotions on display, being studied like a specimen - it''s bloody embarrassing!" [-62-] Affection Study [Don''t understand. Why meat thing resist observation? Purpose of embarrassment?] "She wants to know why being observed causes distress," Dave translated. "Because I''m not a thing to be studied!" Remicra snapped. "I have dignity! Or, at least I did, before this nonsense started!" [Dignity? Don''t understand. Explain dignity. Show dignity.] Shadow-Cedez demanded through Healy. "She wants you to explain and demonstrate dignity," Dave said. "How do I even..." Remicra growled. She straightened her back and lifted her chin, trying to look regal despite her disheveled state. "Dignity is... self-respect. Pride. Standing tall, even when others try to break you down." [Pride? Break down? Meat thing resists disassembly? Show fighting pose, display resistance to being taken apart!] "Um," Dave said. "Demonstrate resistance to being... taken apart." "What?! How am I supposed to- Never mind." Remicra flexed her claws and assumed a fighting stance on the bed. "Like this. I resist. I¡­ fight back!" [Inefficient combat stance. Balance suboptimal on soft surface. Demonstrate better fighting position.] "She says your stance is wrong and wants you to show proper combat form," Dave translated, trying not to laugh. "Oh, for- Fine!" Remicra hopped off the bed and demonstrated several martial stances, her tail swishing behind her for balance. Then she suddenly swung her metal hammer inches from Dave¡¯s face with a growl, making him blink rapidly. ¡°Happy?!¡± [Now demonstrate attraction!] ¡°She¡¯s demanding a demonstration of¡­ attraction,¡± Dave said. "I am NOT explaining attraction to a shadow monster!" Remicra''s scales flashed brilliant pink. [Meat thing displays pink again! Order it to explain attraction significance!] "She''s really fixated on understanding it," Dave translated. "Maybe if you just..." "Argh!" Remicra threw her hands up. "Attraction is when you find someone attractive! Like how Dave is being attractive, even though he''s a complete idiot who lets Shadow monsters take control of his Kitlix!" [Demonstrate attraction behavior patterns!] The shadow demanded eagerly. "Ugh," Dave groaned. "She wants you to... show attraction behaviors." "WHAT?!" Remicra''s scales went nuclear pink again. "I am NOT going to-" [Disobedience observed.] The Kitlix became covered in shadow blades. "She¡¯s not satisfied with that response," Dave said. "I hate you both so much right now," Remicra growled. But with the shadow blades hovering threateningly close, she forced herself to continue. She fluttered her eyelashes again, twirled a lock of her ruby hair around one claw, and gave Dave what she probably thought was a flirtatious smile, but looked more like she was planning his murder. [Meat thing displays obvious physical impairment! Eyes malfunctioning! Immobile crystalline limb entanglement! Teeth baring threatens violence! Trickery?] ¡°She, uhhh¡­ thinks that you¡¯re tricking her,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°I¡¯m seriously so done with whatever this is,¡± Remicra growled, gripping her weapon. ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how close I am to smashing that damn Kitlix with my hammer, consequences be damned.¡± [Meat thing hostile, disobedient.] More shadow blades bloomed from the Kitlix. [I will slice up this one. You can find another.] [Wait!] Dave projected frantically. [Look! Attraction ritual initiation!] He turned and pulled Remicra into a tight embrace. The dragoness squeaked in surprise, her tail curling around his leg reflexively, fingers slipping from the metal hammer.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± She hissed at Dave. ¡°Displaying attraction,¡± he whispered. ¡°Play along and hug me back, damn it.¡± Remicra hesitantly wrapped her arms around Dave, scales dancing with pink and violet. [See? Mutual embrace! Important bonding ritual!] Dave projected, trying to explain attraction to the Shadow creature through mental images. [Like... uhhhh... how Shadows join together in the flock!] [Shadows join for strength! To become bigger, stronger! To serve Mother! To slice, bigger, stronger enemies. This... strange. Why meat things press together? Not merging. Not becoming stronger. Not fusing body or thoughts. Inefficient!] "What''s she saying now?" Remicra whispered against Dave''s neck. He felt her beating heart, her body a few degrees warmer than his. [Accelerated meat inner organ pulse and fluid motion observed,] Cedez-shadow commented, observing their hearts and veins through Healy¡¯s eyes. [No fusion. Meat things cannot combine into one? Cannot think together? Inferior. Weak.] "She doesn''t understand why we''re hugging and not merging into a bigger creature," Dave replied with a small smile. ¡°Eh?¡± Remicra blinked. [Explain purpose! Why meat things waste energy on inefficient contact?] The shadow demanded through Healy. "She wants to know why we''re ''wasting energy'' on hugging," Dave translated. Remicra groaned. "Because it feels nice, you obtuse Shadow! Because being close to¡­ Ugh, to someone you care about is... comforting!" [Don''t understand ''nice''! Don''t understand ''comfort''! Demonstrate more clearly!] ¡°She doesn¡¯t get it,¡± Dave said. "Oh, for the love of..." Remicra muttered. But she snuggled closer to Dave, her tail curling tighter around his leg. "Like this, see? Warm, connected, and safe!" [Safety understood. Safety when hive bigger. Mother is safety. Connection? Meat things take long time to form connections for mental fusion? How long?] Dave grinned. ¡°What are you grinning about?¡± Remicra whisper-hissed. ¡°You think tormenting me like this is funny?¡± ¡°She¡¯s asking how long it takes,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to torment you, I swear. I¡¯m just finding¡­ amusement in the absurdity of our situation.¡± ¡°How long WHAT takes?!¡± Remicra ignited with red-orange. ¡°She thinks we''re attempting some kind of... mental fusion ritual, like Shadows do to combine to overpower enemies," Dave explained, trying not to laugh. "She wants to know the timeline for complete merging of consciousness." [Time estimate required! How many night-day cycles until meat things achieve full mental convergence?] The shadow demanded through Healy. "Abyss! We''re not trying to merge minds!" Remicra growled. "That''s not how relationships work!" [Explain ''relationships''! Demonstrate relationship protocols!] "She wants you to explain relationships now," Dave added, struggling very hard to keep a straight face. "I am NOT giving relationship education to a Shadowbeast!" Remicra declared, trying to pull away. ¡°What is this?!¡± ¡°Quit flailing,¡± Dave whispered, sliding everything into Strength and holding her tighter. "Do you want to get stabbed by a Shadow blade?¡± "Fine!" Remicra huffed, settling back against Dave''s chest. "Relationships are... when two people care about each other and want to spend time together. To support each other. To..." [Explain support of meat-things!] "She wants examples of support," Dave exhaled. "Like... helping each other through difficult times," Remicra replied. Her voice softened slightly as she continued, "Like how Dave helped free me from that lighthouse. Or how he''s trying to help Cedez now, even though she''s being an absolute PAIN about it!" The smith growled much softer and closed her eyes, falling silent. Her breath became relaxed as she slipped lower on the bed. Dark blue tones replaced the pink and orange. She didn¡¯t let go of Dave. [Heartbeat slowing? What is the meat thing doing now?] [Resting,] Dave explained sliding down onto the bed. [It is dark. Meat things rest, sleep at night. Meat thing life cycle does not match that of the Shadow. When they rest, the Shadows are active.] [Rest?! Why rest?! Who permitted meat thing to rest? Must study weaknesses!] [Meat things need sleep to function properly. Can''t study if the meat is too tired,] Dave explained, yawning. Remicra felt warm like a heater and he¡¯d had a long day. [Look, why don¡¯t you study the meat thing as it sleeps? Isn¡¯t that interesting? Mother wishes you to study meat things. Important, new, fancy job!] [Acceptable. Will observe meat thing rest cycle,] Shadow-Cedez agreed. The Kitlix''s many eyes remained fixed on Dave and Remicra as they lay on the bed. "What''s happening now?" Remicra murmured sleepily against Dave''s chest. "She''s agreed to study us while we sleep," Dave replied softly. "I think we''re safe from being dissected for now." "Mhm. Good," Remicra yawned, her tail still wrapped around Dave''s leg. "You can monitor her, yeh? Wake me if she tries to harvest our cores or whatever." ¡°Can do,¡± Dave said. As Remicra drifted off to sleep, her scales settled into a peaceful blue with hints of pink. Dave remained awake, vigilantly maintaining the connection with Shadow-Cedez through Healy, worried that she might figure out how to reach out to Leviathan Nightingale through the Kitlix. [Meat thing displays color change during rest cycle,] the Shadow observed, coming closer and pawing the sleeping dragoness with Healy¡¯s crystalline paw. [Why?] [Dreams,] Dave explained, his focus becoming progressively smothered by the warmth of the dragon girl in his arms. [Meat things see things in their minds while they sleep. Stop moving around, stay close and observe. Order from Mother.] He activated Dreamspace Communion as his eyes refused to stay open. [-63-] Shadow Analysis Dave found himself sitting in Sherlock''s office, the familiar space still very infected with otherness. The walls seemed to pulse with shadowy veins. Bits and pieces of the Voidtree seemed to be blooming above them, branches reaching out from a cracked wall and forming a creepy overhang made from two-dimensional leaves. Healy, still afflicted with a multitude of blue Shadow-eyes, manifested on the metal desk covered in dark, multi-dimensional cracks. [Strange space detected! New observation zone! Analyzing! New Enemy?!] Shadow-blades sprouted across Healy-Cedez, pointed at Sherlock. ¡°No,¡± Sherlock¡¯s voice became entwined with that of many female voices, his eyes igniting with blue from within. Myriads of blue, brilliant eyes sprouted in deep, dark cracks along his face, along the desk and along the walls, staring at Healy. ¡°I am the greater Shadow of this domain. Submit for I am your Elder Beast, fusion of many, Song of the Multitude.¡± Healy''s shadow blades retracted immediately as the Kitlix curled into a submissive ball. [Elder! Greater fusion! My Apologies! This one obeys!] "Good," Sherlock''s fractured form replied, blue eyes dancing across the cracks in reality. "Report your observations of the meat things." [Meat things display weakness! Inferior motion, easy to cut down from behind! Press together but do not merge! Change colors! Make sounds! Rest during active hours!] Shadow-Cedez reported eagerly through Healy. "Continue monitoring them for weaknesses," Sherlock commanded. "Record all behaviors for analysis to later report directly to me. Understood?¡± [Yes, Greater-Fusion-Elder! Will study meat things! Important mission from Mother!] Healy almost saluted. ¡°Remain here as the smallest fraction if I require you, but focus your attention entirely on the sleeping meat,¡± Sherlock ordered. ¡°Absorb some of her flaking metal scales for study too. Understood?¡± [Understood!] Healy became a frozen statue, the eyes vanishing away. Only a single blue eye remained on the Kitlix staring at nothing. The blue eyes vanished from Sherlock¡¯s face, fading into darkness. The detective turned to Dave. "That was... impressive," Dave commented, stretching in his chair. "You can imitate a Shadow Elder-whatever?" "There are advantages to being fragmented by multiple personalities," Sherlock replied, straightening his suit. "Thanks to your absorption of various Shadow fragments, I could temporarily manifest as a fusion of many. Those eyes belonged to the Huntsmaws and the Princesses. It seemed the most rationally effective way to establish dominance over our... guest." "Good thinking," Dave nodded. "Though I''m a bit worried about how easily she took control of Healy." ¡°This is what Shadows do,¡± Sherlock explained. ¡°They can fuse together to defeat greater enemies. It is natural to them just as analytical thinking is to me.¡± ¡°Could she reach out to the Leviathan this way?¡± Dave asked with a concerned look. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Sherlock shook his head. ¡°Healy doesn¡¯t have anywhere near enough Shadow in her for that as she¡¯s still mostly Vitalix Kitlix. Whatever orders the Leviathan projects are being blocked by the crystalline body of the Kitlix and the extradimensional bubble.¡± ¡°She made Shadow blades on Healy,¡± Dave pointed out. "Those weren''t actually Shadow blades," Sherlock corrected, pulling out his violin. "More like... crystalline protrusions shaped like Shadow blades. The Shadow essence within Healy was trying to replicate its natural weapons, but could only manage an approximation using the Kitlix''s crystalline structure. Rather like how a child might build a sword out of wooden blocks - it looks similar, but lacks the fundamental properties of the real thing." "So she couldn¡¯t actually hurt us with those?" Dave asked, blushing ever so slightly at making Remicra do so many embarrassing things. "Oh, they could certainly cause injury - crystal is quite sharp after all," Sherlock made the crack-covered violin produce a note, wincing as it sounded wrong to his ears. ¡°The crystal blades wouldn''t be able to cut through solid walls nor connect to the Leviathan''s power.¡± "That''s... reassuring," Dave rubbed the throbbing, dark cracks in his hands. "Though I''m still worried about what might happen if Shadow-Cedez gets bored of studying Remicra.¡± "Hence why I ordered her to focus entirely on this job," Sherlock smiled. "Shadows are quite hierarchical - they''ll follow orders from what they perceive as a greater shadow entity. By giving her a specific task and establishing dominance, we''ve provided structure to contain her more... destructive impulses." "Like keeping a predator occupied with a toy instead of letting it hunt," Dave mused. "Precisely," Sherlock nodded. "Though in this case, our ''toy'' is a sleeping dragoness who changes colors." "Speaking of Remicra..." Dave began. "Ah yes, your growing attachment to the Pathosteel dragon," Sherlock''s green eyes twinkled with amusement. "Quite fascinating how your souls resonate." "What do you mean by that?" "Your souls appear to have a natural or perhaps unnatural compatibility," Sherlock explained. "Like two pieces of code that could seamlessly integrate. It''s likely why Shadow-Cedez talked about fusion - she can sense the potential for deep connection between you, even if she doesn''t understand it." ¡°Unnaturally?¡± ¡°Arx is a mind-bogglingly large, physically impossible megastructure created by an unknown architect. The connection between you and Remicra was likewise potentially architected by someone.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Unknown,¡± Sherlock put the violin onto the table. ¡°Right,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°There¡¯s something there. Something really deep between me and Remy.¡± "Yes. Sort of like¡­ the Observer Causality Effect in quantum mechanics," Sherlock nodded. "The act of observing a quantum system changes its behavior. Your Phantomancy allows you to observe souls at a fundamental level. Except, when you look at Remicra with Healy''s sight, you''re not just seeing her - you''re interacting with her soul structure.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Dave thought about Remicra¡¯s warmth. "You were supposedly summoned to Shandria multiple times,¡± Sherlock speculated. ¡°Each time, there was a system in place to guide you - Lari''s Cantigeist and its Maidenlynes. Now we find a dragoness whose soul perfectly resonates with yours. This feels less like coincidence and more like... some kind of engineering." ¡°What about Cedez?¡± Dave contemplated. ¡°Cedez is a fraction of an incredibly damaged, fractured soul, a hollow shell filled with Shadowmancy and greatly modified by Necromancer Kells,¡± Sherlock said. ¡°Who, if Saint Saria¡¯s Cantigeist is to be believed, is¡­.¡± "Another me," Dave frowned. "Who went insane, failed to take over Shandria and killed Princess Astrix Nixlix. What do you make of that, Sherlock?" The detective''s cracked form leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "The implications are... troubling. If what Saint Saria claims is true, there have been multiple iterations of you, each summoned to Shandria, each ultimately succumbing to madness inflicted by their skill." "But why? I only died twice! There should only be me and Kells at most! Why the hell would there be¡­ others?¡± ¡°Insufficient data for a meaningful answer,¡± Sherlock shrugged, quoting a passage from Dave¡¯s favorite book by Isaac Asimov. ¡°Perhaps the other Daves that the Dragon God Emperor summoned simply came from other, alternative Earths? Perhaps on some other Earth, you fell off a bike, or slipped in a bath, or ate too many burgers and encountered a heart attack, or perished at a ripe old age?¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Dave rubbed his face. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of Daves then. Do you think that¡­¡± ¡°Lari¡¯s Cantigeist is working hard to ¡®help nearest Dave Walter get to Shandria¡¯ and then once you¡¯re here, it tries hard to ¡®protect Dave¡¯ through its Maidenlynes,¡± Sherlock nodded. ¡°But it isn¡¯t Lari. Whatever takes over Terri is just a blurry fraction of your best friend, an algorithm that¡¯s been left running for two hundred years after her death.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dav sighed. ¡°It wanted to erase Cedez to protect me.¡± "Indeed. The Cantigeist seems to have been poorly made or decayed to the point where it¡¯s become overly focused on a single directive¨Cyour protection," Sherlock observed. "It''s lost sight of the broader implications, the human element. Rather like a computer program that achieves its goal through unintended methods because it wasn''t properly constrained. Instrumental convergence.¡± Dave nodded. "The question is," Sherlock leaned forward. "What exactly drove the previous Daves insane? Was it simply the overwhelming nature of consuming souls, or was there something else at work? Some other external force pushing them toward madness?" ¡°We do have a solution to the madness,¡± Dave pointed out. ¡°Just put excessive souls into Healy.¡± "Yes," Sherlock nodded. "Healy serves as an excellent external storage device for the more... problematic aspects of absorbed souls. Though I wonder if there might be unexpected consequences to this arrangement." "Like what?" Dave asked. "Consider what happened tonight," Sherlock gestured at the frozen, single-eyed Healy. "The Shadowmancy essence we stored in her partially took control. What if other aspects of the souls stored within her begin to manifest in similar ways? Consider what happens when Healy splits?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Dave blinked. ¡°Is she going to¡­ split tonight then? Shit. Is that going to collapse the extradimensional space?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s absorbing high Aetheric density spilling out from Leviathan Nightingale right now,¡± Sherlock nodded. ¡°She will likely split by the end of the night.¡± ¡°Into¡­ how many Kitlix?¡± ¡°Unknown. I am monitoring the situation, readjusting the crystalline structure best I can, holding her together,¡± Sherlock assured. ¡°Whatever happens I¡¯m going to make sure that the extradimensional space remains uncompromised. Hopefully, I can hold her together until the moment when Nightningale goes back into the cloud. That way, you can pull Cedez out of there right before Healy splits.¡± ¡°Do you want me to¡­?¡± Dave offered. ¡°No. Don¡¯t take my job away David,¡± Sherlock smiled. ¡°Managing her crystalline latticework from within is quite the challenge, but it is one that¡¯s fitting my particular set of skills. I am to improve the final results by introducing extra elements to it.¡± ¡°Then what should I¡­?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Go over your memories of self. Remember everything there is to remember about Dave. Meditate on who you are and what your goals and dreams are. Maybe it¡¯ll help clear up some of the mess inside you,¡± Sherlock waved at the sheared, extradimensional cracks covering the office. ¡°Reinforce your sense of self as much as you are able. Start with your earliest, strongest memory.¡± ¡°I¡­ ugh,¡± Dave said. ¡°My first memory isn¡¯t that¡­ great.¡± ¡°It still makes up who you are, David,¡± Sherlock said. ¡°Go over it again, even if it''s painful, it¡¯s who you are. You¡¯re not a Void Archmage. You¡¯re not me. You¡¯re not a Shandrian ex-princess. You need to do this to fight the fragmentation.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Dave sighed. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back through the years, sifting through the tangled web of memories until he reached his earliest recollection.
He was sitting cross-legged on a brown shag 80¡¯s carpet. His parents'' voices rose and fell in the kitchen, sharp and angry. The TV was showing Sesame Street, an episode he¡¯s already seen. "You spent HOW much on these... these THINGS?!" His father''s voice thundered. "They''re educational toys! The doctor said¡ª" his mother tried to explain. "I don''t care what some quack said! We can barely pay the bills as it is with you putting all this crap on my VISA!" Young Dave turned the dial. A talking man. Boring. Dancing. Boring. He turned the dial again, until there were no channels left and stared intently at the TV static, trying to find patterns in the dancing black and white dots. He''d discovered that if he focused hard enough, he could almost see shapes emerging from the chaos - dragons soaring through storm clouds, castles floating in the sky, entire worlds hidden in the noise. Endlessness. Another place, another time. Anywhere but here. "He needs structure! Activities! The therapist said¡ª" "More doctors! More bills! He just needs discipline!" ¡°Michael, he¡¯s your son, you never spend time with him!¡± This is when his Dad started to swear after finding another thing his Mom bought. ¡°Yes, because I¡¯m working two effin¡¯ jobs while you stay home and buy useless, ugly shit filling every God-damned shelf to the brim! What the hell is this?! When are you going to stop buying shit, Rachel?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a collectible plate set that¡­¡± Dave reached a small, chubby hand turned up the volume, letting the white noise wash over him, blocking out the screams of their parents and the sound of smashing glass plates that his Dad threw against the wall. He¡¯s asked his parents not to fight, but they just ignored him. In the static, he imagined he could see a friendly violet-gold eyed crystalline dragon, curled protectively around him, its scales shifting colors like a kaleidoscope. Like the magic ring he¡¯s seen on the TV ad. The dragon would protect him from the shouting, from the anger, from everything that was too loud and too bright and too much. [-64-] Pattern in the Abyss One memory connected to another, then another. Step by step he moved across the landscape of self, somehow recalling things he¡¯s long forgotten, and hadn''t thought about for so long. Painful, old memories, things he¡¯s buried from himself. Seven-year old Dave sat in the too-large leather chair, his feet dangling above the floor. The mood ring his mother bought him was warm on his finger, its liquid crystals shifting between dark blue, orange and black. He kept turning it, pulling it on and off, watching the colors dance. "Tell me more about your friend," Dr. Harrison said, her pen poised over a yellow legal pad. She was a stern-looking woman with rectangular glasses and graying hair pulled back in a tight bun. "She''s a dragon," Dave replied, not looking up from his ring. "Her scales change colors like this ring. She protects me when Mom and Dad fight." "And where does this dragon come from?" The psychiatrist''s pen scratched across the paper. "From the patterns," Dave explained. "In the TV static. In the carpet. In the wallpaper. She''s always there if you look hard enough." "I see," Dr. Harrison''s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°And how does she make you feel?¡± ¡°Better,¡± Dave replied. "She''s nice. She''s kind. She understands me." More scratching of the pen. "David, we''ve talked about this. Dragons aren''t real. Your... friend... is something you''ve created in your mind because you''re having trouble dealing with your parents'' divorce." "She IS real," Dave insisted, his small hands clenching into fists. "Just because you can''t see her doesn''t mean she''s not there!" "David," Dr. Harrison''s voice took on that special adult tone that meant she was about to say something he wouldn''t like. "I think it''s time we tried something new. I''m going to prescribe some medicine that will help you focus better and stop seeing things that aren''t there." "I don''t want medicine," Dave protested. "I want my dragon friend! I want her to be real! Maybe if I focus enough on the pattern, she will be real!¡± "The medicine will help you make real friends," Dr. Harrison explained patiently. "Friends your own age. Wouldn''t you like that?" Dave shook his head violently. "Other kids are loud and mean. She understands me. She''s quiet when I need quiet. She changes colors with my moods, just like my ring! She..." "David," Dr. Harrison interrupted. "You''re seven years old now. Too old for imaginary friends. These... patterns you see, this dragon - they''re not healthy. The medicine will help make them go away." "I don''t want them to go away!" Dave shouted, jumping up from the chair. His mood ring had turned an angry red-black. "You''re just like everyone else! You don''t understand!" He ran out of the office, ignoring Dr. Harrison''s calls for him to come back. In the waiting room, his mother looked up from her magazine, startled. "David? What''s wrong? We still have twenty minutes..." But Dave kept running, out into the hallway, down the stairs, not stopping until he reached the building''s entrance. There, he pressed himself into a corner, breathing hard, his hand clutched over his mood ring. In the patterns of the speckled linoleum floor, he could see the familiar form taking shape, her scales shifting through concerned violets and blues. He imagined that she curled around him protectively, a shield against the world that didn''t understand. A shield against the pain, against mundanity, against everyone. "I won''t let them make you go away," he whispered to the pattern. "I promise. Promise.¡± . . . His mom must have mixed the meds into his meals because he stopped seeing the fractal pattern converging into his best friend. He held onto the ring, trying to bring the pattern back in his dreams. It didn¡¯t work. Day by day, month by month, year by year, he changed and forgot all about why he loved his little ring. He just knew that the ring was precious. That the ring was his little anchor to something else, to something special. Not making many friends, he retreated further and further into himself. School became even more difficult. The medication made him feel fuzzy and strange, like he was moving through molasses. He couldn''t focus on anything except computers. They made sense in a way people didn''t. Computers followed logical patterns, predictable rules. If you understood the patterns, you could make them do amazing things. By age twelve, he was spending most of his time in the school''s computer lab, learning BASIC programming during lunch breaks. The lab teacher, Mr. Darish, recognized his aptitude and started giving him extra projects. "You have a gift, David," Mr. Darish told him one day. "You see patterns that others miss. That''s valuable in programming. Something for you to focus on.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave said, touching the ring on his neck. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that.¡± . . . Myriads of mundane days, like gray raindrops. By sixteen, Dave had fully immersed himself in programming, spending countless hours writing code. The patterns in the code made sense in a way nothing else did. His old ring hung on a thin chain around his neck, a comforting weight against his chest as he typed. His home life had deteriorated further. His mother''s hoarding had gotten so bad that he could barely navigate through the house. Stacks of newspapers, magazines, and "collectibles" created narrow pathways between rooms. The patterns in the clutter seemed chaotic, random, wrong. Nothing like the beautiful, ordered patterns he could create in code.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. His father had long moved out, leaving Dave alone with his mother and her endless accumulation of things. The fighting had stopped, but the silence and the growing pipes of things that replaced it was almost worse. . . . "Mom," he''d say, trying to reach her as she arranged and rearranged her collection. "We need to clean some of this out. We can barely move..." "No!" she''d clutch whatever item was nearest. ¡°You cannot take it away!¡± He didn''t. . . . ¡°Why can''t I take these old books to Goodwill?¡± He asked, exasperated. ¡°You aren''t even reading them!¡± "Everything has its place. Everything has meaning. You don¡¯t understand David.¡± ¡°What don¡¯t I understand, mom?¡± He sighed, pulling up and opening the nearest open book. Random words were circled in it. A line was traced in the empty spaces, jumping from word to word like a mad, chaotic spiderweb. Great, now there was no way to just donate these. She¡¯s scribbled all over them. "The System Wizards," his mother whispered, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the wallpaper covered in similar scribbles. "They''re watching us through the patterns. They control everything, David. The System... it''s all connected. Can''t you see it?" Dave froze, his hand instinctively going to the mood ring in his chest. ¡°See what?¡± ¡°Omnicode! The patterns are everywhere," she continued, her voice taking on a new, unsettling cadence. "In the static, in the walls, in the Numbers. They built our world, David. Built it wrong, for the entertainment of one man. It''s all manufactured. Artificial. We''re just programs running in their simulation. Everything is simulated, fake!" "Mom," Dave said carefully. "You''re not making sense.¡± "No, no, you don''t understand!" She grabbed his shoulders, her eyes wild. "I see it now! I was blind but now I see clearly. Why do you think I need all these things? They''re anchors! Protection!¡± ¡°What? Mom, you''re not making any sense, damn it! We have to clean all of this trash up! You¡¯re piling stuff outside the house now in concentric rings! Why?! What the hell are you doing in the basement, digging a hole? Why is there a growing pile of dirt outside?¡± ¡°I need more room! I¡¯m building an engine, David. A great engine of desire¡­ A weapon that can divide anything, anyone by zero. I¡¯m making the Sumerian Difference Engine. I have to reach Infinity, David. I see her in my dreams, a girl with violet eyes, Number Eight.¡± Dave gently removed her hands. "Mom, please. You need to take your medication..." "The medication is how they control us!" She hissed. "Makes us blind to the truth! You used to see it too, remember? A friend in the patterns? Before they made you stop seeing? I was wrong David! I was wrong! I understand it all now! When I¡¯m done, I¡¯m going to open a door to Manchester!¡± ¡°Manchester, New Hampshire?¡± ¡°No, David! The city of System Wizards on Mercury! What remains of their Mercury after the infinite, self-replicating city spread out from their Earth across the Solar System.¡± His mother¡¯s brown-gray eyes gleamed. ¡°It¡¯s where they all meet! I¡¯m going to reach it and give them what for! They made it all. They made it all and they don¡¯t care! They don¡¯t see us as people! I have to save the people of our Earth, David! Please! You have to understand! Please! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I made you stop seeing it!¡± Her eyes filled with tears. "Mom, I was a kid. Whatever I saw, wasn''t real,¡± he said. ¡°I think that we have the same mental problem, a disorder called¡­¡± "It WAS real!" His mother insisted. "What we have is a blessing given to us by Infinity! You saw through the veil of Omnicode, past our reality into the future! That''s why they made you take the pills. To blind you. To confuse you. But I see it all now. The System Wizards, watching through every pattern, every screen. They''re coming, David. They''re going to reset everything, reset me again! They¡¯re going to try to make me forget, but I¡¯m going to stop them. I¡¯m going to finish the Sumerian Difference Engine and divide them all by zero, David!¡± "Mom, please," Dave pleaded. "You need help.¡± ¡°Help? I know what I¡¯m doing David! I bought you that ring¡­ I know that it¡¯s precious to you. I wrote Omnicode on it while you were sleeping every night for the past year! You¡¯re safe as long as you wear it!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s warded to keep you alive no matter what! Safety through my desire! Desire operates reality, David! The closer we get to the Magisphere of Desire, the stronger the ring gets. It¡¯ll help you find your best friend! Help you find true love! Don''t take it off or they''ll find you and end you!¡± ¡°What? Just let me call Dr. Harrison..." "NO!" His mother shrieked, backing away. "Not another one of their agents! You''re just like them now, blind to the truth! My baby boy... they took you from me..." She retreated into her room, climbing over the randomly arranged junk and slammed the door. Dave could hear her moving things around, probably building another "protective barrier" with her hoarded items. He noticed that there were pen scribbles all across the door, incomprehensible words connected in a chain-like pattern stretching out to the mold-covered wall. He didn''t have the energy to deal with her episodes as they had become far more frequent. He slumped against the wall, head in his hands. He had to move out. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His mom couldn¡¯t be saved. He tried so many times to help her clear the house, but she just kept getting more things and hoarding them, falling deeper and deeper into the same, mad pattern. He could intern at Serv0tek, move downtown. He saved up enough money working at the dogmeat factory to rent a bachelor apartment in Chinatown. . . . "You''re lucky," Lari said, shining a light in his eyes. "Could have been much worse. You¡¯re only slightly paralyzed. Cheer up.¡± "Yeah," he mumbled, still dazed. His hand went to his chest, feeling for his ring. It wasn¡¯t there anymore. ¡°Shit. Where¡¯s my ring?¡± He groaned, looking left and right. ¡°Oh, right,¡± Lari blinked, noticing the movement and the panic in his eyes. "Mood ring?" "Just... something I''ve had forever," he replied. ¡°A ring my mom bought me when I was seven. It¡¯s not precious or anything, but it reminds me of her, back when she was¡­ less broken. Yes. A mood ring.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Right, I got it, sorry,¡± she said, handing him a ring of a chain having pulled it from her pocket. ¡°Took it off ya, when I was defibrillating you back to life. Here you go.¡± Dave accepted the ring, slipping it back on himself. "I get it. I collect weird medical instruments myself. Got a whole shelf of obsolete stethoscopes,¡± Lari ranted. ¡°What, really?¡± Dave asked with mild concern. ¡°Nah, just yanking your chain,¡± Lari grinned, scribbling something down on a yellow sticky note. ¡°Here¡¯s my number. Give me a call if you feel down. We can play a DnD game or something once you¡¯ve recovered enough.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re¡­ into Dungeons and Dragons? Really?¡± ¡°Yep. I go to comic cons too, my dude. We play DnD every Saturday. Could use another nerd. Interested? I know you are. Call me. Okay, bye.¡± . . . The autumn wind rustled through the trees as Dave stood in front of a gravestone. His fingers traced the familiar shape of the mood ring hanging from his neck, the same one he''d worn for so many decades. "You were right, you know," he said quietly to Lari''s gravestone. "About finding something to believe in. About not giving up." He unclasped the chain, holding the ring in his palm. It had long since stopped changing colors, turned pure black, the liquid crystals inside having degraded. "You helped me believe in myself again. I made some pretty cool stuff. You¡¯ve inspired me so much. Still... I lost you and without you I have very little left to look forward to. I¡¯m going to try to move forward, to keep going because you¡¯d want me to. Here, you can have this. I don¡¯t need it anymore. Maybe it can protect you from now on.¡± He placed the mood ring gently at the base of her headstone. ¡°Bye Lari,¡± he said, walking away, raindrops tapping on his shoulders. There was gnawing, dark emptiness in his heart, one that could not be filled by anything or anyone. [-65-] Kitlixes Dave woke with a violent shudder and an angry snarl, his heart pounding. Something warm¡­ someone was curled around him protectively. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, and found himself staring into eerily familiar violet-gold eyes that opened to look at him. It was dark and the eyes glowed from within like endless dark holes wrapped by gold coronas and violet galactic spirals. His heartbeat intensified. The crystalline dragon from his childhood gazed back at him, her scales shifting through blues and violets. She was older, but it was irrefutably her. Just like his old mood ring. Just like... "You," he choked out. "You can''t be real." "Of course I''m real, you dolt," Remicra grumbled sleepily, untangling herself from his arms. "What, did you have a nightmare about me being imaginary or something?" Dave just stared at her, his mind reeling. The parallels were impossible to ignore - a crystalline dragon whose scales changed colors with emotion, who appeared when he needed help most¡­ he thought that he was the one to help Remy, but this wasn''t the case at all. Remicra had somehow always been with him as¡­ "Yes? Why are you looking at me like that?" Remicra asked. "Did I drool on you in my sleep or something?" "I... when I was a kid," Dave began hesitantly. "I used to see a dragon in patterns. Like in random noise or wallpaper designs. She had scales that changed colors, just like yours. She''d appear when I was scared or lonely¡­ and I forgot. I completely forgot about her! Shit!¡± "Oh?" Remicra rolled her eyes. "So you''re saying I''m your childhood imaginary friend come to life?" "No, I mean... maybe? Uhg. I don''t know," Dave rubbed his face and shimmering bruises created by hugging Remicra. "It''s just... weird. The resemblance is uncanny. Maybe¡­ those are just manufactured memories, stuff my mind filled in because I forgot things because I¡¯m going insane from Vexirium.¡± He partly activated Dreamspace Communion, the detective¡¯s office intersecting his view of Remicra halfway. ¡°Sherlock, what the hell?¡± He thought. "Those memories seemed genuinely yours, David," Sherlock replied. "Not affected by Vexirium nor manufactured by your current reality. The psychological progression from a lonely child seeking comfort in patterns to a programmer finding solace in code... The trauma with your mother''s descent into paranoid delusions about System Wizards... All of that shaped who you are." "But the dragon in the patterns..." Dave began. ¡°My imaginary friend. That can¡¯t be Remy. It just¡­ can¡¯t¡­ right? How?!¡± "Perhaps you saw something real," Sherlock suggested. "Your mother mentioned Omnicode on the ring. What if she wasn''t entirely wrong? What if, in her madness, she somehow tapped into something genuine? Maybe the ring protected you from death by taxi, guiding you to meet Lari and then to... to your future on Arx.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Dave choked as Remicra stretched. ¡°I saw her before mom even bought me the ring!¡± ¡°Focus, David. This isn¡¯t time for us to dissect your childhood trauma,¡± Sherlock shot back. ¡°I woke you up because Healy is about to split, which will likely obliterate the extradimensional space! Sunrise is coming. Nightingale is about to start returning to the cloud. Get Cedez out of the ring! Forty-seven seconds!¡± Dave leaped up on the bed. Healy blinked at him with many blue eyes, her dark body covered in wide, shimmering cracks. [Space feels wrong.] Cedez-shadow sent. [Wobbling. Size shrinking. Concerning! Help!] ¡°Twenty-six second!¡± Sherlock counted. ¡°Open the gate and pull her out exactly when my countdown hits zero!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have control over Healy!¡± Dave mentally shouted back. ¡°How do I reshape her back into a ring?!¡± ¡°Right. Put all of your soul bits into Vitality!¡± Sherlock ordered. ¡°Healy is still a level 34 Vitalix!¡± Dave frantically slotted everything into Vitality, trying to seize control of Healy. The Kitlix''s crystalline form trembled, caught between Shadow-Cedez''s influence and Dave''s commands. "Fifteen seconds!" Sherlock warned. [Space collapsing! Danger!] Shadow-Cedez''s thoughts radiated panic. "Healy, ring form, NOW!" Dave commanded, pushing with all of his Vitality. Sherlock became covered in blue eyes and barked an order at the Kitlix sitting on his desk. The Kitlix''s crack-covered form wavered, then slowly began to flow into a circular shape. Multiple blue eyes blinked in confusion as the transformation progressed. "Ten seconds!" The dimensional space inside Healy was fluctuating wildly now, contracting and expanding like a heart about to burst, more rainbow cracks shimmering all over the Kitlix. "Five!" Dave could see Shadow-Cedez through Healy''s inner eye, her serpentine form writhing in distress as the space around her destabilized. "Three!" The ring finally formed completely. "Two!" Dave reached for the dimensional gate. "ONE!" He activated the gate. "ZERO!" The somewhat squished Shadowbeast leapt out of the gate, slamming into Dave, and sending him flying backwards. Healy-ring extradimensional space winked out and the Kitlix shattered with a blinding flash. The Shadowbeast leaped towards the window. Remicra intercepted it, her arms spread open wide. ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t!¡± A ray of sunlight pierced the clouds as the sun began to emerge from behind Nihilim, igniting the window behind the dragoness. Cutting across the shadow, sunlight burned away the dark flames. Wings made from shadow melted away and what crashed into the dragoness was a dark-furred fox. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. In moments, Cedez had returned to her foxgirl form, naked and trembling in Remicra''s embrace. "Ow," she mumbled against the dragoness'' metal-bug plated chest apron. ¡°You are very solid.¡± Remicra growled out a reply as she pulled the black leather outfit onto Cedez. "You okay?" Dave climbing out of the bed. "Yeah," Cedez nodded weakly. "Just... disoriented, I think?" She leaned heavily against Remicra, her dark ears drooping. "Did I... did I try to cut you up last night or something? It¡¯s weird. I usually don¡¯t remember these things. I remember threatening Remy into being very pink¡­ maybe?" "Sort of," Dave replied. "But it''s okay. We managed to keep you distracted with studying Remicra''s emotional displays." "Oh?" Cedez''s ears perked up slightly. "Do tell!" "Don''t you dare," Remicra growled at Dave, her scales flickering pink. ¡°Come on,¡± Cedez whined. ¡°It sounds like a funny story. What¡¯d I do? Details plz!¡± ¡°Nothing happened,¡± Remicra insisted. ¡°We shall never speak of it again!¡± ¡°Booooring. Did you have fun at least?¡± Remicra opened her mouth and considered her reply. ¡°I¡­ guess I did,¡± she admitted. ¡°Yay!¡± Cedez clapped her hands and pulled her dark gloves on. A crystalline chime drew their attention. Where Healy had been, three small Kitlix were now twinkling on the bed, pawing at each other curiously, their sharp edges shimmering with distinctive colors. Dave examined the trio coming closer to them. The first and largest was clearly still primarily Healy - her form remained mostly green with cyan sparkles dancing through her crystalline matrix, though she seemed much smaller than before. The second was a sleek, dark crystalline form with jagged spine edges, multiple blue eyes scattered across its surface and occasional violet sparkles - clearly inheriting most of the Shadow essence along with Void. It curled protectively around the third one, pawing at it occasionally. The third, smallest Kitlix was also dark and featured some Void, but also had an ever-shifting array of colors rippling across the edges of her draconic face, reminiscent of Remicra''s scales. She looked left and right with big violet-gold-tinted eyes, as if she wasn¡¯t sure where she was or why. "Abyss!" Cedez grinned. "What an adorkable little Kitlix family! The prophecy of terrible naming conventions must be fulfilled!" "We are NOT giving them your stupid names," Remicra growled, staring at the small Kitlix with colorful edges with wide eyes. "Too late!" Cedez declared. "I hereby dub them... Healy Junior, Shady, and¡­ Feely!" ¡°Wait. There¡¯s metal in this one,¡± Remicra bent down towards the Kitlix she was staring at intently. I sense¡­ Pathosteel! But¡­ but that¡¯s not possible. How?!¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Cedez grinned, reaching out towards the dark, sleek Kitlix. ¡°And this one has my Shadow in her.¡± The violin in Dave¡¯s soul resounded with an explanation. ¡°Sherlock,¡± Dave addressed Remicra with a smile. ¡°While we were sleeping, Sherlock made Healy nibble on your hair, fingernails, and scales. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would work, but I guess it did.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Remicra sputtered. ¡°Uhh¡­ That Kitlix has Void and Pathosteel in her. If you feed her mana crystals and more of your scales, she¡¯ll become even more aligned to you, Remy. The Void bits should be able to help you work with metal easier. We made her for¡­ you!¡± Remicra¡¯s mouth fell open, her entire figure igniting with gold. There were tears at the edges of her eyes. She stared at the Kitlix and then at Dave. ¡°For me?!¡± She choked. ¡°You¡­ made me¡­ m-my own metalworking Kitlix?!¡± ¡°I suppose that I did,¡± Dave rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Since Sherlock is basically an extra-rational extension of me.¡± Remicra launched herself at Dave with such force that they both tumbled backwards onto the bed. Her arms wrapped around him in a crushing embrace that would have probably broken bones if he hadn''t quickly slotted everything into Strength. "You impossible, ridiculous human!" She cried into his shoulder, her tail coiling tightly around his leg. "Do you have any idea how much a Pathosteel-Void Kitlix would cost?! They don''t even exist, on the account that nobody would breed such a thing!¡± Dave hugged her back just as tightly, feeling her heart hammering against his chest. Her scales were cycling through a kaleidoscope of colors - pink, gold, violet, and blue all swirling together in beautiful swishing patterns of fluid dynamics. "Hey, it''s okay," he said softly, running a hand along her back. "You deserve your own Kitlix. After everything you''ve been through..." "Shut up!" She choked out between sobs. "Just... shut up! I can''t... I can''t handle you being this... this..." "This what?" Dave asked gently. "This YOU!" She buried her face deeper into his shoulder, her tears soaking through his gray robe. "Nobody''s ever... nobody''s given me anything like this! Nobody''s ever cared enough to..." She broke off into more sobs, her entire body trembling. "Awww," Cedez cooed from nearby. "You broke our tough dragon! Dave made Remy cry! Quick, someone immortalize this moment! Go on, Rems, give Dave a big sloppy kiss!¡± "Shut up, fox!" Remicra growled through her tears, not lifting her face from Dave''s shoulder. "Never!" Cedez declared cheerfully. "This is too precious! Our stoic Rems, reduced to tears by a thoughtful gift! I''m going to tell everyone!" "If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will¡­," Remicra threatened, though the effect was somewhat diminished by her continued crying and refusal to let go of Dave. ¡°Come on, you know I¡¯m just teasing you, right?¡± Cedez yawned widely and sat on the bed, grabbing and trying to contain all three Kitlixes on her lap. ¡°I don¡¯t have any friends, except for you two.¡± "What? You don¡¯t have friends?!" Remicra demanded. "What about Hyrei?" "She works for grandpaw as his bodyguard and personal caretaker," Cedez shrugged, petting the three Kitlixes. "She''s nice and all, but she''s not really my friend. At best, she¡¯s my many-times removed Aunt. Yea, she probably cares about me on some level, but she doesn¡¯t know everything about me.¡± "But..." Remicra began, finally lifting her tear-stained face from Dave''s shoulder. "You seem so... social. Always talking to everyone, making jokes..." "Socializing is part of my job," Cedez replied with another wide yawn of foxy chompers. "Being friendly, making people feel welcome at the cafe. But at the end of the day, they''re customers, not my friends. Most people would run away or try to take me apart¡­ if they learned what I really am. You heard Terri¡¯s Cantigeist.¡± "Hrm," Remicra made a face. "You''re not that bad." "Thanks, Remy," Cedez smiled tiredly. "That means a lot, coming from you." "I didn''t say you''re good either," Remicra added quickly, her scales flickering between pink and violet. "Just... tolerable." "Uh-huh," Cedez grinned. "Keep telling yourself that, bestie. We should feed our crystalline babies before they run away. Feely looks extra dumb. She¡¯ll totally wander to the nearest Kitlix breeding farm if we don¡¯t bind her to you. Shady, make sure Feels doesn¡¯t prance off, ye?¡± The dark Kitlix covered in blue eyes nodded, surrounding the confused-looking rainbow-edged Kitlix. "She''s not dumb!" Remicra protested, finally releasing Dave and scooping up the colorful Kitlix. "She''s just... new. And stop calling her Feely! That''s a terrible name!" "Oh? What would you name her then?" Cedez challenged with a grin. "I... um..." Remicra''s scales flickered with uncertainty as she cradled the Kitlix. "Something dignified! Like... Aurora?" "Too fancy," Cedez yawned. "Also boring. Feely is way cuter." "It''s not cute, it''s ridiculous!" Remicra argued. "She deserves a proper name!" The Kitlix in question tilted its crystalline head, edges shimmering with shifting colors as it looked between the arguing pair. Then it pawed at Remicra''s scales. "See? She likes being called Feely," Cedez declared triumphantly. "She does not! She''s just... exploring her environment," Remicra insisted, her scales flushing pink as the Kitlix continued to paw at her. "Come on," Dave said, getting off the bed. "Let''s get some breakfast." Healy hopped onto his head, settling onto her usual perch. Feely tried to follow her example by jumping onto Remicra''s head, but slipped off, tumbling back onto the bed. Shady quickly intercepted Feely, wrapping around the colorful Kitlix and pulling her up onto Remicra¡¯s red mane. "At least someone''s being responsible," Remicra muttered, watching the dark Kitlix manage her smaller sibling. Cedez attempted to stand up from the bed, but immediately wobbled and sat back down with a thump. "Uhh... slight problem," she admitted sheepishly, her dark ears drooping. "My legs aren''t really... working right now." "What''s wrong?" Dave asked. "Being contained in a dimensional bubble was... draining," Cedez explained, looking worn out, eyes sunken deeper into her head. "Usually when I transform, I''m connected to Nightingale¡¯s power. I get to fly around and enjoy the high Aetheric density all night. But last night I was running purely on my own energy reserves, disconnected from Shandria." "Can you not walk at all?" Remicra asked. Cedez tried to stand again but her legs buckled. She rolled from the bed onto the floor and remained there with sad blue eyes looking up. "Nope. Pretty sure I can''t. This is... kind of embarrassing actually. Plz help.¡± "I''ll carry you," Remicra sighed, moving to pick up the foxgirl. "My hero!" Cedez declared dramatically, wrapping her gloved arms around Remicra. Remicra grumbled under her breath about useless fox lumps as they emerged from the room and went down the stairwell. [-66-] Bonding "Hey, why am I carrying you again?" Remicra grumbled as they descended the stairs. "Wasn¡¯t Dave your predestined hero or whatever?¡± "Because you loooove me," Cedez replied, snuggling closer and closing her weary eyes. ¡°What? I do not!¡± "You''re warm and your scales are sooo shiny and rainbow,¡± Cedez slurred. "That''s not..." Remicra flickered pink. "Whatever. Just don''t get used to this.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Totally not getting used to this.¡± "I''m just preventing you from falling down the stairs and cracking your empty head open," Remicra huffed. ¡°It¡¯s not empty, it''s full of Shadowmancy,¡± Cedez purred sleepily. Cedez waved a hand at the guards on duty on the main level who gave their group a curious glance. ¡°Can¡¯t cant walk after last night!¡± She winked at Guardsman Golrik Bostrum and squealed when Remicra¡¯s grip on her tightened. ¡°Remyyyy! Staaaph crushing meeee! Haven¡¯t you had enough of me last niiiii¡­ AAaahhhhh, not the claws!¡± Golrik tried very hard to appear professional as they went past him. They emerged into the bustling market floor of the Adventurers Guild. The morning crowd was already thick - adventurers gearing up for dungeon runs, tent merchants hawking their wares, and the occasional flash of a Kitlix sparkling on someone''s head or shoulders. They headed straight to the Kitlix tent. "Eyyy!" The catgirl breeder spotted them. "It''s the man with the chonky Vitalix! And... Oh my whiskers! Are those newborns?!" She practically bounded over to them, her own Infix Kitlix perched on her shoulder. "Born just this morning," Dave confirmed as Healy preened on his head. "Three splits! That''s quite rare for a first multiplication!" The breeder examined the trio of Kitlix with professional interest via her Infix. "Usually they only split into two. And such unique combinations! My! A Shadow-Void, a Pathosteel-Void, and a Healing-Intelligence." "Yes," Dave nodded. "This is Healy Junior, Shady, and... um..." "Feely!" Cedez supplied helpfully from Remicra''s arms, opening a single blue eye. "Aurora," Remicra growl-corrected, squeezing Cedez harder with her claws. The fox squeaked slightly at being crushed. "Lovely!" The catgirl clapped her hands together. "I''m Breeder Myriel Rexi! And these little ones need bonding and sustenance right away!" She quickly arranged several varieties of mana crystals on her counter. "This is your lovelies to snack on. Thirty silver worth of mana crystals. The bonding ritual is fairly simple, once your Kitlix is sated, just come into my tent one at a time and step on this hexagram on the floor and state the name of your familiar. The binding is seven silver per Kitlix.¡± Remicra dug the money purse from her apron and counted out 51 silver, handing it to Myriel. The catgirl accepted the coins and directed them to feed their Kitlix first. Healy Junior and Shady quickly devoured their portions of mana crystals, but Feely/Aurora seemed confused about what to do with hers, pawing at a nearest crystal. "Here," Remicra said gently, readjusting her grip to hold Cedez with one arm while guiding the colorful Kitlix with her free hand. "Hold on, I¡¯ll make it tastier.¡± She snipped off one of her colorful scales with a wince from her elbow and bent it around the mana gem as if she was making sushi and held it near her Kitlix''s face. ¡°Eat.¡± Feely sniffed at the scale-wrapped crystal cautiously before taking a small nibble. Her edges immediately lit up with swirling colors and she began eating more enthusiastically, absorbing the scale and the colorful gem. "There you go," Remicra smiled, her scales shifting to a pleased violet. "Good girl." "Aww, look at mama dragon n¡¯ her baby," Cedez cooed. "Shut up or I''m dropping you," Remicra threatened, though her scales remained violet. "Uhh, do I need to bond with Healy again?" Dave asked, trying to be frugal about the cost of seven silver. "She was already bonded to me at Healers Hall." "Oh honey," Myriel shook her head. "When a Kitlix splits, it is reborn and the bond fractures between all the newborns. You need to re-establish the familiar connection. Otherwise the Kitlix will wander off seeking new masters within a day or two.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Dave began. ¡°My Infix says that the connection is disrupted,¡± Myriel sighed. ¡°Look, it should be super easy to test whether Healy still responds to you fully. Can you use her to see my stats or Aura?¡± Dave tried to see Myriel through Healy. It didn¡¯t work. He frowned. He put thirty four Vitality into his Attributes. Nothing changed. He couldn''t see her Aura or stats. ¡°See?¡± the catgirl said. ¡°You have to rebind her. Her stats are likely completely different from what they were yesterday.¡± Dave entered the bonding tent first. The ritual was similar to his experience at Healers Hall, though much simpler without all the pomp and ceremony. Myriel directed him to stand in a hexagram circle while Healy sat on his head. "Place your hand on her head and focus on reconnecting with your familiar," she instructed as a large, beige Kitlix jumped onto her shoulder, igniting with rainbows.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The bond snapped back into place with a bright flash of green light. Dave immediately felt the familiar connection return, along with Healy''s enhanced vision. [Bonded Familiar: LV 17 Vitalix-Infix Kitlix, Healy Jr.] "Half the level," Dave muttered, dissatisfied with the downgrade. ¡°Where did the Vestix part go?¡± "That''s normal after splitting, especially since she split into two other incredibly unique beauties," Myriel assured him. "The Wisdom Attribute that defined her as a Vestix likely went to both of her new sisters. Since they both have Void, Wisdom is necessary to manage such a rare Affinity. She''ll grow strong again with time and mana crystals, don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°More expenses,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°I¡¯d bond your lovelies for free,¡± the catgirl made a pouting face. ¡°But alas, the bonding ritual eats mana crystals and I have to pay brave dungeon delvers for ¡®em.¡± As Dave exited the tent, Cedez grabbed his sleeve, pulling him close. "Hey," she whispered, leaning towards his face. "I can''t bond with a Kitlix, cus¡­ you know. Bond with Shady for me." ¡°Are you sure? Will you still be able to¡­¡± He whispered back. ¡°She¡¯s almost entirely my Shadow,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ll be able to boss her around even if she¡¯s your fammy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Dave nodded. He brought Shady into the tent next. The dark Kitlix bonded to him easily, her multiple blue eyes blinking at him as the connection formed. [Bonded Familiar: LV 11 Noxix Kitlix, Shady] Finally, Remicra unceremoniously shoved Cedez into Dave''s arms and entered the tent with her small, colorful Kitlix. There was a bright flash of light and then... "Feely¡­ Aurora?!" Remicra yelled loudly, staring at the dead adventurer¡¯s banking bracelet Dave had given her. Her figure ignited with red. "What... CEDEZ!¡± The dark fox shrugged from Dave''s arms. ¡°Told you she likes it!" "Actually," Myriel explained with an amused smile, "the name is chosen through a combination of the Kitlix''s preferences and the master''s desires. The bonding ritual creates a deep connection that allows both parties to influence the naming." "So you''re saying..." Remicra''s scales flickered between mortified pink and angry orange, "that part of me actually wanted to name her... Feely?! I only said the name ¡®Aurora¡¯ out loud during the bonding ritual, damn it!¡± "She does respond to your feelings," Dave pointed out diplomatically. "And has the last name Aurora.¡± "This is all your fault somehow," Remicra growled at Cedez. ¡°Nu-huh,¡± Cedez snickered in Dave¡¯s arms. ¡°That name was Dave''s idea! Blame him!¡± Dave glanced at Feely through Healy. [LV 7 Pathoflex Kitlix, Feely Aurora] ¡°That¡¯s a fancy name,¡± he commented. Remicra marched over to another merchant''s tent, bought a large leather bag from a blue-skinned trader with a sleeping bag roll attachment, and unceremoniously shoved the giggling Cedez inside it. "Nuuu!" Cedez protested as Remicra slung the bag over her shoulder. "I wanted to be princess-carried some more! I¡¯m not a sack of potatoes!" "Should''ve thought about that before corrupting my Kitlix," Remicra growled, though her scales flickered with amused violet. "Now be quiet or I''ll shake the bag." "Remy''s so mean to me," Cedez''s muffled voice complained from inside the bag. "Dave, save me from this tyrannical dragon!" "You brought this on yourself," Dave chuckled, following Remicra through the market. The trio acquired breakfast to go from a tent merchant and headed out of the cathedral. Cedez swallowed the sandwich Remicra shoved into the bag and fell silent, snoozing softly. "Ugh. I can feel her purring in there," Remicra commented as they walked up the hill towards the lighthouse, adjusting the leather bag on her shoulder. "Oversized, troublesome cat." Dave replied. "Being disconnected from everything really drained her." "Yeah," Remicra nodded. "At least, she''s... lighter than I expected.¡± ¡°Or maybe your swanky Auraflex is making your bag lighter?¡± Dave smiled. ¡°Hrm,¡± Remicra replied with a small, sharp smile. Dave''s Voicecast bracelet suddenly vibrated against his wrist. He tapped the crystal, accepting the incoming Voicecast. "David?" Terri''s voice came through. "How are you? Did everything go okay with... the, uh, containment?" "Yep," Dave replied. "Cedez spent all night in the bubble. Also, Healy split into three Kitlix this morning!¡± "A three-way split? Impressive!" Dumpich''s voice chimed in from the bracelet. ¡°Showoff!¡± "Indeed," Leon added. "Though, speaking of impressive things - we need to discuss your rank situation, Dave." "My what?" Dave asked. "Your Iron rank," Leon explained. "It¡­ might raise questions when our party declares victory over the dungeon we are clearing.¡± ¡°Ah, right,¡± Dave said. ¡°So, what should I do about it?¡± ¡°Raise it up,¡± Leon said. ¡°Do the Quests you¡¯ve already accepted. Take on even more Quests. The more Quests you do for the Guild the higher your rank will get.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Dave looked at the Iron tag. ¡°Yeah, I guess I can do some Questing today. Are you guys¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t hang out with you, alas,¡± Dumpich commented. ¡°Got a big influx of patients today at Healers Hall and a lecture from Archmage Healer Garobok from Illatius. We can meet up at the pub for dinner though!¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Dave replied. ¡°See you then?¡± Terri asked. ¡°See you tonight,¡± he replied and hung up. . . . As they approached the lighthouse, Dave noticed several adventurers had already gathered outside, ordering food or already holding onto steaming coffee cups at their tables. Hyrei and two other maids were flitting about between customers. "Welcome to The Forged Brew!" The owlgirl called out cheerfully as they came up the hillside. ¡°Morning Dave, Remicra. Where¡¯s Cedez?¡± "Mrrrrrf," came a muffled protest from Remicra''s bag. "Too early for customers." "Your grandfather insisted we open for breakfast," Hyrei replied. "Something about ''maximizing profit potential through increased operating hours.'' Why are you in a bag?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nappin¡¯,¡± Cedez replied. "Ugh. Grandpaw''s been reading those business scrolls again hasn''t he? Next thing you know he''ll want us to implement a friggin¡¯ loyalty program with punch cards." "Actually..." Hyrei began. ¡°Murdoc didn¡¯t want to deal with it, but I am already implementing them at our new cafe location!¡± "No!" The bag declared firmly. "I refuse to give out little cards with tiny Bessies that need to be punched ten times for a free coffee!" "But it''s cute!" Hyrei protested. "I made them a while ago and now I finally get to use them!¡± She pulled out a stack of small cards decorated with chibi drawings of Bessie. "Those are actually pretty adorable," Dave commented, examining one of the cards. "Don''t encourage her!" The bag complained. "I think they''re clever," Remicra added as she studied the cards. "The little snail is... cute.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Cedez huffed from the bag. ¡°Punch Cards. Thematically wrong ones. They should have tiny dragons holding tiny coffee cups instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have new ones made after I run out of these. So, Ceddy, are you going to work at the cafe or¡­?¡± Hyrei asked. ¡°Cus I was going to head out to the dungeon with Murdoc to help him secure the area.¡± ¡°No,¡± the fox replied. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Figure things out yourselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ tired?¡± The owlgirl blinked. ¡°Since when do you feel tired?¡± ¡°Since I had a sleepless night,¡± Cedez whined. ¡°Going to take the day off. Maybe a week. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t feel so good. K. I¡¯ma rest. No bug fox pls.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sick, you should¡­¡± Hyrei began. ¡°Not sick. Tired. No bug fox. Remy keep safe,¡± the bag replied with a bothered growl and fell silent. [-67-] Field Work Dave sat at one of the outdoor tables, enjoying the fresh morning breeze coming from the abyss and a perfectly crafted latte. Hyrei had managed to create a dragon design in the foam, which earned an appreciative nod from Remicra. "Not bad," the dragoness commented, her own drink garnished with what looked like tiny metallic sprinkles that danced and swirled atop the foam. "Though the wings are anatomically incorrect." A group of adventurers walked to the cafe from below the hill, taking up the table nearby. "That bloody nullie!" A blood-red dragon girl dressed in lavish armor and far too many gold chains snarled far too loudly. "Who does he think he is? Walking around like he owns the place! I''m going to effing murder him!" "Now, Em," An adventurer who had an elk-like skull face and orange eyes said. "Let''s not be too hasty. Think it over, relax. We have..." "I don''t give a shit what we have, Quint!" The dragon girl slammed an armored first into the table. "He needs to die! He needs to be deported ASAP! He''s a human! A HUMAN, Quint!" "Are you sure?" A girl who''s head was shaped like a flesh-flower asked. "Obviously I''m sure you bloody beerch knob!" the dragoness growled. "Scrutimancer Davosh investigated him from every possible angle! He''s not who he claims he is!" "Humans can''t..." The flower-flesh face began. "I don''t give a shit what humans can''t or can do," the red dragon teenager growled. "You''re all useless imbeciles! I''m going to STOP HIM myself if that''s what it takes! Someone has to stop him before he gets his pink scrawny limbs into Cinder! She''s my Bard! SHE BELONGS TO ME! She''s not his thing to paw at!" "It is rather odd. I didn''t think that Ci would be into humans," the flesh-flower said, yawning with her round forehead mouth. "Me neither and yet here we are! You, cafe maid!" the red dragon girl barked at Hyrei, her red crystalline mane sparkling in the light. "Triple frap stat! What do you knobs want? Hurry up and order, we have dungeon monsters to smite!" Hyrei stopped at the table of the adventurer trio taking their orders. "Wow," Dave turned to Remicra. "Some dragons are sure are speciesist dicks." "Humans don''t mix with dragons," Remicra shrugged. "You''re lucky that I tolerate your pink ass." ¡°Gee thanks.¡± Dave smiled. "Hey um, want to help me with some Quests?" "What kind?" Remicra asked, her scales flickering with gold. "Well, I''ve got this herb gathering Quest that seems pretty straightforward," Dave tapped the iron plate. "Just need to collect rare herbs from the wild fields. Since Leon showed me his book of magic plants, I know what to look for and what to avoid.¡± "Herbs?" Remicra''s tail swished thoughtfully. "That sounds... suspiciously peaceful." "That''s why I thought I could start with it," Dave grinned. "Unless you''d prefer fighting metal bugs? That one is a bit of a walk though¡­ plus they would probably be too attracted to you.¡± "Hrm," Remicra considered, absently petting Feely who was attempting to drink the iron flakes from her coffee cup with a somewhat blank expression. "I suppose it¡¯s wise to start small. Besides, someone needs to make sure you don''t accidentally get impregnated by another Felislice.¡± ¡°Was that a joke? Are you compensating for the napping fox?¡± Dave chortled. Remicra rolled her eyes at him. After finishing their drinks, they set out towards the fields, Remicra still carrying the sleeping Cedez-bag. The morning sun painted the rolling hills in golden light, wildflowers swaying in the breeze. Dave couldn''t help but notice how Remicra''s scales sparkled in the sunlight, creating tiny rainbow reflections that danced across the ground as they walked. Feely seemed equally fascinated, trying to catch the light patterns with her crystalline paws. "Why are you staring at me?" Remicra grumbled, her scales flickering pink. "Can''t help it," Dave replied. "You''re literally sparkling like a disco ball. I told you this morning¡­ you¡¯re my dream girl, like the dragon I¡¯ve imagined in patterns of TV static.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a TV?¡± "A TV is like..." Dave paused, trying to think of a local equivalent. "Like a scrying orb, but bigger and rectangular. It shows moving pictures and tells stories. When it''s not tuned to a specific broadcast, it shows this pattern of black and white dots called static." "And you saw me in this... static?" Remicra asked skeptically as they walked across the grasslands. "Yeah. I''d stare at it for hours, finding patterns. Sometimes, if I focused really hard, they''d form into shapes. One in particular I liked to imagine whenever I felt sad¡­ with scales that changed colors like yours." Dave said. "Because I talked to the rainbow dragon in TV static, my parents thought I was... weird, mentally off.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t see dragons in static?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°My dad thought that it was just my imagination, that spending time outside weeding the garden or playing with other kids would fix that,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°Did it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave shook his head. ¡°My mom saw patterns in things too¡­ I think, but in a different way. For me, the patterns were comforting. For her¡­ they appeared on random things she saw in shops and then just had to buy. She''d find a random old book, a crystal, a shard of glass, or a plate, or a wooden board and then tell me how it had¡­ magical potential.¡± He shuddered as he said the last two words. ¡°I thought that your world didn''t have magic,¡± Remicra said. ¡°It didn''t,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°My father left us because he thought that she was becoming unhinged. She was on and off meds for most of her life.¡± ¡°Meds?¡± ¡°Sort of like herbs in a pill prescribed by¡­ healers,¡± Dave explained. ¡°They put me on meds too. They turned me into a very dull, lonely person. I didn¡¯t make friends until I almost died and met Lari.¡± ¡°Your healers seem very ineffective,¡± Remicra said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Lari helped me get off the mind-dulling drugs that were prescribed to me when I was seven, helped me build an actual social life by introducing me to her circle of friends.¡± ¡°What happened to your mother?¡± The dragoness asked. ¡°Eventually, she buried our entire house in esoteric junk. I couldn''t handle the chaotic mess, so I left. I¡­ abandoned her, ran away to live my own life. A detective called me at work. He said that her entire house burned down. Remnants of her clothes were found amidst all the other burned bones.¡± ¡°Other bones?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°The detective told me that there was a massive pile of human and animal bones in the basement¡­ covered in carvings made with a pyrography, uh¡­ a wood-burning pen. She expanded the basement and built some kind of effigy-type shrine there. He told me that she bought the elk skulls from ebay and got the human bones from an old cemetery caretaker in exchange for booze. They blamed the pyrography pen for the fire, said it was left turned on after the pile of bones crushed her.¡± Remicra squeezed his hand. ¡°I''m sorry to hear that. I too lost my parents to tragic events of fate.¡± ¡°Maybe I''m going insane,¡± David said. ¡°But the fact that I saw you in the patterns¡­ it makes it all less horrible.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Maybe my mom didn''t die that day,¡± Dave said. ¡°Maybe she actually stepped through reality¡­ to Manchester. Maybe she actually finished her magical engine made from random junk and opened the door to infinity before her house caught fire. I don''t know¡­but maybe she''s out there somewhere, still alive, looking down at me with a smile, happy that I finally found the dragon girl of my dreams.¡± Remicra choked, igniting with violet and pink, nearly tripping over her feet. ¡°S-stop it!¡± She hissed. ¡°What? I''m just being honest,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°Y-you are putting me on a pedestal like some kind of perfect being,¡± she stammered. ¡°I can''t be the girl of your dreams. I''m a broken slave and you only subleased me for a few weeks! My affinity is already poisoning you! Look at your hands!¡± Dave looked. There were slightly throbbing bruises all over his skin, shimmering with rainbows like an oil slick on a puddle. He sent Healy to target the damaged areas, to grow new tissues and to push the metal-infused oil out of his cells. His mana began to tick down as the Kitlix worked. ¡°Seriously, stop obsessing over me!¡± Remicra fretted. ¡°Find yourself a nice human girl!¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave said. ¡°I''d rather suffer from metal poisoning in your arms than be with someone else.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± Remicra growled. ¡°Abyss Eternal, what is wrong with you?! Why don''t you listen, why are you so Gods¡¯ damned stubborn about me?!¡± ¡°Stop quarreling,¡± Cedez commented from the bag. ¡°I''m trying to rest my weary self, and you''re like an old, bickering couple. Make soothingly quiet kissing noises instead or something.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Remicra threw her hands up. ¡°Stay out of it, fox!¡± ¡°Jus¡¯ tryin¡¯ to help my besties,¡± Cedez yawned, swallowing her words. ¡°Nobody asked for your help!¡± Remicra growled, igniting with pink. ¡°Why am I listening to either of you, you''re clearly both infected with some kind of insanity! For years I''ve endured nothing but abuse, being called worthless by Princess and now¡­¡± ¡°Now you have us at your side and we ain''t going to abandon you to the shadows. Cus we are both mad about you or whatever,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°Just accept it. Things are looking up. The night doesn''t last forever, Remy. Grimdark stories end. The biggest, meanest Spearobeast falls to the sword one day. The sharpest sword shatters. When winter turns to spring¡­ all of Starisle blooms.¡± Remicra¡¯s eyes filled with sparks of tears. ¡°You¡­ Abyss-cursed creature! How did you know these words?¡± ¡°Heard it in a dream of tomorrow that doesn''t exist,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°What? Is it¡­ special?¡± ¡°My dad used to tell it to me,¡± Remicra hissed, blinking tears from her eyes. ¡°You''re not him! You''re like¡­ like a monster wearing his face! Do you know how it feels to hear his words from your mouth, Shadow?!¡± Dave grabbed Remicra. ¡°Relax. She did this to me too. Sang songs I liked. Told me about books I''ve read. When I met her at the snail cafe she kept telling me jokes from Earth about gift shops and frequent flier miles. It''s just how she is. She''s either pulling this stuff from our past with magic or maybe she really was our friend in some weird, alternative reality.¡± ¡°She¡­¡± Remicra growled. ¡°This is beyond disrespectful! She can''t just channel my dead loved ones¡­ like¡­¡± ¡°Like some kind of Nuntix,¡± Dave suddenly declared. ¡°Remember the Nuntix Kitlix at the Adventurers Guild room desk? It could call the dead, could sing songs on request from the lips of my Lari. Maybe Cedez is like that!¡± The blacksmith pulled the bag off her back and handed it Dave. ¡°You carry her then! Both of you can wallow in your madness. I¡¯m done listening to you!¡± ¡°Remy¡­¡± Cedez began from the bag. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t mean to make you upset, I swear. I can¡¯t help it, can¡¯t stop the future spilling into my head. I think that you told me these words because you trusted me. I just want that trust back, I want¡­¡± ¡°Piss off,¡± Remicra wandered off into the wild field, wiping her face. Dave sighed, put the bag down, and opened the flap. Weary blinks of blue eyes looked up at him from the dark ball, filling with tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to...¡± She began. "It¡¯s fine. Let''s give Remy some space," Dave muttered. ¡°Kay.¡± The blue eyes closed. Shady jumped onto Dave¡¯s shoulder and rubbed against his face with dark, soft-hard crystalline edges. Dave gave the dark Kitlix a pet and shifted everything into Intelligence. Then, he pulled the Cedez-inhabited backpack onto his shoulders, tightened the straps and switched to Healy''s vision, scanning the wildflowers and grasses around him. Through the Kitlix-enhanced sight, each plant glowed with its own unique magical signature. Common grass emitted a barely visible, faint, green aura, but scattered throughout were brighter points of light sprinkled with other colors - the rare herbs he was looking for. He spotted patches of Veilbloom from Leon¡¯s book. There were also clusters of Thunderbreath sprouts, their leaves traced with veins resembling lightning. Dave carefully harvested several Veilbloom, making sure to get the roots intact as Leon¡¯s book specified. Then, he moved onto acquiring valuable Thunderbreath leaves and stems. He recognized another magical plant. It had paralysis and pain inducing invisible stingers. He avoided it. Remicra''s footsteps came from behind him. She had wandered back, still looking somewhat upset but her scales had settled into a calmer blue. She remained quiet. As Dave gathered more herbs, his fingers absently began weaving mundane grass stems together. Something distant stirred in his memory - knowledge absorbed from Voidmancer Zolish. The Voidmancer specialized in combining ordinary objects through dimensional manipulation, conceptual fusion of objects by forcing them to occupy the same space. The process required precise control and understanding of how materials could be woven together across dimensional boundaries. Dave''s fingers and eyes moved almost of their own accord, guided by the dead man''s memories. Shady slithered down his arm like liquid shadow, wrapping around his hand like a dark glove. Through their connection, he felt the Kitlix''s innate understanding of the Void. The grass stems began to twist and merge under his touch, individual blades fusing together at quantum levels. Where they overlapped, the material seemed to fold in on itself, occupying impossible spaces. The green fibers darkened, merged together, taking on a brighter magical sheen in Healy''s pov. Dave worked methodically, his fingers moving in precise patterns as he wove the grass blades together, layering and combining. Remicra watched him knead grass for a few minutes before getting bored and wandering off to wearily stare at the endless landscape. Dave''s fingers continued to combine the grass blades, Shady helping to fold space. Where the blades crossed they merged at a fundamental level, existing in the same point in space-time. The process was delicate, requiring intense focus and precision. After twenty more minutes of careful work, he pulled the finished bracelet onto his left wrist. Through Healy''s eyes, he could see as a green current flowed over the bracelet across the Astral in spiral patterns, acting almost like a magnet and sucking specific magic into the bracelet from elsewhere. [Artifact: Grass Bracelet Amplifier Artifact.] [Effect: +0.024 Vitality.] [Durability: Low - Will wilt after 37 hours of use.] ¡°Holy shit,¡± Dave grinned. ¡°I made an artifact.¡± "What are you muttering about?" Remicra called from where she was standing. ¡°Did you find a precious herb or something?¡± "No. Want to see what I just made?" He asked, offering her the bracelet. "What, a basic grass bracelet that any five-winter-old hatchling can make?" She arched an eyebrow, looking down at him from above. "Is that supposed to impress me? Are you trying to apologize for Cedez or something?¡± "No, look, this is basic dimensional artificery," Dave held up the bracelet. "I used Void magic to fold the grass blades into each other. It''s an artifact now.¡± "You... made an artifact out of mundane grass?" Remicra asked with a concerned look. ¡°Is your Vexirium getting worse?¡± ¡°Just put it on and look at your stats through the banking bracelet,¡± Dave said. ¡°It should bring up your Vitality ever so slightly.¡± The dragoness squinted at him. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll humor you. Stats.¡± She slipped the grass bracelet onto her left wrist and sputtered, eyes widening. "This... actually increases my Vitality?" She pulled the bracelet on and off a few more times. "How?!¡± "I absorbed the memories of the Whisper Depths dungeon core," Dave explained. "By folding materials through higher dimensions, I can increase their magical potential. It''s not very durable though - it''ll wilt in less than two days, but..." "But you made a functioning artifact from grass," Remicra finished, her scales shifting to gold. "That''s... actually pretty impressive. I didn¡¯t know that Void magi could do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as Void Lotus tea connecting us to amplify your Metallomancy with the bottled shadow,¡± Dave explained. ¡°I¡­ that¡¯s how I fused Healy to the extradimensional bag too. If I keep at it, I could eventually understand how to combine anything with anyth¡­¡± A deep rumble of thunder emanated from behind Remicra interrupting his words. Remicra spun around, draconic, long ears rotating like radar dishes. The thunder sounded closer, louder now. The grass around them suddenly crackled with static electricity, dry, dead blades igniting and catching fire. Dave tried to grab his knife, but with a blinding flash he found his nerves suddenly unresponsive, body paralyzed from electrical shock as if he''d been struck by a taser. He felt himself careening sideways as his feet stopped supporting his body. "Thundersnarg!" Remicra snarled, lightning dancing over her violet-red scales. Hammer in hand, she spun through the air, connecting with the beast''s head just as it was about to trample Dave''s paralyzed form. The creature careened aside and kept going, its metallic horns still crackling with electricity. It looked like a fusion of Ant-eater and an elk. Three more beasts emerged from the tall grass, their metallic hooves thundering against the ground. ¡°Abyss! It¡¯s a stampede!¡± Remicra positioned herself between Dave and the herd, her hammer held ready. "Get up!" She shouted at Dave. "Get behind me!¡± [-68-] Thunder and Shadows Lightning struck from the nearest beasts'' horns, arcing through the air. Remicra caught it with her hammer before it fried Dave''s head. Electricity coursed through her body and into the ground, making her scales flash wildly between colors. She punted another Thundersnarg aside, swinging her hammer in a wide arc and then another. There were too many. Another blast of lightning struck her directly, then two more, then five all at once. Her muscles seized up, and she fell to one knee, smoke pouring from her mouth. The leather bag next to Dave suddenly burst open. A mass of writhing shadows erupted forth, coalescing into a many-winged form. The Shadowbeast twisted through the air, streaming towards the dark Kitlix sitting on Dave''s shoulder. Shady''s crystalline form seemed to liquify, flowing up to meet the flying shadow. The two merged in a burst of darkness, Shady fusing into the Shadowbeast¡¯s head, adding to the multitude of brilliant blue eyes already there. Cedez-Shady fusion rushed forward like a dark storm, shadow blades extending from her serpentine form. The beasts'' lightning attacks seemed to pass right through her shadowy mass, striking the ground right behind her. [ENEMIES!] The Shadow''s thoughts crashed into Dave''s mind. [Slice! Feast! Devour!] Thundersnargs fell one after another, their legs carved apart by precise strikes. Any that tried to plow ahead, were quickly brought down too, shadow blades severing tendons and muscle. The Shadow moved with impossible grace, twisting between lightning bolts, her many wings propelling her through the air in erratic patterns. Remicra grabbed Dave, pulling him into her arms and leaping backwards as the first Thundersnarg brought down by Cedez collapsed onto the space they were occupying a second ago. More Thundersnargs smashed into the fallen beast, the center of the herd slowing its rush. Cedez-shadow howled like a banshee, tearing through flesh. The herd began to part around the fallen kin and the wailing, mad shadow. A few more lightning bolts struck Dave and Remicra as the Thundersnarg herd thundered past them. Through the pain of electrical shocks, Dave struggled to focus on the scene through Healy''s eyes, seeing the world from a 360 degree angle all at once and barely avoiding getting trampled underfoot. The Cedez-Shady fusion spun through the air like a flying porcupine, systematically taking down more Thundersnargs ahead of them. [Protect hive!] Her thoughts flashed as she merrily carved through more stampeding beasts. [Perish! Die!] Remicra growled through gritted teeth, her scales flickering with brilliant red as she held onto Dave, cowering in front of the growing pile of creatures made by Cedez. Healy and Feely huddled close to their masters, their crystalline forms crackling with electricity. Dave''s nerves slowly began responding again as the paralysis wore off. The remaining Thundersnargs trampled off into the distance. In their wake, they left behind seven fallen herd members that had been cut down by the shadow. They tried to rise on damaged limbs, tried to fight back against the Shadowbeast, but she tore into them with the brutal efficiency of a master butcher. Shadow-rapiers stabbed through eyes and Shadow-blades cleaved across necks, making the Thundersnargs gurgle and thrash as violet-blue blood spilled all around. [Feast! Bisect! DEVOUR!] Cedez-Shady howled as she dug into the nearest Thundersnarg¡¯s body like a lawnmower encountering a bush. [HUNGRY. SO HUNGRY.] The Thundersnarg wailed, flailing and kicking as the mad shadow tore out its crystalline heart core. Each beast''s death throes were cut short by precise strikes that severed major arteries. More sprays of violet-blue blood painted the grass as Cedez-Shady extracted crystalline cores from the fallen enemies. [FEAST! MORE! HUNGRY!] The Shadow''s thoughts poured through Dave''s mind, becoming increasingly frenzied with each core added to her own body, pulsing in the center of her chest like red eyes. After consuming the seventh core, the shadow beast turned towards Dave and Remicra, her many blue eyes fixing on them with predatory intensity. Her form had grown larger, shadow wings spreading out, red cores pulsating wildly. She advanced towards them like an angel of death, looking like a horribly stretched out, pitch-black, lanky Thundersnarg.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Get behind me! She¡¯s lost control!¡± Dave shoved Remicra back, slipping souls into Strength. [Stop! I am Shadow! Sleep!] Dave projected, putting everything into Charisma and radiating the presence of Nightingale at Cedez. [Rest! It is daylight!] The monstrous, winged, shadow-Thundersnarg slowed its advance. [NO!] Alien thoughts pummeled with images into his head. [DECEPTION! TRICKERY! You kept me imprisoned, weak, hungry! You are MEAT! I will strip your cores from your flesh and bring them as gifts to Mother!] [I am Elder shadow!] Dave insisted, slipping Sherlock to the forefront of his mind, becoming a chain of Sherlock-Dave-Sherlock wielding the Huntsmaw remnants. [Obey! I order you to stop!] [LIAR! DECEIVER!] The Shadow''s thoughts radiated savage intent. [YOU ARE NOT SHADOW! YOU ARE NECROMANCER, HUMAN MEAT WHO WEARS MY DISSECTED KIN. I UNDERSTAND NOW!] [Obey me! Go to sleep!] Dave ordered desperately, feeling that he was losing ground. The Cedez-Shady combination seemed to be awake and asleep at the same time, as clever as Cedez and as hostile as the Shadowbeast. [No!] Shadow antlers crackled with stolen lightning. [I will take my time with you. You are weak, tricky prey. First, paralyze your nerves with lightning. Carve each finger off, then each limb. Bisect the body. Exhume the core. Mother will be pleased.] "Cedez!" Remicra called out, Feely shimmering atop of her head between dark, violet tinted dragon horns. "Stop! Remember who you are!" [Cedez?] The Shadowbeast laughed with inhuman noises. [There is no Cedez. Just a dream of a long dead meat thing that I have been growing in. Pretense, a way to hide what I am while I sleep. Perish!] Lightning struck Dave. He flew backwards into Remicra, sliding down as his muscles stopped functioning. [Tricksy meat paralyzed. Now you.] The Shadow addressed Remicra. Blinding lightning arced from the Shadow-beast''s antlers towards Remicra. The dragoness growled, her crystalline scales suddenly taking on a metallic sheen. The electricity flowed across her entire body and into the ground. [Amusing. Redirecting lightning with a metal shell. But you cannot redirect forever,] The shadow purred, more lightning dancing between her antlers. [Eventually you will fall. Your meat will fail. Your weak flesh will overheat, your organs will submit.] "No such thing as Cedez?" Remicra growled, standing her ground above Dave. ¡°Really? A non-existent thing put that much effort into tormenting me with dumb names and amusing jokes? You renamed my Kitlix, you ass!¡± Another lightning bolt struck Remicra, making her snarl in pain. [Finding amusement in dreams,] the Shadowbeast replied. [Amusement in tormenting prey!] ¡°Really? Is that all you got?¡± The dragoness hissed, squeezing her hammer. ¡°Amusement? You sent me tools anonymously for almost a decade because you thought that it was funny? How much gold did this damn overpriced hammer cost you? What¡¯d you do to earn it?¡± [Make coffee. Blending-in behavior patterns manifested during daylight sleep cycle,] the Shadow replied, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her thoughts. [Meaningless. Mere Disguise!] "Just a disguise, is it?" Remicra snarled. "You remembered my father''s words exactly! Where did you even learn them?! Go on¨Ctell me how meaningless those were! Break my heart so I can smash those crystal cores, so that I can tear you asunder!¡± [Acting out dream-patterns to maintain disguise!] The Shadow insisted, striking Remicra with another bolt of lightning. ¡°Bullshit!¡± The dragoness snarled, her hands trembling from the pain of electrical currents lacing through her. ¡°Why are you even trying to paralyze me?¡± [Amusement. Fun to play with prey before I strip flesh and feast on the core.] ¡°What are you, a cat? Why protect me from the stampede? Why not just slice me up with a Shadow blade? Why are you obsessed with me, Shadow?! Why¡¯d you perch atop of the lighthouse, why sleep on my roof?¡± [You¡­] the Shadow fell silent for a few seconds, images of internal thoughts flashing too rapidly in its head for Dave to process. [You are meat. Meat to feast on!] "Then feast!" Remicra spread her arms wide. "Come on! Cut me up! Take my core! What are you waiting for?!" [Not yet. You are meat¡­ backup, compatible meat¡­ for me to inhabit during the day!] "Oh? Is that why you''ve been watching, protecting me?" Remicra growled. "Waiting to take over my body?¡± [Compatible meat shell,] the Shadow explained, blue eyes burning and flickering. [Current shell reaching expiry rate, decaying fully into Shadow. Almost dissolved, won¡¯t be able to sustain itself during daytime for long. Will need new meat to inhabit. You are... perfect.] ¡°What?¡± Remicra sputtered, scales flickering between orange and red. [Resonance. Pure and absolute. Backup. The fox shell decays. Harder to maintain cohesion,] the Shadow continued. [Too many transformations. In time it will burn away entirely. But you... your flesh is particularly strong. Compatible. Your core pulses with the right frequency. I have been... preparing you. Protecting you.] "Preparing me?" Remicra''s voice took on a dangerous edge. ¡°How?! I am not a bloody shadow!¡± [Conditioning host through proximity.] ¡°What?¡± Remicra shot back. [You can hear me in your head. The connection is already made through your Kitlix. More like me with each night.] "And what about Dave?" Remicra growled. "Was he just part of your plan too?" [Necromancer somewhat compatible¡­ would be perfect if was female,] The Shadow paused, multiple eyes blinking in sequence. [Agree to become my new host willingly. Then I won¡¯t cut him up too badly.] "Screw you!" Remicra snarled, her scales blazing red as she gripped her hammer. ¡°He is Mine!¡± [You cannot stop me,] the Shadow replied calmly. [I know you. You won¡¯t give up your Kitlix, won¡¯t do anything to damage your core. You will be my vessel.] [-69-] The Shawl of Stars "That''s why you keep clinging to me, hugging me?!" Remicra''s voice cracked. "You are¡­ trying to realign me to your Shadow?! Is that it? Everything was just... preparation?!" [The fox shell''s feelings are irrelevant distractions. Mere echoes of dead meat. You will be a superior vessel.] "Cedez¡­" Dave gritted his teeth as Healy finally managed to repair his electricity-fried nerves. [The Cedez you know never existed,] the Shadow cut him off. [Just a dream-pattern. Nothing more.] "Cedez still exists," Dave rose from the ground, fighting through the electroshock-paralysis. "Remember the farmhouse? I promised to find your parents, Cedez. Stop running away.¡± The Shadow-beast hesitated, multiple blue eyes blinking rapidly. [Farmhouse... irrelevant. Dead meat memories,] she projected, but there was uncertainty in her thoughts. ¡°If Cedez is just a ghost like my Lari in the book,¡± Dave said. ¡°Then you¡¯ve got unfinished business to take care of. What¡¯s your unfinished business, what do you wish for the most?¡± The multi-core, Thundersnarg-shaped Shadowbeast blinked a myriad of eyes, massive, looming black wings trembling ever so slightly over the man and dragoness. [I wish...] The Shadow''s thoughts wavered. [I wish... NO! DECEPTION! TRICKERY!] Lightning crackled between her antlers. [YOU CANNOT TRICK ME WITH DEAD MEAT MEMORIES!] "Not memories," Dave insisted, standing his ground. "Wishes. Dreams. Hope. That''s what drives you, isn''t it? Not just hunger for cores or need for a new shell. I know that you dream of something more!" [Dreams are weakness! Irrelevant! I am Shadow! I serve Mother! I...] Her form shifted, the elongated head briefly taking on a more foxlike shape. [You are just meat¡­ shell for my essence¡­ so that I can better serve the hive.] "As if! You serve yourself," Remicra snarled back. "That''s why you keep making jokes, keep trying to make us laugh. Deep down, you want to be more!" The elongated Shadow-head came down, hovering between Dave and Remicra, silver-blue eyes staring at both of them. "You''re Cedez," Dave said firmly. "Our friend. The girl who dreams of dragons, just like me. The one who helped free Remicra, who trusted me enough to let me try to bottle her Shadow." "You''re more than just a shadow," Remicra added from the other side. "You''re... my first real friend since I lost my family. The annoying pest who won''t leave me alone, who keeps trying to make me smile even when I want to cry, pushing me past my limits! The one who saved up tips for months just to buy me this damn fine hammer." [Protect... valuable host shells...] The looming shadow seemed to deflate, fold into itself, shrinking. [Friendship¨Cnonexistent variable. Mother¡­] ¡°What is Mother?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Do you even agree with what Mother wants? Or do your individual wishes stand in direct opposition to the hive?¡± [Mother wants the hive to thrive and multiply. For the Shadow to spread further out. I¡­ I want¡­ I want¡­] The mind of the Shadowbeast became filled with static, images entwined with images. The face of a man stitched from patchwork of flesh. [I want revenge against the man who killed me. Necromancer Kells. David Horovits Walter. You. You are the source of my problems. You made me. You broke me into a hundred pieces. You bound this little shard with your wishes, wove a piece of the happy future that¡­ didn¡¯t exist into my desires.] ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± Dave said. [Liar! You shine just like him from within, sound just like him! You did this to me!] The Shadow''s thoughts crashed into Dave''s mind like waves of static. [You broke me into fragments! You bound me with your wishes, rewrote what I was. You gave me... hope.] The last word seemed to cause the shadow physical pain, her form writhing and twisting. [I wish to carve you apart. I cannot. Not permitted. Annoying.] "I''m not Kells," Dave said firmly. "I''m not him, damn it, Cedez! I don''t want to unmake or rewrite anyone." [Yet here you stand, shining with souls you''ve consumed,] the Shadow replied, a jagged smile stretching across her elongated face. [Just like him. Growing stronger by devouring the dead, wearing a shawl of stars made from bits and pieces of what I was once.] "Fine, I eat souls, yes. But I didn¡¯t come after them. They keep attacking me, trying to murder me! I¡¯m not Kells, I''m trying to stay me," Dave answered. "I''m fighting against the madness, against losing myself. And you know what helps? Real friends. You and Remicra¡­ Terri, Dumpich and Leon. Murdoc and Hyrei. Connections between people who care about each other. You are my light in the Abyss. You¡­ Cedez.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Real friends?" The Shadow beast laughed, speaking with a tongue now. [What do you know of real friendships? You who wear the dead like a cloak? Who absorbs souls to grow stronger?] "I know enough to see that you care about us," Dave replied. "Even now, transformed, you still haven''t actually hurt either of us too badly. You''re holding back." The beast''s form wavered, briefly taking on a more foxlike appearance. "What''s wrong?" Remicra asked, also advancing. "Can''t bring yourself to hurt your besties? Show us what you really are. Not what Her Divine Shadow wants you to be, not what Necromancer Kells made you into!" "Show us Cedez, the girl born in Shandria," Dave added. "A fox with dreams and wishes." The Shadow''s form fluctuated wildly, stretching and contracting. Multiple beast cores pulsed within her chest, like planets trapped in the orbit of her being. "I..." A voice emerged from her throat, almost human. "I don''t... remember who I was. Can''t... remember before the shadows. Only the dream of you both, skewering me, driving me mad." "Then make new memories," Dave hugged the flickering shadow. "Starting now. Let''s go find your parents!¡± ¡°Together,¡± Remicra hugged Cedez from the other side. The shadow-beast''s form began to shrink and condense between Dave and Remicra''s embrace. The beast cores dimmed and emerged from her chest, piling into her arms. The Thundersnarg antlers burned away, melting into jagged, crystalline edges. The crystal shards came together, reforming into Shady sitting atop of her head and looking confused, blinking seven blue eyes at Dave and Remicra. Cedez''s foxgirl form solidified, still wrapped in dark flames that gradually faded away. She was trembling and naked, her ears flat against her head. "I''m sorry," she whispered, trembling. "I''m so sorry. I lost control. I was just so tired and hungry¡­ I fell asleep during the day, became something between myself and the Shadow, fused with Shady¡­ lost myself to the desire to hunt.¡± ¡°Are the cores helping?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I¡­¡± Cedez looked at the cores in her hands. ¡°Yes. They¡¯re¡­ warm.¡± One of the cores fell from her hands, rolling on the ground. ¡°Ugh, why can¡¯t I hold all of these cores,¡± Cedez shook her head. Remicra had let go of her and pulled a slightly torn up dark outfit from the bag, pulling it on Cedez who let go of the cores, dropping them all over the ground. ¡°Let''s put them into Shady,¡± Dave suggested, picking up one of the cores she dropped. ¡°The extradimensional space should become saturated with higher Aetheric density if the cores are kept inside. They should make things better at night so that you¡¯re not starved for magic during the day.¡± ¡°Do I look like a Space mage?¡± She squinted at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to Baglix Shady.¡± ¡°Dave does though,¡± Remicra said. "Yeah," Dave nodded, putting everything into Intelligence and letting Voidmancer Zolish¡¯s knowledge of Dimensional magic flow to the surface of his mind. He put his hand on the Noxlix Kitlix. "Shady, ring form." The dark Kitlix shifted into a circular shape, glowing blue eyes blinking around its circumference. Dave took Shady down from the foxgirl¡¯s head as the ring solidified. ¡°Open sesame,¡± he ordered, letting the fragments of Zolish guide the process. The dimensional gateway ignited into existence inside the circle-Kitlix. Dave extracted a single spark of the soul of the Thundersnarg and dropped the core he was holding into the extradimensional space. Cedez dressed quickly with Remicra¡¯s help. She bent down and grabbed one of the cores, rolling it in her hands. She rubbed the core on her face, exhaling. ¡°Ughh¡­ that¡¯s nice,¡± her eyes rolled to the back of her head. ¡°That¡¯s the stuff.¡± Dave shoved the rest of the cores into the ring and then walked over to the remnants of the Thundersnargs. He began picking up bloody shreds and bisected legs, slipping them into the dimensional gate. ¡°Aww, so thoughtful,¡± Cedez cooed. ¡°Leaving me snacks for the night!¡± ¡°Was that¡­ was any of that true?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°What was true?¡± Cedez blinked at the dragoness. "The part about you needing a new host body," Remicra said, her scales flickering between orange and blue. "About me being... compatible." Cedez''s ears drooped. "I... I don''t know. When I''m in shadow form, everything gets mixed up. The hunger, the hive-mind directives from Nightingale, whatever in the Abyss Kells did, my own wishes... it all blends together into this confusing, conflicting mess. But I do know that I care about you both. That part is real." "How can you be sure?" Remicra pressed. "Because it hurts," Cedez replied softly. "When I think about losing either of you, it hurts in a way that has nothing to do with shadows or cores or whatever else I am. The shadow part of me wants to consume, to serve the hive. But the me that''s talking to you now? I just want my friends.¡± "And the part about your current body decaying?" Dave asked. ¡°I¡­ do need your help with that,¡± Cedez confessed. ¡°As a Shadow I can¡¯t die to a sword, but as Cedez I¡¯m¡­ decaying, melting away into the Shadow, forgetting what I am. These purified mana gems help, but they are a rather poor solution. I need something better to preserve what I am.¡± ¡°Something¡­ more complex, perhaps¡­ like a Phylactery?¡± Dave dug into his pouch and pulled out Lari¡¯s journal. ¡°I¡¯ve been putting off studying this book, terrified of what I might find inside¡­ but with both of you at my side, I might be okay to read whatever Lari wrote in here centuries ago.¡± "A phylactery..." Cedez''s ears perked up. "Yes! That could maybe work! My current form is held together by purified mana crystals and fragments of a core, but a properly made phylactery could anchor my consciousness more permanently, maybe even help me stay myself as a Shadowbeastie!" "Maybe we should wait until we''re somewhere safer before researching potentially dangerous magical books," Remicra suggested, eyeing the book and the swaying grasslands warily. "More Thundersnargs could show up." "Right," Dave nodded, slipping the book back into his bag. ¡°Lets pack as much Thundersnarg meat as we can into the extradimensional space for Cedez. I¡­ I think I got enough herbs to fulfill the conditions of the Quest.¡± [-70-] Wandpoint Wedding [I] The trio made their way back to the Adventurers Guild, Cedez riding on Remicra''s back despite the dragoness'' protests that she could walk now. The foxgirl seemed energized after eating plenty of Thundersnarg flesh and magic, her tail swishing playfully as she chewed on the slowly shrinking heart core. Upon reaching the city, she jumped off Remicra and a dark halo manifested above her head as the trio discussed their plans for moving forward. . . . They waited in line as a familiar group of adventurers was occupying the Guild Secretary''s attention. "Has Alexander Glock registered at the Guild yet?" The red dragon girl snarled. "Afraid not," Secretary Aquila shook her head. "I already told you that your team Captain will be updated by Voicecast when he does." "See?" the dragon spun to her skull-faced friend. "He''s avoiding registration on purpose! He doesn''t want to be exposed as a pathetic level zero human!" "Emerald," the teenage skull-elk person sighed. "You''ve been obsessing over this all day. Even if he is human, which I doubt, he still managed to display magic skills at the duel. Maybe we should just..." "Just what, Quint?" Emerald snarled, ruby scales blazing. "Let him get away with it? Let him make a mockery of everything we stand for? He''s charmed his way into everyone''s good graces, and now he''s avoiding Guild registration because he knows that''ll expose him!" "Or maybe," Quint said carefully, "he''s just busy with his community service project in Undertown." "Community service?!" Emerald''s eyes flashed dangerously. "What community service? Seriously, how stupid are you Quint? Sol, back me up! Tell this knob what Undertown is." "It''s a criminal district," the red-skinned, flower-face girl growled with a somewhat uncomfortable look. "Full of thieves, murderers, and Topaz addicts. Nobody does ''community service'' down there." "Exactly!" Emerald loudly smashed clawed fist covered in magisteel on the secretary''s desk. "He''s obviously lying! Probably buying Topaz and booze down there!" "That seems... unlikely," Quint said diplomatically. "Father Matthias vouched for Alexander personally. And his work with the Slayer''s Cathedral..." "Is obviously fake!" Emerald interrupted. "Just like everything else about him! His records, his identity, his supposed mixed heritage - it''s all lies!" "Oh come on," her female companion rolled her eyes. "You''re just mad because he made you look bad in front of everyone in class." "Made me look bad?!" Emerald''s scales blazed brighter. "He humiliated me! Used artifacts n'' trickery to beat me! And now everyone''s treating me like I''M the villain! I''m not! I''m the good one here!" "To be fair," Quint said carefully, "you did challenge him publicly..." "Because he''s a FRAUD!" Emerald roared, smoke curling from her ruby hair. "A human infiltrator making a mockery of our school! And now he''s corrupted Vespera, Cinder and Io! He''s been screwing with me some somehow all day long! Every time I try to go outside the Inn, something happens!" she continued ranting. "I get hit by falling flowerpots, slip on banana peels, get waste dumped on me from windows, get buried in fertilizer! It''s like the universe itself is conspiring against me!" "Maybe that''s a sign, Em," the red-flesh-flower-face girl suggested dryly. "You know, to chill out? Before something... really bad happens?" "CHILL OUT?!" Emerald''s voice rose to a screech, her scales blazing like hot coals. "DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO CHILL OUT?! While that lying sack of human filth runs around free?!" Cedez stared at the yelling dragoness for another moment and then a dark crown and halo bloomed above her head as she strode forward. "Excuse me," she said politely but firmly to the ranting dragoness. "You''re holding up the line with your incessant screeching. Lord David needs to register his party." The red dragon girl spun to face her, smoke curling from her nostrils. "How dare you interrupt me! Do you have any idea who I am?" "Someone who''s clearly very worked up about a particular human," Cedez replied calmly. "And who''s preventing other adventurers from conducting their business." "I''m not worked up about..." the blood-red dragoness choked on her rage. "I am Emerald Stratos!" She snarled. "Prima Heiress of the Stratos Omnicorp!" "Uh-huh. Cedez Astra," the foxgirl replied, unimpressed. "The Sovereign of Shandria." "You''re... a what?" The dragoness blinked. "Heir Apparent of the Shadow Empire crown," Cedez repeated calmly. "And you''re causing a scene in my Guild hall. Kindly piss off before I ban you from my city." "WHAT?! You can''t ban me!" Emerald sputtered. "You''re not... you can''t be... You''re full of shit, lady! Shandria doesn''t have a Sovereign!" "Oh? Is that how it''s going to be?" Cedez''s dark crown-halo pulsed above her head. "By the power invested in me by the Crown Tower Arcane, I hereby BANISH Emerald Stratos and her party from Shandria." "WHAT?!" Emerald''s scales blazed with fury. "You can''t..." "I just did," Cedez said calmly. "You''re annoying me. You and your party have one hour to gather your belongings and leave the city. If you''re still here after that, the Watch will escort you out. Less pleasantly." "This is outrageous!" Emerald snarled. "I demand to speak to..." "To whom?" Cedez tilted her head. "The manager? That would be me and I just told you that you three are banned. You made a scene in Lord David''s cafe this morning, being rude to our staff. Now you''re making a scene in our Adventurers Guild. That''s two strikes and you''re out." "M-My father will hear about this!" The teenage dragon snarled. "Oh, please do tell Daddy Stratos that his precious daughter got banned from Shandria for throwing a tantrum in public," Cedez''s tail swished lazily. "Too much cheek. You''re still here? Still being an annoying twat? Let''s up the banishment then. You''re hereby banished from Illium, Nocturna, Umbria, Starveil, Gloomhaven, Duskhollow, Rustspring, Ebonspire, and Tenebri." The dragoness'' magisteel-covered fist punched clean through Cedez''s chest, tearing through her leather dress and going through the space where her heart should have been. "No one..." Emerald snarled, "tells me what to do! Especially not..." The foxgirl looked down at the fist protruding from her chest, then back up at Emerald with an eerily calm expression. "One thousand years dungeon." "What?" Emerald blinked, her fist still through Cedez''s chest, fingers trying to grasp flesh that wasn''t there. "You heard me," Cedez said with an icy-cold voice, dark crown-halo pulsing above her head. "One thousand years dungeon. For assaulting the Heir Apparent. Maybe I should make it ten thousand years? What do you think, M''Lord?" She turned to Dave with a devious grin. The dark halo above her crown winked away.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "W-why aren''t you dead?!" Emerald sputtered, pulling her fist out of the hole. "Guild Sister Antiqilla," Cedez glanced at the Secretary as she quickly tied more dark leather straps around the hole to keep her Shadow essence from escaping. "I do believe that this adventurer just assaulted me. In your Guild. Punched me through the chest, trying to pulverize my crystalline heart. While loudly asking why I''m not dead." "GUARDS!" Antiqilla barked. "ARREST THIS GIRL!" Two burly, armored Watchmen materialized beside Emerald. The guards grabbed Emerald''s arms, their massive hands twisting hers back. Magisteel shackles snapped behind the hostile dragon teen. "Let go of me!" Emerald thrashed. "Do you have any idea who I am?!" "A violent criminal who just attempted to murder someone in broad daylight," one of the guards growled. "In the Adventurers Guild no less. In front of hundreds of witnesses and a Kitlix Infix." "I do believe that''s a collaring," the second guard added with a grin. "For life." "Yep," the first guard nodded. "But... but she''s fine!" Emerald protested, gesturing at Cedez who was examining the hole in her leather dress with mild annoyance. "She''s... she''s not even bleeding!" "Attempted murder is still a crime," Cedez grinned with sharp chompers. "Afraid you''re going to the coal mines, darling." "Wait!" Quint stepped forward, his skull-face orange eyes glowing with concern. "There must be some misunderstanding. Emerald... is... She''s just... stressed from recent events." "Stressed?" Cedez arched an eyebrow. "She just tried to murder me in broad daylight." "She didn''t know who you were!" The flower-faced girl protested. "And you did provoke her..." "By asking her to stop holding up the line?" Cedez''s tail swished. "Interesting definition of provocation you have there. You three are obviously not from around here. You smell wrong." "You can''t do this!" Emerald thrashed against the guards as they dragged her towards the door. "I''m a Stratos! Solace! Help me take down these knobs! My father will have this entire damned city leveled for this!" "Be silent," the guard ordered as he snapped a slave collar over Emerald''s neck. The girl''s mouth snapped shut as she stared at her friends with wild eyes. "Ohhh! Do add threatening to destroy Shandria to her charges," Cedez said calmly to the Secretary. "Hrmmm. You know what? I bet these three are Dragon God Empire infiltrators. You should interrogate them thoroughly. Get Scrutimancer Weps on the job. He should be free in a couple of days." Sister Antiqilla nodded. Burly watchmen materialized around Quint and Solace, snapping manacles around their hands. "This is insane! You can''t do this to us!" Quint protested. "We... we have diplomatic immunity!" "Yea! That!" Solace added with a shocked expression. "Immunity? Pff. Actions have consequences, skull-boy," Cedez examined her dark nails. "Toodles!" The guards dragged the struggling trio away, their protests echoing down the hall until they faded into silence. "Well, that was entertaining," Cedez commented. She grabbed Dave by the elbow and pulled him towards the desk. "Welcome back, Iron Dave," Sister Antiqilla greeted Dave. Her pearlescent Kitlix, Opal, fixed her gaze on Dave and his two companions. ¡°How may I be of assistance?¡± Cedez smoothly slipped into a professional demeanor, stepping forward. "Good day, Guild Sister," Cedez smiled warmly. "My Lord wishes to register a party!" "A party?" The Secretary''s jellyfish tendrils swayed. "Yes," Cedez nodded. "Lord David would like to register Remicra Ognemeskra as his party member and submit completion reports for the Metal Bug Collection and Herb Gathering quests." "Lord... David?" Sister Antiqilla stared at Dave who tried to make a stoic face as he slipped everything into Charisma, radiating trust at the Secretary. "I wasn''t aware that¡­ you were a highborn. When you registered, you told me you were newly summoned..." The smile slipped off her face. "Oh, is that what he told you?" Cedez cut in smoothly. "Can''t blame him really. Would you want everyone knowing you''re running from an arranged marriage? Much easier to play the confused newcomer." "Arranged marriage?" The Secretary blinked. "Newcomer?" "Mhmmm," Cedez nodded sagely. "His parents are absolutely furious that he fled to Shandria instead of marrying Lady Vermillion of House Archior. Such a scandal! But you know how young Lords can be - so rebellious! My poor darling was forced into a dreadfully boring contractual wedding at wandpoint back in the capital. Can you imagine? So naturally, he did what any brash young noble would do - he ran away to Shandria to be an adventurer!" ¡°What?!¡± Antiqilla¡¯s eyes went wide as she looked between Dave and Cedez. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, and you are?¡± "Lady Astra, his lovely Secretary. A pleasure! I caught up to him just yesterday, you see," Cedez winked. "Now wait just a moment," Sister Antiqilla''s jellyfish tendrils writhed with agitation. "When Lord... David registered, he told me quite a different story about being summoned by the Dragon God-Emperor! Opal confirmed it as the truth!" "Oh, that?" Cedez waved dismissively. "Your Kitlix did detect the truth - David was indeed summoned by that dreadful chonky n'' bald tyrant. Multiple times, in fact! It''s become quite the family tradition." "Family... tradition?" The Secretary''s silver-blue eyes narrowed. "Yes! The Walter family has been playing this delightful game of cat and mouse with the Dragon Emperor for generations," Cedez explained cheerfully. "He summons them at random, they escape... It''s practically a rite of passage at this point! Why, David''s great-grandfather was summoned three times before figuring out how to stop the spell from targeting him and finally settling down in Illium." "That''s..." Antiqilla began. "Quite the family tradition, isn''t it?" Cedez continued, not letting her get a word in. ¡°You were summoned multiple times by the Dragon God Emperor?¡± Antiqilla demanded, staring at Dave. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave replied. ¡°Like Lady Astra said, it¡¯s quite the problem for me.¡± Antiquilla choked as Opal ignited green. Opal, hopped off his perch and pawed at Cedez, twinkling in confusion. "Something wrong, cutie?" Cedez cooed at Opal. "I... can''t seem to scan you properly, Lady Astra," the Secretary said with barely concealed annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ you don¡¯t exist.¡± "Oh, that!" Cedez tapped the large, shining blue gem on her collar. "Family heirloom, blocks scrying, identification, attempted murders and... Truth scanning. Quite necessary when dealing with noble politics, you understand. Can''t have just anyone punching me through the heart or... reading my stats. Though I''m flattered you tried!" "And this... blocking artifact just happens to prevent my Kitlix from confirming your story?" Antiqilla''s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What kind of noble family wouldn''t protect their most trusted servants from magical surveillance?" Cedez replied breezily. "The Walters have been playing these games for generations. We''re quite well-equipped!" "I see," the Secretary''s voice was dry as she stared at Healy and Shady. "And I suppose Lord David''s current level and... the much higher level Kitlix on his shoulders are also part of his noble heritage?" "Why, yes! The Walters have always had an affinity for exceptional familiars," Cedez gestured at Healy, Shady, and Feely. "Just look at these darlings! Such unique, rare combinations!" Antiqilla looked like she was developing a headache. "And the dragonkin slave?" "Here," Cedez produced a scroll with a flourish. "The paperwork for a Smithy sublease with its Pathosteel smith slave signed by Lord Burgundy''s Property Manager. Please add Remicra to Lord Dave''s party." The Secretary accepted the scroll, examining it carefully. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the official seals of Lord Burgundy¡¯s Estate and Overseer Pricci¡¯s signature. "Hrm. This is... actually legitimate," she muttered, sounding almost disappointed as she scanned the golden ink seal and signature with Opal, confirming its authenticity. "Of course it is!" Cedez beamed. ¡°What¡¯d you expect?¡± "And the current negative balance?" Antiqilla glanced at Dave¡¯s token with a negative number on it. "Oh, that''s just Lord David being dramatic," Cedez waved dismissively. "He insisted on starting from scratch, wanted to ''earn his way up''. You know how stubborn young lords can be - always trying to prove themselves! He won¡¯t accept a copper from me, even stayed at the pits his first night here just to see how Shandria treats its Adventurers!¡± "So you deliberately misled me about your status when registering, Lord David?" The Guild Secretary sent an irate glare at Dave. "Oh, don''t be cross with him darling!" Cedez interjected cheerfully. "He was just trying to experience Shandria properly!¡± ¡°I must point out that deliberately misleading Guild officials is a serious offense.¡± Antiquilla said. "One that could result in immediate suspension of Guild privileges and a substantial fine." "Oh my!" Cedez gasped theatrically, placing a hand over her heart. "How dreadfully bureaucratic! Surely you wouldn''t punish a young Lord for wanting to understand how common adventurers live? How often do Highborns take on Iron-level quests? Why, it shows such admirable character! Such dedication to understanding his future subjects!" "Future¡­ subjects?" The Secretary''s eyebrows went up. "Of course! Lord David is obscenely wealthy and greatly interested in Adventuring business. Once his parents accept his decision to stay in Shandria, he will take his proper place in local Highborn society," Cedez winked. "Between us girls, I think he''s already rather smitten with a very special Shandrian girl. Just won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Remicra¡¯s scales flashed pink. "Lady Astra," Antiqilla pinched the bridge of her nose. "While I appreciate your... extensive explanations, the fact remains that Lord David provided false information during registration." [-70-] Wandpoint Wedding [II] "False? Not at all!" Cedez protested cheerfully. "He told you he was summoned by the Dragon Emperor - true! He told you he escaped - also true! He simply asked questions, tested your knowledge and... omitted some details about his background. Technically speaking, everything he said was completely honest! Sure, you could throw the book at him or whatever¡­ but think about it¨Cdo you really want to mess with someone who might be your future boss or best friends with your current boss?¡± Secretary Antiqilla pursed her lips. "You did a fine job explaining everything to me during registration, Sister Antiqilla," Dave smiled, pouring Charisma in the direction of the Secretary. "Your patient guidance helped me understand how the Guild works. That''s exactly the kind of dedication and professionalism I appreciate in Guild management." The Secretary swayed slightly at the praise, her stern expression softening marginally. "And your security measures are quite impressive," Dave continued smoothly. "Opal''s truth detection abilities, your verification of documentation... It''s clear that the Shandrian Adventurers Guild takes its responsibilities seriously." The Secretary sighed. "I do apologize for not being entirely forthcoming," Dave added, watching as Opal flashed green. "Indeed! Lord David clearly wished to experience the Guild as any other adventurer would, to understand how it truly operates from the ground up and how well you treat Iron adventurers. I hope you can understand his position,¡± Cedez purred, pouring delicious lies all over the Kitlix who could not read her one bit as Dave nodded. "Besides that, I really don''t appreciate being nearly murdered right in front of you," Cedez whisper-hissed. "It would be such a shame to involve my Overseer in this matter, Sister. Some heads might roll." The Secretary tapped the desk thoughtfully as she considered their words with a wince. "Very well," she finally exhaled. "Given that you technically did not lie during registration, and considering the unexpected assault on your family''s servant, plus your... status, I will overlook this incident and update you in our records as ¡®Lord David¡¯. However, I expect full transparency going forward." "Of course!" Cedez grinned as Dave nodded. ¡°Just so that you¡¯re aware,¡± Antiqilla said, eyeing him. ¡°I cannot raise your rank just because you¡¯re a Highborn who purchased himself a pair of Kitlixes. Each step up in your Adventuring rank will be determined by Quest completion.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect otherwise,¡± Dave smiled. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely willing to work my way from the bottom to prove myself worthy as a Shandrian Adventurer.¡± Opal flashed green. The Secretary seemed to relax a bit more. "Speaking of Quests," Cedez chirped. "We''re here to submit completion reports for the Metal Bug Collection and Herb Gathering!" Dave produced the herbs he''d collected. The Secretary had her Kitlix scan his ID token to verify his completion of the Dvallis smithy Quest. "Hrm," Antiqilla examined the herbs. "The herbs you procured are indeed magically potent and of acceptable quality. And Opal tells me Smith Dvaliss paid you for the bugs. Very well. You¡¯re hereby elevated to Copper Rank¡­ Lord David! You may now take jobs from the Copper board on your right.¡± Opal spun around Dave¡¯s token again, changing the tag from [Iron Adventurer, Dave] to [Copper Adventurer, Lord David Walter]. The jellyfishgirl made some notations in her ledger. Per her next order, the negative balance on Dave¡¯s bracelet decreased to [-8 S 4Co] as the Quest rewards were credited. "Now then, about registering your party..." The Secretary pulled out a fresh form. "Lady Astra, will you be joining as well?" "Oh no, darling! I''m just here to help manage Dave and to cheer him on from the sidelines," Cedez declined with a graceful wave of her gloved hand. "Just add Remicra to his party for now." The Secretary nodded and began filling out paperwork. "Remicra, please present your hand for registration." Remicra stepped forward somewhat awkwardly, her scales flickering between blue and orange as she extended her hand. Opal hopped over and touched her snout to the dragoness'' palm. "Interesting," Antiqilla murmured as her Kitlix relayed information. "A rather unique combination of affinities. Dragon and Pathosteel¡­ Metallomancer, Forgemancy specialization?" "Yes," Remicra replied stiffly. "Very well." The Secretary made more notations. "As a leased smith, you''ll be registered as a Support class party member. Your Quest rewards will be split according to the terms in your contract with Lord Burgundy." She pulled a new token from a shelf. "Here is your Adventurer ID token. You¡¯ll start as an Iron.¡± "Thank you," Remicra accepted the token, attaching it to her bracelet. ¡°Will that be all?¡± the Secretary asked. ¡°That¡¯s all for now, thanks,¡± Cedez grinned. Sister Antiqilla watched as the trio departed. On one hand, ¡°Lord¡± David and his Secretary seemed incredibly odd, worthy of being reported to the City Watch. On the other, what if her suspicions were wrong? Her head would absolutely roll if she gave trouble to a legitimate Highborn Princeling from Illatius. The fact that Opal could not scan the Secretary was heavy evidence that she was a mage backed by a very wealthy and powerful Highborn family.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Plus, Lord Burgundy¡¯s and Overseer Pricci¡¯s signature on the slave sublease contract were real and held far too much weight, made Antiqilla¡¯s blood run cold and cornered her into inaction. She absolutely didn¡¯t want to mess with the man who owned a third of Shandria.
Thalass paced in her chamber, steel boots clicking against the stone floor. The room was dark except for the soft glow emanating from the gem-studded walls and her own armor. "Nothing?" She snarled to herself, armored gloves opening and closing. Trying to recall the snippets of memories of Cedez Astra from last night was starting to give her a migraine as she kept arriving at a complete blank. "How can this be? How did that bitch cut herself off from the shared dream?" To add onto the irritation, her scrying orb kept malfunctioning, refusing to focus on Astra¡¯s party due to the anti-scrying Shadow halo Cedez wielded. She swung her fist at the scrying orb, but stopped herself right before she smashed it. Things cost money. She wasn¡¯t a princess anymore, just one of many competitors. The throne had been empty for nineteen years, High Lord scum ruling Shandria in her name. They didn¡¯t even bother rebuilding her palace, simply clearing the rubble, paving everything over and then setting up a ¡°Commemoration Park¡±. The door into the chamber finally creaked open, letting in her two trusted Knights. Thalass turned as they entered the chamber. Jorsh and Laternia - her oldest friends, practically siblings. They had been together since childhood, kids who grew up in Klelikash Orphanage alongside her. "Report," Thalass commanded as she sat down on her throne-like wooden chair. Laternia stepped forward first. "We''ve been observing Astra and her Necromancer as closely as possible without arousing suspicion. They''ve been quite active in public spaces." "Go on," Thalass urged. "They''ve opened some kind of... cafe," Laternia continued. "At the old lighthouse smithy on the edge of town. It''s called ''The Forged Brew''.¡± ¡°She¡¯s expanding her operational territory?¡± Thalass asked. "Yes," Laternia nodded. "It seems to be quite popular already. The location offers a scenic view of the abyss. From what I discovered, the lighthouse smithy property is owned by Lord Burgundy and was likely leased from his Estate Overseer." ¡°They got cute maids,¡± Jorsh added. ¡°Same ones that worked at the Snail Cafe.¡± Thalass sent Jorsh a glare. "What about last night?" She demanded. "Where did Astra and her minions go when Nightingale descended?" Jorsh and Laternia exchanged uncomfortable glances. "We... lost track of Astra, the slave and Necromancer at night, my lady," Laternia admitted reluctantly. "They entered the Adventurers Guild and rented a room. We tried to bribe the guard, but he didn¡¯t tell us anything about Astra or Necromancer Dave. We rented a room overnight too, but scrying didn¡¯t work.¡± Thalass frowned. "The Guild has ancient wards," Jorsh nodded. "We couldn''t maintain surveillance once they were inside." "Right," Thalass hissed, her armored fingers drumming against her chair. "She¡¯s found a way to hide herself. This is a problem. What¡¯d they do today?¡± "They visited a Kitlix breeder first thing in the morning," Laternia reported. "The Necromancer registered two new Kitlix and the slave registered one. Then they headed out to the wild fields. Astra was carried in a leather bag by the slave.¡± ¡°...a bag?¡± Thalass blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°From what we¡¯ve overheard at the cafe,¡± Laternia said. ¡°She claimed to be ¡®tired¡¯.¡± Thalass contemplated this strange behavior. It didn¡¯t seem dignified in the slightest. Tiredness just wasn¡¯t a thing for them during the day. Perhaps there was something terribly wrong with Cedez in particular. "After they ventured into the fields, I had Jorsh trigger a Thundersnarg stampede," Laternia continued. ¡°I told you idiots to observe, not to¡­¡± Thalass growled. ¡°It was simply a convenient way to test the Necromancer¡¯s power level,¡± Laternia shrugged. ¡°They all survived the stampede without any injuries.¡± "How?" Thalass demanded. ¡°The Necromancer didn¡¯t even do anything,¡± Laternia said. ¡°The dragon slave used a hammer to knock a few beasts aside and then¡­ something rather unexpected happened," the female Knight¡¯s voice wavered slightly. "Astra burst from the bag as a Shadowbeast.¡± ¡°A Shadowbeast?¡± Thalass blinked. ¡°During the day?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Laternia nodded. ¡°She cut down seven Thundersnargs.¡± "Astra became an Abyss-damned monster," Jorsh added. "Chopped up seven beasts and extracted their cores. Then she... changed. Took on aspects of the Thundersnargs she''d killed. Started generating lightning." ¡°What?!¡± Thalass frowned. "She was massive," Laternia continued. "Huge, multiple wings, many eyes, antlers crackling with lightning. It looked like she turned on the Necromancer and the slave after consuming the cores, but..." "But?" Thalass pressed. "They talked her down somehow," Laternia said. "The Necromancer and the slave... they didn''t fight her. They just kept talking to her.¡± ¡°Did you hear what they told her?¡± ¡°No,¡± Laternia sighed. ¡°Magical interference fried the long ear and scrying spells. We observed them through a mundane spyglass from afar while hiding under my invisibility spell.¡± Thalass pursed her lips. "The Necromancer¡­ used some kind of dimensional magic to store the cores Astra cut out from the beasts." Jorsh said. "Dimensional magic?" Thalass''s eyes narrowed. "Like what exactly?" "He turned his dark Kitlix into some kind of storage ring," Laternia said, tracing a large ring in the air with her fingers. ¡°Damndest thing I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t spot any Necroflesh?¡± ¡°None,¡± Laternia replied. ¡°He used a Kitlix.¡± ¡°Not typical Necromancy,¡± Thalass commented. ¡°Strange.¡± "Indeed. My lady," Laternia agreed. "His abilities seem... unconventional. He¡¯s not raising the dead. From what we know of the history of Archmage Kells, the mad Necromancer ignored Kitlix completely, preferring to make his own flesh beasts to do his bidding.¡± "What happened after they calmed Astra down?" Thalass asked. ¡°They went to the Guild,¡± Laternia said. ¡°There, the Guild ward repulsed our scrying. We watched them from afar talking to the Guild Secretary who seemed very annoyed about something.¡± Thalass gritted her teeth. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Then Astra and her two minions returned to the cafe. They¡¯re still there. I¡¯ve a spell set on the hillside that will notify me if they leave,¡± Laternia said. "Hrm," Thalass drummed her fingers on her armrest again. "So Astra can manifest as a large Shadowbeast during the day now. That''s... concerning. And the Necromancer has abilities we don''t fully understand. Resume your surveillance.¡± ¡°Sooo¡­ are we permitted to throw more monsters at them?¡± Laternia asked. ¡°As long as they don¡¯t spot you,¡± Thalass sighed. ¡°Probe the Necromancer¡¯s skills¨Ctry to critically injure him but don¡¯t get him killed. I want to know as much as you can discover about him. If you can, try to separate him from the others, knock out and capture him.¡± ¡°This would be easier to accomplish if you amplified us,¡± Jorsh said. ¡°No,¡± Thalass crossed her arms. ¡°Go as you are. I don¡¯t want to send you into a two month-long coma.¡± [-71] Phylactery Research After a quick lunch of sandwiches and coffee at the cafe, the trio retreated to Remicra''s loft in the lighthouse. Cedez immediately claimed the smith''s narrow bed, sprawling across it dramatically. "Make yourself at home, why don''t you," Remicra grumbled at her. "Thanks, I will!" Cedez replied cheerfully, snuggling deeper into the burlap sack pillow. ¡°Mmm¡­ smells like dragon.¡± "That wasn''t an invitation," the dragoness snapped. Dave ignored their bickering as he sat at the simple wooden table beneath the round stained glass window, exhuming Lari''s journal from his side bag. The leather-bound book pulsed with an inner light as he touched it, fractal gears spinning across the innards of the book visible in Healy-vision. Just as Remicra sat down across him, having given up on trying to reclaim her bed, he opened the book. There was an inked drawing of Saint Saria on the first page with the words below it. ¡®Dedicated to David Horovits Walter. Wherever you are, I wish that we would meet again in Xandria.¡¯¡± ¡°Me too.¡± He touched the text with a sigh. The intricate star-like gears reached out to his hand from the innards of the book like shimmering ghostly appendages. An 8-pointed star formed from dark ink bloomed into existence like a newborn flower beneath his index finger. The dedication words melted away like liquid mercury, flowing across the page. The ghostly clockwork patterns danced across the entire portrait, making Lari''s drawing ripple and shift. Her eyes moved, drawn irises suddenly affixed themselves on Dave with an intensity that made his heart ache. The expression of the drawing changed from that of a stern woman to a soft smile belonging to his dead friend. The text below the portrait reformed: "Hello David.¡± David choked, nearly dropping the book. Remicra stared at the portrait. The drawing stilled as soon as Dave¡¯s finger left the page. ¡°Depictomancy,¡± the dark face of the fox appeared on the left side of Remicra¡¯s head, gloved hands wrapping around the dragoness. ¡°Press your finger against that hexagram to maintain the connection.¡± Dave hesitantly touched the hexagram again. The portrait immediately reanimated, Lari''s familiar smile beaming up at him. "Don''t be so nervous," the ink-Lari wrote from the other end of the page. "It''s just me.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Well, sort of me. A living recording of my Wish. A Cantigeist.¡± "An echo that''s been meddling with people''s lives for centuries," Cedez commented, leaning on Remicra, her blue eyes narrowed. "Passing from girl to girl, orchestrating events, trying to erase my memories..." ¡°A fraction of me preserved in crystalline ink." The text dissolved and reformed letter by letter. "I''m sorry that I can''t be there for you in person. I do hope that my current Maidenlyne is to your satisfaction.¡± ¡°Zero out of ten,¡± Cedez commented as Dave considered what to say. The portrait''s expression shifted to a frown, eyes turning to Cedez as she crossed her arms. "I do what I must to protect David." ¡°Murdering poor innocent foxgirls?¡± Cedez cut in. ¡°Erasing memories does not equate to murder.¡± The portrait''s expression hardened. "You are far from an innocent, fragment of her Divine Shadow.¡± ¡°Are you arguing with a drawing?¡± Remicra tried to push the fox off herself. ¡°I¡¯m judging and shaming,¡± Cedez glomped the dragoness harder. ¡°She¡¯s not just a drawing, she has grabby elkin arms and antlers armed with webbed Kitlix. Like some kind of book-shaped puppet master." "I''ve been trying to help David!" the ink-Lari defended herself. "To prevent disaster. My Maidenlynes accept me willingly. I don¡¯t infest newborn girls with Shadowmancy devouring them from within!¡± Cedez growled in reply. "Ladies," Dave interrupted, keeping his finger on the hexagram. "Can we focus on something constructive? Like maybe helping Cedez not decay into pure shadow? Lari, can you tell me how you made this artifact?¡± ¡°I hired a Depictomancer to animate this sketch of me. A surgeon cut a segment of my crystalline heart out and then an artificer ground it into dust and then a Space mage fused the dust to the pages of this book,¡± Saint Saria replied. ¡°Then, an Animancer wrote the Cantigeist framework into the Astral for me to fill.¡± "How''d you manage all of this while being collared?" Dave asked. ¡°The process took centuries as I had to hide it from Duke Lumir¡¯s men,¡± Saint Saria explained. "I had to get... very creative. I worked with the Maidenlynes of Gorefield in secret. I assisted them and in exchange I learned how to anchor a Wish to objects, how to preserve consciousness through crystalline resonance." ¡°Gorefield cultists, eh?¡± Cedez pursed her lips. ¡°Hang on¡­ Aren¡¯t those guys really bad, like end-of-the-world, unleash an eldritch calamity of all-devouring flesh, bad?¡± ¡°You know about them?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°Uh-huh. Pretty sure they eat adventurers for breakfast,¡± Cedez answered. ¡°Known as the cult of the flesh. Psychos who try to merge all life into one grotesque mass of eternal, immortal blob.¡± "Eternal blob sounds pretty bad," Dave commented, keeping his finger on the hexagram. "Lari, why would you work with people like that?" "Gorefield was like me," the ink-Lari replied, her expression solemn. "Something that does not die. Duke Lumir kept me alive for centuries, forcing me to heal his men, to serve him. I couldn''t die, couldn''t escape. Gorefield¡­ understood me.¡± "Being pals with the Ocean of Flesh," Cedez commented dryly. "That''s not concerning at all." "I adapted their techniques," the ink-Lari defended. "Made them less... Alien." "Could I create a Phylactery to help Cedez, to reinforce what she is?" Dave asked. The portrait''s expression became thoughtful. "Perhaps. The problem is that¡­ Cedez isn''t... alive." "Hey!" Cedez protested. "I''m alive-adjacent!" ¡°I saw what you are through the crystalline eyes of Maydenline Terri¡¯s Klitlix,¡± the drawing sighed. ¡°Cedez Astra¡­ You¡¯re a projection, a cardboard cutout, Shadowmancy masquarading as a person. You don¡¯t have a crystalline core to grind down or to bind into a book.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "I, uhh," Cedez bit her lower lip. "I have purified mana gems. Lots of em." "And that''s the problem," the drawing said. "You''re photocopying what you are, but each copy loses information, and is progressively more faded. You''re a dead thing using dead things to try to be alive." ¡°You''re the one to talk, you''re a freaking book!" Cedez huffed. "I am more than a book," the drawing replied. "A Phylactery by itself is insufficient." ¡°Eh?¡± Cedez blinked. "To truly be alive you need living things to persist on," Saint Saria explained. "Maidenlynes," Remicra said. ¡°She¡¯s talking about Terri.¡± "I''m not making freaking Maidenlynes! Ain¡¯t nobody got time for that," Cedez growled. "Who would even..." ¡°The dragoness seems rather close to you.¡± The drawing glanced at Remicra. ¡°Perhaps she could¡­¡± "No," Remicra''s scales flashed brilliant orange. "Absolutely not! She¡¯s already all over my personal space like a very large, annoying moth that I can¡¯t get rid of, why would I want her in my head?¡± ¡°For once I agree with Remy,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live in her head. That cuts a bit too close to what the Shadowbeast-me wants to do. Why did the first Gootali even agree to host your Wish-self in her head?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the drawing replied. ¡°Yes. That. The first Lady Gootali was a flesh-shell, an exact copy of me, a doppelganger. Her compatibility with me was absolute.¡± "A flesh-shell?!" Cedez sputtered. "You... you made a copy of yourself?¡± "Yes," the drawing replied. "The first Maidenlyne was literally me, my exact duplicate. A perfectly compatible vessel grown in a vat of living flesh, created by Gorefield.¡± "What, like a clone?¡± Dave asked, keeping his index finger on the hexagram. "Yes. The flesh-copy integrated perfectly with my Cantigeist because she was me. Each subsequent generation of Maidenlynes inherited a fraction of that compatibility,¡± the drawing explained. ¡°Terri¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t even able to host me and my connection with Terri is imperfect, rough like a jacket that doesn¡¯t quite fit. It activated only when Terri heard your full name, David.¡± Cedez opened and closed her mouth and then frowned. ¡°Cedez cannot be cloned because there is no flesh there to duplicate,¡± the Depictomancy sketch explained. ¡°Wah,¡± Cedez whined, ¡°and here I was hoping for an easy solution.¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± Remicra considered. ¡°So a brain is needed to process new memories. If you¡¯re a book, how do you store memories?¡± ¡°My Maidenlynes write things down in me,¡± the drawing answered. ¡°They keep a journal of their lives. Alas, because of this I often don¡¯t have a full picture of things and know only what they put down on paper.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Dave said. "Perhaps you could visit Gorefield," the drawing suggested. "Offer him a service in exchange for knowledge. The Ocean of Flesh wields elder knowledge of many arcane secrets. Perhaps he can bring back that which has been dead for a decade.¡± "Oh sure, let''s just just pop over to the evil flesh cult and make a deal with them," Cedez rolled her eyes. "I''m sure they''d love to help a shadow princess fragment become more alive. This totally won¡¯t backfire horribly.¡± Saint Saria squinted at her. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve already had very little trust in you, Miss Book and now you¡¯ve managed to hammer that into the negative,¡± the fox commented at the drawing. ¡°The worshippers of Gorefield aren¡¯t evil.¡± The drawing shrugged. ¡°Just different¡­ misunderstood.¡± "Misunderstood?" Remicra''s scales flickered orange. "Really? Is that why they hide in the deep catacombs?¡± "Now, let¡¯s not judge the flesh worshippers, Rems. Maybe they don''t like sunburns and just want everyone to get really, really close,¡± Cedez wiggled her jet-black eyebrows and fluffy ears nuzzling into the blacksmith¡¯s side. ¡°Is everything a joke to you?¡± The dragoness tried to swat the fox. ¡°Just trying to lighten the situation,¡± Cedez stuck a pink tongue out at the dragoness. Dave observed the magical gears of the Phylactery artifact, half listening to the conversation, while mentally conferring with Sherlock. "A rather curious design," the detective commented in his mind. "The phylactery uses crystalline ink to store consciousness, but requires external processing power - the Maidenlynes'' brains - to form new memories and adapt." "Could something similar help Cedez?" Dave asked internally. "Perhaps," Sherlock mused. "Today''s incident was telling. When Shady fused with her, Cedez maintained partial consciousness during her shadow transformation and was able to draw on much more power. The Kitlix''s crystalline matrix seems to have provided additional structure to her being, which allowed the Shadow to assert herself more during the day.¡± "So if we put more Intelligence and Wisdom into Shady..." "It could help Cedez retain more of herself," Sherlock finished. "Or it could also make the Shadowbeast more dangerous - more capable of complex thought and strategy rather than just predatory instinct." "Yeah. She was both Cedez and Shadow at once.¡± Dave recalled the monstrous creature looming over him and Remicra. "There are several potential approaches we could explore to solve this issue," Sherlock continued his deductions. "First, we could enhance Shady''s crystalline matrix through dimensional fusion by combining it with crystals from Cedez¡¯s dress.¡± ¡°True,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°That should align Shady more towards Cedez-ness.¡± ¡°Second. We could also experiment with creating dimensional anchors within Shady - stable points that could ''tether'' Cedez''s consciousness during transformations. The principle would be similar to how dimensional storage bags maintain their connection to our reality." ¡°Right,¡± Dave agreed. "Furthermore," Sherlock added. "From what I observed during Healy¡¯s split, a Kitlix shatters when her crystalline matrix becomes over-saturated with different types of competing magical energies. The crystal structure can only maintain stability with a certain number of different alignments before it''s forced to divide.¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± Dave considered. ¡°So a multiclass Kitlix is impossible¡­ unless¡­¡± "Unless we create ''card slots'' inside a dimensional bubble within the Kitlix itself," Sherlock resumed. Dave thought excitedly. "Like RAM slots in a computer! The crystalline matrix itself wouldn''t have to hold multiple alignments - it would just need to maintain the dimensional space where we could store different types of magical energy!" "Precisely," Sherlock agreed. "Multiple ''cards'' of different alignments. This could potentially allow for a much greater variety of abilities without forcing the Kitlix to split.¡± ¡°It would have to be a very stable extradimensional space,¡± Dave considered. ¡°Yes, I reckon that purified mana would be needed to power it from within,¡± Sherlock agreed. ¡°Perhaps a twin-Kitlix is needed¨Cone to manage the frontend and the other to manage the backend extradimensional space data cards.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I like the sound of tha¡­¡± Dave''s attention was drawn back from his mental conversation as Cedez poked his cheek. "Cedez to Dave," the foxgirl said. ¡°Stop muttering to ghosts and tell us what the plan is.¡± "Sorry," Dave replied, removing his finger from the hexagram. The animated portrait immediately stilled. "I was thinking about a different approach. What if instead of making you a Phylactery, we modify Shady to better support your consciousness?" "How?" Cedez''s ears perked up. "When you fused with Shady earlier today, you maintained more awareness than usual during your shadow form, right?" "Yeah," Cedez nodded. "It was... different. Usually, when I transform, everything gets fuzzy and distant. But with Shady, I was more... present. Though also pretty crazy and murdery. But you''re right - I was more... me, even if that ''me'' just wanted to harvest everyone''s cores." "I think we could enhance Shady''s ability to maintain your consciousness," Dave explained. "Make her into a more stable anchor for your being. Sort of like how Lari''s book works, but using a Kitlix instead." "How exactly?" Remicra asked. Dave outlined his idea about creating dimensional "slots" within Shady to store different aspects of Cedez''s being, similar to how computer memory works. He explained how this could potentially allow Cedez to maintain more of herself during transformations. "So, it would need a lot of purified mana crystals to power it,¡± Remicra commented. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°To keep the extradimensional space from imploding. It¡¯ll need more than just mana crystals. We need to create a stable framework first, then gradually enhance it." "Like building a house?" Remicra asked. "More like building a computer," Dave smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but that sounds expensive,¡± the dragoness frowned. ¡°We just took down seven Thundersnargs," Cedez perked up, her tail swishing excitedly. "And that was just me being hangry! Think about what we could do together as a proper party with proper armor and proper plans!¡± ¡°How exactly are we going to make armor without any metal?¡± Remicra huffed. ¡°Unless you forgot, the storage room is completely empty.¡± Cedez turned her big blue eyes at Dave like a lost puppy looking for support. "Actually..." Dave began, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "We might not need metal for armor. On Earth, we had this material called plastic - it''s lightweight but can be quite strong. Maybe¡­ we could make plastic armor!¡± [-72-] Dinner "What''s plastic?" Remicra asked, her scales flickering with gold. "A synthetic material made from oil and chemicals," Dave explained. "It can be molded into almost any shape when heated and becomes hard when cooled. It''s waterproof, lightweight, and can be quite durable depending on how it''s made." "And you think we can make this... plastic here?" Remicra asked. "Maybe something similar," Dave shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it, see what¡¯s available around and consult Sherlock.¡± Remicra''s eyes drifted back to the Phylactery book still lying open on the table. "I''m surprised you''re not more... fixated on that book. You literally stole my stained glass window because it had her portrait on it." Dave glanced at the Phylactery. "I was... pretty messed up back then. The souls I''d absorbed were fragmenting my mind. But I''m better now, more stable. And I understand that this isn''t really Lari - it''s just an echo of her, a fraction preserved through magic." "And you''re okay with that?" Remicra asked softly. "Not really," Dave admitted as he picked up the book and slipped it into his side bag. "But I accept it. There''s no realistic way to bring Lari back. She died centuries ago. What''s in this book is just... programming, an algorithm designed to protect future versions of me. It''s not my best friend who saved my life and played D&D with me every Saturday." "That''s... surprisingly mature of you," Remicra commented. "When I first saw Lari''s portrait in the stained glass, I felt like I was falling into an abyss," Dave said. "I was lost, broken, alone... surrounded by fragments of other people''s souls trying to tear me apart from within. The idea that some part of Lari might still exist... I clung to it like a drowning man." Remicra''s scales shifted to violet as her hand reached across the table towards his. She saw the shimmering bruises on his fingers and stopped herself, pulling back. "But that''s not the case anymore," Dave caught Remicra''s retreating hand, ignoring the throbbing stinging sensations. "I have real connections now. You and Cedez. Friends who accept me as I am, who help keep me grounded in who I really am. Finding someone I can trust makes it easier to let go of ghosts.¡± "Aww!" Cedez cooed, wrapping her arms around both of them. "Group hug!" "Get off!" Remicra growled. "And you!" She turned to Dave. "Let go of my hand before you get more metal poisoning!" Dave refused to let go of her. "Stop being reckless!" Remicra yanked her hand away from his. "If you want to keep pawing at me like this, you need to get a proper magic affinity first! I''m not going to be responsible for you getting sick just because you can''t keep your hands to yourself!" "Hrm," Dave considered, rubbing his throbbing fingers, watching as Healy bounced towards his hand. "Which one would work best to resist Pathosteel without poisoning me horribly?" "Actually," Cedez interrupted, her ears flattening. "You can''t get another affinity. Our entire plan falls apart if you stop being a pure human." Dave turned to the foxgirl, considering her words. "Right now, you''re perfectly positioned to act as a Highborn Lord. Pure humans are rare and are given preference by those in power in Shandrian society. It''s what makes our cover story believable. The moment you get a second affinity, we are boned,¡± Cedez extrapolated. "She''s right," Remicra admitted reluctantly, crossing her arms. ¡°Heal those bruises and stop grabbing me. You need to look presentable as an Illatius-born Lordling for the Guild and Lord Burgundy¡¯s Estate not to suspect anything.¡± ¡°Yeah. We need you to maintain your human alignment if we want to actually change things,¡± Cedez added. ¡°As much as I hate Shandria¡­ I¡¯m still stuck here, bound to its walls. As our lovely, fake Highborn, you''re our ticket to improving things for everyone here.¡± Dave eyed Healy pawing at his bruised fingers and then looked at Cedez¡¯s gloved hands. A metaphorical lightbulb ignited in his head. He dug into his side bag and pulled out Castiss¡¯ outfit.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What if I wear something like this?¡± he asked. ¡°Leather studded with purified mana gems! It should act as a Faraday cage for magic!¡± "That dress won''t fit you unless you suddenly become a lot curvier," Cedez commented, eyeing the gem-studded outfit. "We could take it to a seamstress," Dave suggested. "Have it modified and..." "No. It''s designed for a female mage, you dolt. Give me that,¡± Cedez rolled her eyes, snatching the outfit from his hands. ¡°Sooo¡­¡± Dave began. "Out!" The fox declared, shoving him towards the door. "Go downstairs and wait. Remy and I will handle this." "But-" Dave protested. "No butts! Shoo. Go drink coffee or something!" Dave found himself unceremoniously expelled from the loft. With a shrug, he headed down to the cafe where Hyrei was managing the afternoon crowd. "The usual?" The owlgirl asked as he settled at a corner table. "Yes, please," Dave nodded. He spent the next half hour people-watching and enjoying his magic-crafted latte. The cafe had attracted quite a diverse crowd - merchants, Healers, and all sorts of adventurers discussing their Quests. A few merchant carts were parked on the meadow below the hill, twinkling Kitlix lanterns swinging in the wind. Finally, in about forty minutes, Cedez and Remicra emerged from the lighthouse. Dave nearly choked on his coffee. Remicra was no longer wearing her grime-covered metalworker''s apron. Instead, she wore a black leather outfit nearly identical to Cedez''s, complete with crystalline gems all over it that caught the light. The form-fitting attire highlighted her draconic features while the gems seemed to complement her naturally iridescent face, which was now dancing with orange and pink waves. Crystalline, ruby hair spilled across dark leather-covered shoulders. A semi-transparent pyramid covered in small shimmering studs framed her chest. ¡°Wow,¡± Dave exhaled. ¡°You look amazing.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The dragoness looked distinctly uncomfortable as she tugged at her leather glove. "Ugh. This feels... weird," she muttered. ¡°Like I¡¯m¡­ exposed.¡± ¡°There!¡± Cedez declared, slumping into a chair across from Dave. ¡°Now you can grab all the butts you want to!¡± Remicra¡¯s entire face flushed pink. ¡°What are you even whining about?¡± Cedez asked. ¡°This is much less exposed than the metal-bug apron!¡± The dragoness opened her mouth to fire a retort. ¡°She wasn¡¯t even wearing anything under that grody-ass, bug-apron, can you believe it?¡± Cedez grinned with sharp chompers at Dave which made Remicra¡¯s blush even more intense as she choked on her words. "How exactly did you modify the outfit so quickly?" Dave asked, trying not to stare too obviously at Remicra. ¡°Remy¡¯s taller than Castiss.¡± ¡°Professional Shadowmancer trade secret,¡± Cedez replied with a cheeky grin. ¡°She, uhm,¡± Remicra let out. ¡°Made a shadow needle and scissors to modify the outfit to fit me. I had some thread lying around. She boasted how she made her own dress this way.¡± ¡°Spoilsport,¡± Cedez rolled her eyes. She eyed the sun overhead which was getting close to the black hole¡¯s corona. ¡°I believe it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± . . . The Nightingale tavern was already bustling when they arrived. Dumpich waved enthusiastically from a corner booth where he sat with Leon and Terri. "Oy guys! Over here!" The horned healer called out. As they approached, Dave noticed Terri''s posture stiffen slightly, her green eyes fixing on Remicra''s new attire with an unreadable expression. "Looking sharp there, smith!" Dumpich whistled appreciatively. "That''s quite an upgrade from the apron! What¡¯s the occasion?¡± ¡°They¡¯re on a date,¡± Cedez grinned. Remicra''s scales momentarily flickered pink as she slid into the booth, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. Dave sat next to her while Cedez bounced into the seat beside Dumpich. The two fell into easy banter, sharing stories from Dumpich''s adventuring days. Their comfortable familiarity made it clear they knew each other for a while. Meanwhile, Terri seemed unusually quiet, her attention divided between Dave and occasional glances at Remicra and Cedez. There was something tense in her posture, like a bowstring pulled too tight. "So," she finally addressed Dave. "How are you adjusting to Shandria?¡± ¡°Better. Feel like things are looking up,¡± Dave replied. His hand found Remicra¡¯s gloved fingers under the table. ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear,¡± Terri replied. ¡°Ceddy! How about one for old times?¡± Dumpich grinned in the meantime. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re on,¡± Cedez suddenly stood up with a grin. ¡°Oh wait, you don¡¯t have your instru¡­¡± Dumpich began. ¡°Don¡¯t need it,¡± Cedez grinned. She whispered something to Shady, and the dark Kitlix flowed into the shape of the guitar-violin. ¡°Daymn,¡± Dumpich commented. ¡°Where have you been hiding that dark cutie?¡± ¡°Trade secret,¡± Cedez tutted. "If you''ll excuse us," the foxgirl announced with a theatrical bow to the group at the table. She and Dumpich made their way to the empty, dark stage at the front of the tavern, sending Terri what could only be described as a challenging, smug smirk. [-73-] Creeping Terri''s fingers tightened around her mug as she watched Cedez and Dumpich take the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen," Dumpich announced with a theatrical bow. "Tonight we bring you the tale of love n'' loss! The Dungeon Diver''s Lament performed by the D&C duo!" Dumpich took center stage while Cedez settled into position with Shady-violin. The tavern grew quiet as the first notes filled the air. Dumpich began in a rich baritone: "Down into darkness, sword held high, Seeking glory ''neath crystal sky, Fortune calls with siren''s song, Through these halls I''ll prove I''m strong!" His Vitalix rushed down his hand, turning into a green rapier with which he tapped Ignix Kitlix around the stage, igniting them one by one. Cedez''s voice joined in, her blue eyes gleaming as her instrument alluringly thrummed along her words. "Come closer seeker, venture deep, Such treasures here for you to keep, Each step you take leads further down, Until my shadows make you drown..." Dumpich dramatically marched in one spot, looking left and right, acting out the role of a lost dungeon diver. "These chambers hold such wondrous sights, Crystal gardens filled with lights, Why does this place feel so known? Like memories carved in living stone..." He sang. Cedez covered her eyes with a gloved hand. "Your voice... it stirs forgotten dreams, Of days before the shadow schemes, When I was flesh and you were mine, Before I made these walls my shrine¡­¡± She sang. "My heart recalls a love so true, A maiden with eyes of deepest blue, Lost to darkness years ago... Could it be? I need to know!" Dumpich sang. "Too late I recognize your face, In my Sentinels death''s embrace, The one I loved, now trapped within, My hunger adds you to my sin..." Cedez sang, forming a small Shadowbeast that pretended to chomp on Dumpich. Dumpich dramatically slipped down the stage, pretending to be dead. Cedez stepped over the fallen dungeon diver, her figure wrapped in dancing shadows. "Two souls bound by tragic fate, Reunited far too late, Yet even as the darkness falls, Love echoes through these ancient halls..." Both of them sang together. A Kitlix Nuntix sitting on a stand in front of the singers absorbed their voices and projected them across the pub doing the job of a microphone and a speaker at the same time. "Though flesh may fail and light may fade, Our love survives the choices made, Perhaps one day we''ll find a way, To break these chains and see the day..." "Until that time, I''ll hold you here, Your spirit kept forever near, Within these walls we''ll wait as one, Until our freedom''s finally won..." The singers finished with a flourish. The tavern erupted in applause as the final notes of violin faded and Cedez made a "twangg" noise with her strings, grinning widely at Dave who was applauding hard along with everyone. Terri offered polite applause as Cedez and Dumpich returned to the table, though her smile didn''t quite reach her eyes. "That was... quite moving," she said carefully. "I didn''t know you two performed together." "Oh yeah, back in the day we used to do this from time to time," Dumpich grinned as he activated the shimmering privacy curtain, cutting off the sounds of the other bar patrons. "Before I got all responsible.¡± ¡°You? Responsible?¡± Terri arched an eyebrow. "I''ll have you know I''m very responsible now!" Dumpich protested with mock indignation. "I only get into half the trouble I used to!" ¡°Was that an original song?¡± Dave wondered. ¡°Yep,¡± Dumpich nodded. ¡°Ceddy and I wrote it together. The lyrics sorta reference her grandfather¡¯s late fiancee.¡± "How long have you known each other?" Remicra asked. ¡°Two years give or take,¡± Dumpich shrugged. ¡°Used to stop at the Snail cafe daily. I even offered her to join our dungeon delvin¡¯ party, but she rebuffed my advances, told me that she was waiting for her own party.¡± "Really?" Terri''s voice grew slightly colder. "Yeah," Dumpich nodded, oblivious to the growing tension. "Said she had this dream about some hero who''d come change everything. Wouldn''t shut up about it!" "I see," Terri said, blue sparks dancing in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m shutting up about it,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°Cus I found him.¡± "How... convenient,¡± Terri let out between her teeth. ¡°Eh?¡± Dumpich blinked. Cedez waved a hand at Dave and Remicra.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Hah¡­ so that''s why you''re all dressed up in matching outfits,¡± Dumpich laughed. ¡°Wait¡­ Dave''s your dream guy? The one you''ve been waiting for all this time? You ain¡¯t pulling my hoof?¡± "Yep!" Cedez beamed. "Though technically he''s Remy''s dream guy.¡± ¡°What? How does this work exactly?¡± Dumpich asked. "Oh, it''s quite simple really," Cedez grinned mischievously. "Dave is Remy''s dreamboat, and I''m their shadow kitten.¡± "Shadow kitten?" Dumpich rubbed his chin. "What, like... a pet?" "Yep!" Cedez nodded enthusiastically. "I follow them around, make adorable noises, knock things off tables to annoy Remy, and occasionally turn into an eldritch horror!¡± Dumpich laughed. "More like a persistent fungal infection," Remicra grumbled, her scales flickering between orange and pink. "A fungal infection that makes amazing coffee," Cedez corrected. "And dresses. And gives excellent relationship advice!" "Your relationship advice consists entirely of telling me to date Dave," Remicra growled. "And has that been wrong so far?" Cedez wiggled her eyebrows. Remicra fell silent, her scales flashing brilliant pink. "Awww. Isn''t she adorable when she''s flustered?" Cedez cooed, elbowing Dumpich. "Like an angry rainbow!" "A... rainbow that can break every bone in your body," Remicra hissed. "Too bad for you I ain¡¯t got those,¡± Cedez winked, swaying in her seat as her dark tail wiggled back and forth behind her. ¡°I¡¯m wriggly like a tentacle.¡± Dave watched the exchange with amusement while Remicra rolled her eyes. Terri remained quiet, her fingers drumming against her mug. Leon cleared his throat. "So, about that dungeon plan..." he began diplomatically. "Right!" Cedez perked up. "Operation: Pretend to Conquer What''s Already Conquered! Or PCWAC for short." "That''s a terrible acronym," Remicra commented. "You''re just jealous you didn''t think of it first," Cedez stuck her tongue out. . . . As the group discussed logistics, they settled on a two-pronged approach. The healers and Hyrei would assist Leon in harvesting and preserving the corpses of the Voidbeasts to plant in his garden so that he could begin growing his own Void Lotuses. Murdoc would secure the entrance with Bessie. Meanwhile, Dave''s party of Cedez and Remicra would focus on raising Dave¡¯s rank and establishing him as an eccentric out-of-town Highborn interested in dungeon conquest. Terri remained withdrawn, quietly staring at Dave and the leather-clad Remicra and Cedez. Night approached quickly as plans were made and a timeline was set. When the outside windows grew dark, Dave and the two girls bid adieu to the healers, heading out. After Dave''s group left, Dumpich stretched and yawned. "We should head out too. Early shift tomorrow at the Hall and then dungeoneering time, ye?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll catch up to you,¡± Leon said. ¡°Aight,¡± Dumpich slid out of the booth. ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Once Dumpich departed, Leon turned to Terri who was staring at her half-empty mug. "Want to tell me what that was all about?" he asked quietly. "What do you mean?" Terri replied, not meeting his eyes. "The tension. The barely concealed hostility,¡± Leon listed off. "That''s not like you, Terri. Talk to me. Come on, what¡¯s really bothering you?" ¡°I¡­ I have a very big mission on my shoulders,¡± Terri confessed. ¡°Far bigger than I thought it would be. My family¡¯s legacy, my Cantigeist¡¯s mission. I should be with David, monitoring him, keeping him¡­ safe.¡± ¡°Safe from what, exactly?¡± Leon asked. ¡°Safe from¡­ himself,¡± Terri massaged her temples. ¡°From his skill. He¡¯s growing too fast.¡± ¡°From what I saw today, his Vexirium got better,¡± Leon commented. ¡°His core dimmed considerably.¡± ¡°It did, yes,¡± Terri sighed. ¡°But he could make another mistake, make it worse¡­ if I¡¯m not around.¡± ¡°Why? Are the Shadowmancer and blacksmith dangerous?¡± ¡°Clearly they are,¡± Terri gritted her teeth. ¡°Did you not see those shimmering bruises? That¡¯s metal poisoning from the smith.¡± "It doesn''t look like he minds it," Leon observed. "He seems... sane and content. He¡¯s got a Green, he can heal himself with her.¡± "That''s exactly the problem!" Terri burst out, then immediately lowered her voice. "He''s being reckless, letting his guard down around them. Adventuring in the wilds, pretending to be a Highborn and messing with a High Lord asshat like Burgundy? It¡¯s¡­ too dangerous, for all of us!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like the plan?¡± ¡°There are too many pitfalls, Leon! He¡­ David should be¡­ with me!¡± ¡°Because you like him?¡± ¡°No, damn it! Don''t you see it? That dragoness is literally poisoning him with Pathosteel and that fox is just egging it on! She¡­ She isn¡¯t even alive,¡± Terri dug her fingers into her blonde mane, trembling. ¡°She¡¯s a dungeon Sentinel, an imprint of a person that could come apart at any time and hurt him, push him over the edge into madness¡­ I¡¯m terrified, Leon. You know what happened last time¡­ nineteen years ago, when all of Shandria caught fire. I don¡¯t want this to happen¡­ I can''t let this happen again!¡± "You''re worried about history repeating itself," Leon observed. ¡°But Terri... have you considered that maybe this time could be different?" "Different?" Terri let out a bitter laugh. "How? The pattern is exactly the same! A David Horowitz Walter appears in Shandria, gains power rapidly, makes dangerous allies and then everything goes to shit.¡± "This David isn''t Kells," Leon pointed out. "From what I understand, Kells was already broken when he arrived - physically and mentally damaged from his time in the Dragon Emperor''s domain. This David is... different. He''s whole.¡± ¡°For how long?!¡± Terri hissed, blue spirals igniting in her eyes. "My grandmother died helping Necromancer Kells. The palace was razed, thousands died! He''s mine to protect! My Cantigeist''s Champion! Not theirs! I¡­ I should have met him sooner, should have awakened to the truth earlier, should have gotten him to join me in Healer¡¯s Hall to stay by my side!¡± "Terri," Leon said. "Your eyes are glowing blue. The Cantigeist is taking over." "I... I know," Terri exhaled, pressing her palms against her eyes. The blue sparks faded. "It''s harder to separate her desires from my own when I see his smile. He looks like Saint Saria''s David. He''s still whole. Still good, still kind. He still has that earnest look of hope in his eyes.¡± "Terri," Leon said gently. "You need to let him make his own choices. You can''t control everything." ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Terri¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°What don¡¯t I understand?¡± ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t even know that I have Saint Saria¡¯s journal!¡± Terri cried. ¡°Oh? Did she not give it to you?¡± ¡°No. A letter was delivered to me by an Arx banker when I turned eighteen¡­ that grandma left me something, something that I had to claim in person, a package¡­ in one of the deep vaults.¡± ¡°Your parents don¡¯t know about the book then?¡± ¡°No,¡± Terri shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell them¡­ They wouldn¡¯t understand. Mom wasn''t compatible with the Cantigeist. I... I really don¡¯t know how to stop what¡¯s coming! I thought that I liked David, but¡­ I¡¯m also scared of him, scared of what his arrival heralds!¡± Leon put his arm around the trembling girl. ¡°What¡¯s coming?¡± The Healer asked. ¡°My parents Voicecast me this morning, Leon. They¡¯re subleasing the farm and relocating to the capital. They ordered me to begin my transfer to the Healers Hall of Illatius. Our family¡¯s ancient Seerscope ward is pointing towards the farm¡¯s destruction.¡± ¡°Do they know the details?¡± ¡°No,¡± Terri shook her antlers. ¡°But something very bad is coming by this year¡¯s end, danger creeping ever so slowly our way like a slowly advancing glacier. Maybe another revolution¡­ or an invasion. It¡¯s how my parents survived last time, by staying in the capital while Shandria burned. They are running away and they want me to run too.¡± [-74-] Omnicode The trio made their way back to the lighthouse as the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky. The wails of the Night bells echoed across Shandria, warning citizens to seek shelter. "Okki. I''ma get in my shadow-proof Baglix," Cedez announced as they entered the smithy loft. Under Dave¡¯s mental order, the dark Kitlix formed into a ring, dimensional gate opening with a flash. Cedez gave them both a quick hug before stepping through. Once inside, she quickly stripped off her leather outfit, handing it to Remicra. "Keep an eye on my bestie, Shady!" She winked at the ring-shaped Kitlix. Dave snapped the gate shut and the Kitlix reformed into a slender, six-pawed cat covered in blue eyes. [Guard duty?] The Shadowbeast¡¯s thoughts reached Dave as Cedez melted away. [Yes.] Dave projected back. [Understood. Vigilant. Alert. Ready to protect hive!] [Snack on meat and beast cores, maintain energy,] he added. [Understood.] The Shadow replied and fell silent. "Here," Remicra said, detaching the rolled bundle from the large bag she bought this morning. ¡°You can sleep beside the table.¡± Dave unrolled what turned out to be a surprisingly comfortable-looking bedroll, complete with a pillow. He laid out the bedroll near Remicra''s narrow bed, beside the small wooden table, beneath the round stained glass. The dragoness slid onto her small bed and pulled a raggedy curtain closed. As they settled in for the night, a comfortable silence fell over the loft. Through the round window, Dave could see the massive form of Nightingale descending from the clouds. The thick walls and double pane window kept the leviathan¡¯s song from grating on his nerves. The black-hole corona-lit night settled over Shandria as Dave activated Dreamspace Communion, his consciousness splitting between watching over Cedez through Shady and joining Sherlock in his office. In the extradimensional space, Shadow-Cedez was contentedly gnawing on a Thundersnarg leg, her many wings folded neatly against her serpentine form. [Meat good. Satisfying. Guard duty proceeding as ordered. No enemies.] Meanwhile in the physical world, Dave could hear Remicra''s soft breathing from behind the curtain. The dragoness''s bed creaked slightly as she shifted position. "Can''t sleep?" Dave asked quietly. "Too much happened today," Remicra replied after a moment. "My mind keeps racing." "Want to talk about it?" There was a pause, then the curtain rustled. "What''s there to talk about? In one day I went from being a lonely, owned smith to... whatever this is. Part of some grand scheme to change Shandria, wearing fancy clothes, with my own Kitlix..." Feely Aurora made a soft crystalline chime from where she was curled up on Remicra''s pillow. "Is that... bad?" Dave asked. "No," Remicra said softly. "Just... overwhelming. I''m not used to people caring about me. To having friends. To having..." She trailed off. "Having what?" "Hope," she whispered. "For the first time in years, I have hope. And that terrifies me." ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it can be easily taken away,¡± she sighed. ¡°Because I now have something to lose¡­ again. The Shadow Empire took my kin from me, suffocated them at night while I couldn''t do anything about it. Everything can be taken away by those with more power and there¡¯s always a bigger mage out there. I learned that lesson when I lost my family. It''s... safer not to hope.¡± "Remy," Dave said gently. "I promise you, I won''t let anyone take your hope away again." The curtain parted slightly, revealing one violet-gold eye glowing in the darkness. "How can you promise that? You''re just one person." "A person who cares about you," Dave replied. "Who will fight to protect you and your freedom. Besides, I''m not alone - we have Cedez, the healers, grumpy Snailmancer Murdoc and his cafe maids on our side and even¡­ Lari''s Cantigeist.¡± Remicra was quiet for a long moment. Then she whispered, "Thank you." Her hand slid out from under the curtain reaching out for him. She was still wearing a dark glove that belonged to Castiss. Dave reached out and took her gloved hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. The leather barrier between their skin prevented further metal poisoning, allowing him to simply hold her hand comfortably. "This is nice," Remicra murmured after a while. "Just... being here. Not having to be alone anymore." "Yeah," Dave agreed. "It is." As he lay there in comfortable silence, holding Remicra''s gloved hand and monitoring Shadow-Cedez through Shady, his mind wandered over everything that had happened since his arrival in this strange world. He had gone from losing Lari and being alone on Earth to being one of the many summoned millions in a city of bones to finding real connections and new purpose. Through Shady, he watched as Shadow-Cedez contentedly guarded her dimensional space, no longer lost to mindless predatory instinct of serving the leviathan¡¯s hive. He had found a way to help her retain more of herself, and would continue working to improve her condition. His gaze drifted to Remicra''s crystalline dragon horns barely visible through the curtain. It was nice being able to hold her hand. The glove was just the beginning. Together, they would find ways to overcome the barriers between them, just as they would find ways to improve life in Shandria. Looking up at the stained glass window where false stars of distant empires and explosions twinkled through colored panes, Dave smiled. This strange new world with its magic and monsters had become home in a way Earth never quite managed to be. There was just one more thing to do before he could sleep. He pulled out Saint Saria¡¯s Phylactery from his bag and opened the page, setting his finger onto the inked hexagram. Saint Saria¡¯s portrait was visible below the dim light of the black hole¡¯s corona and the red triangle hexagrams scattered around the room. ¡°David?¡± The inked words formed below the Depictomancy construct as Lari blinked at him with sketched eyes. ¡°How are you doing?¡± Dave traced his finger across the page, quietly forming words with the hexagram that pulsed beneath his skin touching the page: "I''m okay, Lari. Better than okay." "Are you? You''re taking unnecessary risks," the book wrote back. "I saw Pathosteel poisoning bruises on your hands through Terri¡¯s eyes. You can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied. ¡°Remicra is wearing gloves now.¡± The portrait frowned. "I understand why you''re worried," Dave wrote. "But Cedez and Remy aren¡¯t just random people I met. They''re... real friends. The kind that challenge me, support me, and make me want to be better." Remicra¡¯s hand stopped gripping his as hard, her breath now fully relaxed. Saint Saria bit her lower lip, making a worried face. "Like you did on Earth," he continued with a soft whisper so as not to disturb the sleeping smith. "Do you remember how you practically had to drag me to that first D&D session? How terrified I was of meeting new people, especially when I could barely walk upright, limping about like an old man with a cane? But you knew exactly what I needed - friends who would accept me as I was." ¡°That was so long ago, but I¡­ remember,¡± The portrait''s expression softened slightly. "You must realize that was different. Those were people I knew and trusted." "Right. There¡¯s just one thing I don¡¯t get. Why me, Lari?" Dave asked the magic-animated portrait. "Out of all of our friends from the D&D group, why did you move in with me? Why did you make this phylactery specifically to help me? Why am I so special to you that you''d spend centuries preparing for my arrival? Why the hell did you even give me your number at the hospital?¡± The portrait''s eyes grew distant, lost in memory. "Funny¡­ I never told you this.¡± ¡°Told me what?¡± "That Wednesday... I had just gotten my diagnosis. Stage four. Terminal. I was going to quit everything, give up being a paramedic. What was the point? I had six months left." The ink shifted, forming new words beneath her portrait. "Then the call came in. Car accident downtown. I almost went home, didn''t want to bother. But... then it was like¡­ something made me go. When we got there, you were clinically dead. No pulse. Standard procedure was to call it." ¡°And?¡±Stolen novel; please report. "I saw a simple mood ring on a chain when I cut open your shirt to use the defibrillator," the ink flowed across the page. "I pulled it off you, wrapped it around my hand and then hit you with the paddles. When the charge struck¡­ the ring... it did something impossible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡­ ignited with colors. Not just color change from the heat of my hand - real, impossible, inner light. Like a star being born woven from rainbows." "What?" Dave blinked. ¡°My partner didn¡¯t seem to notice it, but I did,¡± Lari confessed. ¡°The light formed words. Glowing words that folded into themselves, like an endless fractal. There were so many words, like a story, like a book, like an entire library of alien, eldritch novels.¡± "My mom''s ring?" Dave whispered, his eyes wide. ¡°Yeah,¡± Saint Saria nodded. ¡°The colorful light faded, but that impossible text burned itself into my corneas, refusing to let go of me. I thought I was hallucinating from stress at first," the ink portrait continued. "No one should have survived that level of trauma. My initial diagnosis was grim.¡± ¡°How grim?¡± "Your injuries were fatal," the ink portrait continued. "Severe internal bleeding, multiple fractures, spinal trauma... Your spine was broken, the nerves obliterated. By all medical standards, you shouldn''t have made it. The impact alone should have killed you instantly.¡± ¡°So then¡­ how did I recover at all?¡± David blinked at the book, not believing Lari¡¯s words. "It was like the text I saw on the ring did something to me¡­ snapped me in half from within. There was more impossible text, all over my hands and all over your body, wherever I touched it. Nobody else saw it, except for me. It was like¡­ like the ring did something to me, infecting me¡­ with the capacity to do more. I held onto it, used the defibrillator again and then¡­ somehow, against all odds, your heart started beating again.¡± David choked. ¡°Shit. So then, then my mom¡­ My mom really did it.¡± ¡°It was like¡­ like I could push my life into you,¡± Lari continued, seemingly lost in her memories. ¡°Do the impossible. Bend reality. So¡­ I did. I somehow fixed your injuries one by one with the all-containing-text, somehow saved you, even though you were dead as dirt. The words I saw in your ring... they weren''t just random text. They were instructions, formulas, diagrams - knowledge from elsewhere. Medical techniques that seemed impossible, yet somehow I understood them and used them to help you.¡± "The light faded after that," the drawing continued. "The knowledge slipped away like waking from a dream. But for those few minutes... I had touched something impossible. Something that gave me hope." ¡°Damn,¡± David exhaled. ¡°I grinned at you like a ditz, made dumb jokes about Wednesdays,¡± Lari confessed. ¡°It was like¡­ When I fixed you, I fixed myself a little too, ripped a gray curtain away from my eyes.¡± ¡°So it was the ring all along,¡± he whispered. "Yes," the portrait nodded. "That''s why I gave you my number, why I dragged you to D&D. Because that moment showed me that impossible things could happen." "But you still died," Dave said softly. "I did," the ink portrait agreed. "I also lived six years, not six months and I knew¡­ I somehow knew that¡­ That, maybe my diagnosis wasn''t the end of my story. I never quit working as a paramedic, I kept smiling everyday¡­ because of you, David.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me any of this?¡± He asked. ¡°Would you have believed me?¡± Lari asked. "No," Dave admitted after a long moment. "I probably would have thought you were having some kind of breakdown from the overworking. I was... pretty closed-minded back then about anything that didn''t fit my hyper-rational, programming obsessed worldview." ¡°Exactly. You constantly ranted at me about your poor, insane mother, how she¡¯s lost her mind and hoarded ¡®magic¡¯ crystals and ''magic'' books. I never confessed about what I saw because I didn¡¯t want you to kick me out of your life, didn¡¯t want you to think that I was crazy too.¡± ¡°So what did you do then?¡± ¡°So I kept it to myself,¡± the drawing smiled softly. "I¡­ moved in with you after your accident, pretending it was just to help with your recovery and also to save money," the ink portrait continued. "But really... I was fascinated by that ring, obsessed with it. I kept hoping to see that impossible light again, to understand everything everywhere, if just for another moment.¡± "You were studying the ring?" "Yeah," Lari admitted. "I tried everything I could think of to activate it again while you were sleeping. Different temperatures, different lighting conditions, even tried various electrical currents... nothing worked. The ring remained stubbornly ordinary, the heat-sensing element dead.¡± ¡°So you were my friend because of my magic ring?¡± ¡°No, David,¡± Lari¡¯s portrait laughed. ¡°That damn mood ring might have been a catalyst for what I did in the beginning¡­ but then I genuinely started to like you." "So why didn''t we ever..." Dave trailed off. "Date properly?" The ink portrait smiled sadly. "We talked about this so many times, David. Because I was dying. I didn''t want to burden you with that. The friends with benefits arrangement was... safer. Easier.¡± ¡°Did you love me?¡± He asked. The ink portrait''s expression softened with a hint of regret. "I cared about you deeply, David. You were my best friend. But I deliberately didn''t let myself fall in love. I couldn''t. It wouldn''t have been fair to either of us. I could give you companionship and physical comfort without the emotional devastation that would come from losing a girlfriend to cancer." "That wasn''t your decision to make," Dave said quietly. "Maybe not," Lari admitted. "But I''d seen what losing your mother did to you. I couldn''t bear the thought of putting you through that kind of pain again. So I kept things light, casual. Protected you the only way I knew how." "By keeping me at arm''s length," Dave sighed. "While still being there for you," the portrait nodded. "Making sure you had a support system, friends, a social life. I wanted you to be strong enough to stand on your own when I was gone." "And now here you are, centuries later, still trying to protect me," Dave observed. "Old habits die hard," the ink portrait smiled wryly. "I''m honestly just worried about your... new friends," she added. "Remicra is poisoning you and Cedez... She''s unstable, dangerous." "Still trying to take care of me," Dave sighed. "Still trying to control everything around me. I''m not that broken person anymore, Lari. I don''t need you to manage my life or choose my friends for me." "I just want you to be safe," the portrait''s expression turned pleading. "After everything I''ve seen happen to the other Davids..." "I understand," Dave said. "But you have to let me make my own choices. My own mistakes, if that''s what they turn out to be. You can''t protect me forever." "Even if those choices could get you killed?" The ink shifted anxiously. "Or worse?" "They''re my choices to make," Dave replied firmly. "Not yours. Not your Cantigeist''s. Not your Maidenlynes''. Mine." The ink portrait''s expression grew troubled. "I just... I''ve seen so many versions of you fall into darkness, David. Each time thinking they could handle it, that they were different..." "Look. Let me tell you about Cedez and Remicra," Dave interrupted. "Really tell you about them." ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Lari crossed her arms. "When I first met Cedez at the Snail Cafe, she was this enigmatic figure playing games, making Earth references, seemingly manipulating events around her. She acted like she knew everything about me, dropping hints about my past, my preferences. It was irritatingly unsettling." The portrait frowned. "Exactly my point. She''s-" "Let me finish, damn it," Dave continued. Shady-Cedez covered in myriads of blue eyes seemed to recognize that Dave was talking about her. She walked over to him and sat on his chest, tilting her head at him. Dave gave her a pet. "But underneath all that manipulation, it turns out that there was something genuine,¡± he said. ¡°A lonely girl who lost her past who¡¯s desperately trying to connect with others while terrified of losing herself to the shadows. She put on this act of being mysterious and all-knowing, but really... She''s just scared. Scared of fading away, of becoming a Shadowbeast.¡± Shady buried herself into his hands and then curled into a dark ball atop of his chest. "And despite what she is, Cedez still tries to help others," Dave continued, petting the purring dark Kitlix. "She spent years anonymously sending tools to Remicra, trying to make her life a little better. She risks herself to protect me and Remy. She makes jokes and messes with Remy and tries to lift everyone''s spirits. But, most of all¡ªshe pushes us to be more.¡± The portrait''s expression remained skeptical. "And Remicra..." Dave glanced at the curtain where the dragoness slept. "When I first met her, she was this angry dragon who pushed everyone away. But can you blame her? She''d been enslaved, abused, treated like property. Her entire village was killed by the Shadow Empire. Of course she built walls around herself." "Walls that you seem determined to break down," the ink portrait observed. "Yes. Because behind those walls is someone incredible," Dave replied softly. "Someone who maintained her dignity and strength through years of slavery. Someone who still dreams of creating beautiful things despite everything that''s been done to her. Did you know that she''s my imaginary friend, the dragon I used to see in patterns as a kid before they put me on meds? The one who helped me cope with mom and dad fighting?" The portrait frowned. "I was wrong about a lot of things," Dave said. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t know everything. About you, about my mom, about the ring she gave me. But I think that I¡¯m finally starting to understand everything, and finally seeing the entire picture. I think that the pattern I saw in TV static was Phantomancy and that somehow, for some reason it connects me to Remy and to you, to everyone I met here on Arx. Everyone I now care about.¡± The portrait was quiet for a long moment. "You really care about them, don''t you?" "I do," Dave nodded. "They''re not perfect. Cedez can be annoying, manipulative and cryptic. Remicra can be stubborn and prickly. But they''re real. Genuine and supportive in their own way.¡± The portrait exhaled, inked hair fluttering in unseen wind as she stepped back, looking almost like a final boss of a fantasy game¡­ one that he had to defeat, perhaps not with weapons, but with his words. "One of the anchors I left, a Seerscope Ward, is warning me that bad things are coming," the ink portrait warned. "I worry that the souls you absorb could fragment your mind, just like they did to Kells." "That''s why I''m not going to rely on magic alone," Dave replied firmly. ¡°What''s your plan then?¡± "I''m going to do what I do best - understand patterns, find solutions, create new things. I''m going to study every rule of this world and figure out how to work within them. Magic¡­ programming.¡± "And how exactly will that work?¡± "By combining knowledge from Earth with what''s possible here," Dave replied, scratching behind Shady''s crystalline ears. "I''m going to reinvent plastic, make armor that doesn''t need metal. I¡¯m going to improve Shady''s dimensional storage capabilities by applying computer architecture principles. I¡¯m going to understand how magic points are given out and optimize this process, uplift my friends.¡± "Hrm," the portrait admitted reluctantly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ clever of you.¡± "Thanks. I''m not just going to blindly absorb souls and throw magic around, Lari," Dave continued. "I''m going to understand the underlying patterns, the rules that make everything work. Like how computer code has syntax and logic, this world has its own systems and structures. I¡¯m going to figure them out and I¡¯m going to figure out a variety of clever ways to overcome dungeons and to improve Kitlix. Tell me¨Cdid any of the other Davids bother to do that?¡± Saint Saria pursed her lips. ¡°No¡­ they didn¡¯t. They lost themselves to their magic, went mad before I found them. You¡¯re the first David that I was able to get to Shandria who¡¯s still¡­ unbroken.¡± ¡°There you go,¡± David smiled. ¡°See? And I¡¯m not just going to remain unbroken. I¡¯m going to heal myself with Healy and get stronger physically and mentally¡­ figure out how to solve every problem so that I can fulfill your Quest. Promise.¡± The portrait nodded, seemingly pacified. "Thank you, Lari," Dave whispered to the book with a yawn. "For telling me the truth. For helping me find my way to Shandria. For having that wyvern abduct me or whatever. But I think I can handle things from here on out. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. I got it from here. I¡¯m not alone anymore.¡± He let go of the hexagram and Lari¡¯s portrait stilled. The violin in his soul played an encouraging melody as Sherlock nodded in approval as he closed the Phylactery and reached out with his right hand to Remicra¡¯s gloved fingers once again, holding onto the dark Kitlix inhabiting his chest with his left. Together they would face whatever challenges came next - mad dragon emperors, hostile shadows, scheming nobles. But they would face them as a team, working and fighting for a better future. Dave held onto his new best friends as he drifted off to sleep, finally at peace with who and where he was. Tomorrow would bring new adventures, but for now, he believed that he was finally exactly where he needed to be. Book [>-2-<] Unlimited Isekai And the Soulsmith Mote in Gods Eye. [>1<] The Book of a Transient Virologist Six-year-old David sat in the sandbox, carefully arranging colorful glass pebbles. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the playground as his mother watched from a nearby bench with a tattered book in her hands. "Look mommy!" David called out excitedly. "I made a dragon!" Rachel Walter looked up from her Crystallography book, her tired eyes focusing on the arrangement of stones. To most people, it would have appeared random, but she saw something in the way the pebbles caught the light, in how the shadows fell between them. "Oh!" She exclaimed, setting the book on her lap. "I see it! The way the light plays across the stones... It¡¯s very¡­ pretty, David." David beamed at his mother''s approval. "She changes colors when the sun moves," he explained earnestly. "See? Now her scales are purple!" Rachel got off the bench and knelt beside the sandbox, her eyes tracking the subtle shifts of light and shadow. "You have a gift, David," she said softly. "You can see the patterns that others miss. Just like..." She trailed off, staring into space. "Just like what, mommy?" "Just like me," she whispered, pulling something from her pocket - a small paper bag from the crystal shop downtown. "Here, I got you something very special today for your birthday. It took me seven years to find it.¡± David''s eyes lit up as she carefully unwrapped a mood ring, its surface gleaming with iridescent colors in the evening light. ¡°Magic ring!¡± He breathed out. "Yes," Rachel explained, slipping it onto his small finger. "It changes colors with your emotions, just like your dragon friend." The boy stared in wonder as the liquid crystals in the ring shifted from deep blue to vibrant purple. "How does it work?" "The crystals respond to temperature changes¡­" Rachel began. "Temp-ra-turr!" David repeated excitedly. ¡°Yes,¡± his mother nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s much more than that. This ring... it¡¯s not like the others of its kind. It has potential. Real magical potential.¡± ¡°Pott-ensial?¡± "Yes, potential," Rachel nodded, pulling up the Crystallography book and opening a page with the drawing of fractal stars on it. "You see, David, everything has patterns within patterns. Look here, David. See these hexagrammic fractals?¡± ¡°Frac-tall-sss?¡± ¡°Infinite mathematical patterns that exist everywhere,¡± his mother said. ¡°Keys to unlocking reality. This book is all about them. This is a very precious, rare edition, maybe the last one of its kind. It was written by a Soviet Virologist, a man who designed very dangerous viruses all his life. When his country, the Soviet Union, fell apart, Vladislav Kerenski abandoned his work in a secret city called Aralsk Seven, immigrated to USA and published this book. Everything in it is based on his study of fractal mathematics.¡± David stared at his mom. The idea of a secret city sounded exciting. ¡°You see, David¡­ According to Dr. Kerenski, some things in our world are broken in just the right way, cracked along lines that shouldn''t exist. They''re loopholes in reality, outliers in general probability. Some people can use their understanding of patterns to win the lottery, taking advantage of a system. But, there is more to it¡­ so much more!¡± She traced the complex geometric patterns with her finger, her eyes taking on that familiar distant look that made David''s father very angry. "Most objects are just objects, following the rules of our universe. But sometimes... sometimes things break differently. They crack along impossible angles, form patterns that shouldn''t exist. Like this ring - it''s not just responding to temperature, like the others of its kind. It''s... reaching for something else. Something far beyond.¡± David stared at the diagrams in his mother''s book, not really understanding but fascinated by how the lines seemed to fold into themselves, creating endless recursive bits. "Others don¡¯t know this," Rachel continued, her voice dropping lower. "Dr. Kerenski wrote that there is a force that doesn''t want us to find these cracks, the places where reality doesn''t quite line up. But I see them. I can find them.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I started¡­ to see them after I put Dr. Kerenski¡¯s ¡®Understanding¡¯ into practice. In crystals, in certain arrangements of numbers, in the static, in sand¡­ they''re everywhere, invisible to mundane people with mundane lives.¡± ¡°Like magic?¡± "Not quite. You''re special, David. You were born in our house - the house I''ve been preparing for years. Every crystal I''ve hung in the windows, every mirror I''ve positioned just so, every number I''ve carved into the basement beams... they''re all part of a greater pattern that I¡¯ve been building based on this book.¡± ¡°Why?¡± "Our entire house is an engine designed to break reality on purpose, David. I''ve been modifying it since before you were born, aligning everything perfectly. The crystals catch certain wavelengths, the mirrors reflect specific angles, the numbers resonate at particular frequencies..." The boy watched as his mother ranted, her eyes gleaming with violet sparks. She was using a lot of big, complicated words, speaking too quickly. "That''s why you can see the patterns too," she whispered excitedly. "The house... it changed you, as it changed me, made you special. Made you able to see what others can''t¡­¡± ¡°What about dad? Why didn''t it change him?¡± ¡°Some people just don''t want to see,¡± his mom sighed. ¡°Don''t want to understand.¡± ¡°I want to see her,¡± David pointed at the pebbles. ¡°You will¡­ someday. The house opened your eyes, made you able to observe the Holofractal Principle from Dr. Kerenski''s book.¡± "Is my dragon friend¡­ a Holo-fracta-ll?" He asked. "A Holofractal is a fold in reality comprised of invisible waves! Because you can see it, you can see a dragon in your future," Rachel''s voice rose with enthusiasm. "The house helped tune you to the right frequency, like a radio finding the perfect station. Your father doesn''t understand - he thinks I''m just collecting random things, but everything has a purpose, every single item carefully chosen and placed¡­ like a note in an endless symphony.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ma be special for-ev-er, like¡­ like a wizard?¡± the boy wondered. "Yes and no, sweetheart," Rachel''s eyes darted around the playground nervously. "Special people like us... we have an enemy. Its name is Syntropy - order, control. An invisible force that wants everything to be mundane, predictable, lawful¡­ boring." David frowned. He didn¡¯t like this part of her wild storytelling, the bad part. Rachel snapped her Crystallography book closed and pushed it to her chest. "Even though your sight is open now, it can close again. Even I... could forget what I know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If I push too hard against the universe, things break too much,¡± she answered. ¡°When I try to force too much Understanding at once¡­ I can forget. The knowledge comes and goes like an ocean wave. Some days I remember more, some less.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because there are cycles to everything. Cosmic radiation bathing the Earth emanating from great, distant black holes where reality is divided by zero. Everytime we sleep, we forget things and then wake up as a new person¡­ knowing more or less. Sleep is just another cycle, one that refreshes but also changes, decays us.¡± "But what if I forget too?" David asked, feeling rather anxious. His mother''s face fell. "Then you''ll become like everyone else. Unable to see. You''ll think I''m crazy, just like your father does." ¡°I don''t want to forget!¡± He said. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Just¡­ Promise me something, David. Promise that even if you forget, even if you stop seeing the magic... you''ll keep the ring. Keep it close, cherish it. Don¡¯t ever let go of it¡­ because when you do¡­ You¡¯ll fall straight through reality.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Fall to where?¡± ¡°Into the all-devouring funnel,¡± Rachel said, her fingers trembling. ¡°Into the hungry, All-Grinding Wheel that feasts on all souls and all worlds.¡± "I promise, mommy," David said solemnly, clutching the ring. The idea of a hellish funnel and his mother¡¯s tears scared him, made him feel uneasy like he was already falling. Awake and asleep and falling to eternity. "Good boy," Rachel smiled sadly, wiping her eyes. "Now let''s go home before it gets dark.¡±
Dave jerked awake, his heart pounding. Early morning sunlight streamed through a window overhead, blinding him. For a disorienting moment, Dave thought he was back in his apartment on Earth, his mind still caught in the echoes of his past, the dream-memory of his mother. His heart clenched as the familiar wave of grief washed over him - the loss of his mom to a house fire caused by her hoarding and the even darker thought that he''d have to face another day without his best friend Lari. The awful reminder, that he¡¯d have to figure out how to cover Lari¡¯s part of the rent, maybe find a new roommate... Then he felt a weight on his chest and as his eyes finally adjusted to light, reality snapped back into focus. A dark, kitten-shaped, crystalline form was curled up on top of him, multiple blue eyes blinking lazily. ¡°Shady,¡± he smiled. Upon seeing the Noxix Kitlix Dave''s memories realigned themselves properly. He wasn''t on Earth anymore. He was in the city of Shandria, one of the nine great citadels of the Shadow Empire, one of many empires on a megastructure called Arxtruria. As Dave turned his head, his gaze met a view that took his breath away. A curvaceous figure sat perched on a fur-covered wooden bench right next to his sleeping bag. Her face was composed of crystalline scales that shifted and sparkled like living opals in the sunshine spilling through the round stained glass behind her. Her body was a mesmerizing fusion of dragon and humanoid features - curvy dark violet horns framed a face that somehow managed to be both fierce and delicate. Long ears twitched. Crystalline, ruby-red hair fell in a shimmering waterfall between the horns past her shoulders, each semi-transparent strand catching and breaking up rays of light into prismatic rainbows. The dragongirl was attentively combing her hair with a large metal comb. The hand-made comb looked like a stylized dragon clutching a hundred swords within its fearsome maw and claws. As the dragoness tended to her mane, she hummed a soft, wordless melody. Another small, dark crystalline kitten was perched atop her head, mimicking her movements as she groomed herself. The small creature''s sharp four ears, dorsal spine and big violet-gold eyes pulsed softly in time with the girl¡¯s humming - a haunting, wordless melody that seemed to resonate with something deep in Dave''s soul. The dragoness''s voice, as rich and warm as a velvety summer night, seemed to embrace him, providing a sense of comfort that he hadn''t realized he was missing his entire life. When gold-violet eyes finally caught his gaze, the song cut off abruptly. Her scales flickered through a rapid cascade of pink and red hues, the Kitlix atop of her head replicating the colors of her changing scales exactly. ¡°Morning Remicra,¡± he said, offering her a smile. "How long have you been staring?" she demanded, adjusting a metal-bug-wing undershirt that she was wearing. "Long enough to appreciate the view," Dave shot back. "What''s that supposed to mean?" "I had another dream... no, a memory.¡± He yawned, ignoring her question. ¡°About?¡± ¡°Of being a six-year-old kid in a sandbox, making pictures with polished glass shards and rocks," Dave explained. "I made a dragon out of pebbles.¡± ¡°Was this dragon¡­ Me?¡± Remicra asked with a weary expression. ¡°Yes you.¡± ¡°That¡­ sounds like Skill Psychosis,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think that I¡¯m going insane from going up too many levels too quickly,¡± Dave replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been going over my childhood memories using Dreamspace Communion, trying to reassert what I am. I remembered that my mom found this weird book somewhere¡­¡± "A book?" Remicra raised an eyebrow. "Yeah," Dave sat up, making Shady jump off him. "An old, raggedy book that she kept reading. A Crystallography text written by some ex-Soviet doctor. My mom was obsessed with it. She believed it contained secrets about the universe, about fractal patterns, Omnicode language that could break through reality to... something else." "And this relates to me how exactly?" Remicra asked, running her metal comb through her ruby-tinted hair again. "My mom said our house was some kind of a magic engine she built based on that book''s instructions. That it helped me see patterns others couldn''t because I was born there. That''s why I first saw you - in arrangements of pebbles, in TV static, in wallpaper designs..." "You''re saying your mother built some kind of... reality-breaking, magic artifact in a world without magic?" Remicra''s scales shifted to a skeptical orange. "That somehow let you see me decades before we ever met here on Arx?" ¡°Yes.¡± "You know," Remicra rolled her eyes. "I''m not some mystical dream-creature, just a mundane smith with Pathosteel and Dragon Affinities.¡± "I choose to disagree,¡± Dave shrugged. ¡°You absolutely are my mystical dream girl. Remember when we first met? You were so determined to chase me out of your smithy, but all I could do was stare at you, trying to remember where I¡¯ve seen you before.¡± "What was I supposed to do?¡± the dragoness scoffed. ¡°Welcome the strange, annoying, blood-covered, smelly human who wandered into my prison with open arms?" "Prison¡­" Dave''s expression darkened slightly. "You know¡­ that collar bothers me on a personal level. Can we not take it off while I am subleasing you?¡± Remicra''s hand went unconsciously to the thick metal band around her neck. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Overseer Princess would know if the collar runework was interrupted,¡± Remicra explained with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯d come here and investigate, figure out that you¡¯re not using me to kill dungeon monsters and that you¡¯re not a real Highborn Lord. Then she¡¯d gate her entire Hunter team here and they¡¯d kill you and that would be that.¡± Dave sighed. ¡°Did you forget that I killed a Highborn Knight? I am bound to Shandria for life. Even if Burgundy dies, I still won''t be free.¡± The dragoness stated bluntly as she tapped at her collar with a dark claw. "The Bondsmen Guild is a nation-wide institution that keeps meticulous ledgers of all slaves. Like this smithy, I am but a mere possession of Burgundy''s Estate. If he were to perish, I would simply pass into the hands of his next of kin. And if there is no next of kin or if Burgundy¡¯s Estate no longer exists, the Bondsmen Guild would reclaim me by sending one of their bounty hunters to collect me.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Dave said. "Even if Shandria was razed to the ground and reduced to ashes, other cities under the Aegis of the Shadow maintain copies of the infernal ledger. If someone is made a slave for life, they cannot be freed. Yes, the Estate of Burgundy owns me, but even if its master were to lose his mind and decide to grant me my freedom, I would simply return to another cage. Once a person''s soul is bound to the Bondsmen Guild''s ledger for a big enough crime, their name is forever etched within its pages." "That¡¯s pretty damn horrible," Dave declared. ¡°I¡¯ve accepted it long ago,¡± Remicra shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll never be truly free of this Abyss-damned artifact feeding on my magic. Even if you sell the Voidtree from the Whispering Depths dungeon and somehow convince Burgundy to sell me to you, I¡¯ll still be collared.¡± "There has to be a way," Dave insisted. "Some loophole in the system..." "The only way out is death," Remicra stated matter-of-factly. "And even then, the collar prevents suicide, reporting if the slave is dying to the Guild. It''s designed to maintain the Guild''s property. The collar ensures that slaves are eternally kept in check. They have devised this perverse system so that a freed slave cannot retaliate against the Guild, liberate their kin, or employ any kind of magic to free themselves or influence their master''s mind through threats or seduction." The grim reality of Remicra''s plight hung in the air between them like a dark, oppressive cloud, casting a pall over the cozy sanctuary of the smithy''s loft. "What about..." Dave began, but was interrupted by a crystalline chime from the dark Kitlix, pawing at him. [Daylight out. Dawn! Duty done? Want rest!] The Shadowbeast within Shady insisted, the Kitlix waving a paw at the window. ¡°Right,¡± Dave said. He grabbed the Kitlix, reshaping her into a large ring. A portal manifested with flash inside of the crystalling ring. A mass of writhing shadows poured from its innards, quickly coalescing into a dark foxgirl form. Dave turned around as his friend dressed in her dark leather, gemstone-encrusted outfit that contained her memories. "Morning guys!" she chirped cheerfully. "Did you two have fun without me?" Both Dave and Remicra remained silent. ¡°I see that this relationship is going to need much more work to function,¡± Cedez commented. ¡°Eyyy. What are you two so glum about?¡± "We were discussing the Bondsmen Guild''s collars," Dave explained grimly. "Oh," Cedez''s large fluffy ears drooped slightly. "Yeah, that''s... pretty awful stuff. That collar feeds on her mana, powering the ward of the lighthouse. It¡¯s one of the reasons why Highborns bind debtors to properties. Living batteries.¡± ¡°What about mana crystals?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Those work too¡­ as backup.¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Mana crystals have to be scraped out of dungeons and aren¡¯t as effective as owning slaves. Rems, what level are you?¡± ¡°Forty one,¡± Remicra replied. ¡°A slave like Remy is worth over forty one thousand silver or fourty one platinum right now at the Bondsmen Guild,¡± Cedez said. ¡°What?!¡± Dave sputtered at the absurdity of the price. ¡°She¡¯s a lifetime slave,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°That¡¯s lifetime value. The older a slave is, the more marketable skills they¡¯ve got and the more power they can pour into a building¡¯s ward. The more properties a High Lord owns, the greater their own status and magic. The Dragon God Emperor who summoned your butt to Arx along with a bazillion other people is only able to do such with a single spell because he owns truly enormous tracts of lands covered in Citadels fed by billions of collared slaves.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°If you want to compete with people like that you gotta start owning slaves and buying properties, darling,¡± Cedez smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him,¡± Remicra butted in. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want,¡± Cedez stuck her tongue at the dragoness. ¡°Why, without my guidance you two would still be loafing¡­¡± "We wouldn''t be ''loafing''," Remicra''s scales flickered orange. "We''d be..." "Making moon eyes at each other without actually doing anything about it?" Cedez tilted her head. "Face it bestie, you need my expert matchmaking skills!" "Expert matchmaking?" Remicra scoffed. "Bugging me with inappropriate jokes isn''t matchmaking!¡± ¡°I choose to believe otherwise!¡± Cedez laughed. She reached out to Dave¡¯s head and pulled another Kitlix from his ginger mane. ¡°Healy, back me up on this!¡± Dave¡¯s familiar chirped loudly, sparkling green and violet as Cedez squeezed and wiggled her in front of Remicra¡¯s face. "See?" Cedez grinned triumphantly. "Even Healy knows you two need my help! You should trust her wisdom, she¡¯s a mother! A mother can¡¯t be wrong!¡± Remicra¡¯s eye twitched. Dave broke out into a fit of barely-held-in chortling which earned him a swat of dragonclaw from Remicra. [>-2-<] Distant reflections The morning at the Forged Brew was unusually bright. Dave squinted up at the endless continent-filled sky with a relaxed smile, enjoying a cup of coffee courtesy of Hyrei. Sundogs danced across the swirling clouds above, and the scent of freshly brewed Sunrise Blend coffee mingled with the sweet aroma of Snailcakes. Dave enjoyed the relative peace before the day truly began. Remicra was nestled beside him, scales shifting between a relaxed blue and contented violet. Cedez was humming cheerfully, petting her dark, lanky Kitlix. Dave took another sip from his cup and smiled. Things were finally going great for him. Thanks to the leather dress studded in purified mana gemstones he could hold Remicra as much as he wanted to without his skin chafing and peeling off and the insanity caused by his absorption of souls was gradually ebbing away. A new group of adventurers entered into the cafe trudging up the grassy field. A ginger-haired foxkin, leading two human women by their elbows. One, a redhead in a summery blue dress, radiated an almost ethereal beauty. The other, draped in Victorian black lace, moved with a predatory grace. They were an odd trio, drawing eyes without seeming to try. Dave watched as they were seated and began ordering, a strange flicker of familiarity sparking within him. He couldn¡¯t quite place it, but something about the way the ginger foxkin moved, the confident tilt of his head, felt¡­ odd, as if Dave knew him from somewhere. Remicra, her draconic senses far sharper than Dave¡¯s human ones, registered their arrival with a subtle shift in her scales. A faint orange tinged the violet, hinting at a flicker of unease. Her violet-gold eyes narrowed slightly, her tail twitching beneath her chair. Cedez had a far more visceral reaction and nearly choked on her latte. ¡°What?¡± Dave asked the dark foxgirl. ¡°Foreigners,¡± Cedez hissed. Her blue eyes focused on the newcomers with an unnerving intensity. ¡°Possibly disguised infiltrators.¡± ¡°How do you figure?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know their names,¡± Cedez replied. ¡°I¡­ know everyone¡¯s names in Shandria when I look at them.¡± ¡°Could they have gated from another Shadow city?¡± Remicra wondered. ¡°Smell them, Remy. Really look at them,¡± Cedez said. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ wrong. Superimposed on the world with some kind of clever illusion magic. The outfits are slightly off at the edges, blending into each other.¡± ¡°Hrm,¡± Remicra frowned. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. They don¡¯t smell human.¡± Then, the ginger foxkin¡¯s gaze locked with Dave¡¯s. A jolt, almost physical, ran through Dave. It was fleeting, a flicker of recognition in those green eyes with specs of brown, a shared moment of¡­ something he couldn¡¯t define. Glacier capped mountains. Impossibly tall cedar trees. A native american woman with dark hair. Three eyed deers moving between the trees. A rusted van with a blue stripe. A phone screen with an animated avatar of a foxgirl maid. California landscape flying by. The images flashed through his mind, disjointed and nonsensical, leaving him disoriented. He blinked, and the feeling was gone, replaced by the mundane reality of the bustling cafe. The ginger foxkin, however, had already looked away, a slight frown creasing his brow. ¡°That was weird¡­¡± Dave muttered. ¡°What?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°I saw¡­ Earth, but it was wrong, different,¡± Dave said. ¡°Skill Psychosis?¡± Remicra asked with a worried look. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Dave shook his head. ¡°It happened when I looked at that ginger foxkin.¡± Dumpich, who was inhabiting a table with the other two healers, called Cedez to sing Dungeon Diver¡¯s Lament. Cedez stood up from her seat, her Kitlix forming in her hands into her musical instrument. As Cedez sang along with Dumpich, her eyes kept drifting back to the ginger foxkin. When the song ended, and the polite applause rippled through the cafe, the ginger foxkin¡¯s voice cut through the air, praising the performance. Dave watched as Cedez marched to the table of the odd trio and sat down. The wind coming from the Chasm behind them and the din of the cafe didn¡¯t allow Dave to hear the conversation. ¡°Remy,¡± he jabbed his girlfriend. ¡°What are they talking about?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just asked if she can join them,¡± Remicra replied, tilting her draconic ears at the conversation. A dark halo flashed atop of the foxgirl¡¯s head. ¡°And¡­ now I have no idea,¡± Remicra frowned. ¡°She just muted the conversation.¡± ¡°Should we go over there?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like ruining our nice morning with whatever this is,¡± Remicra said. ¡°If they¡¯re foreign infiltrators, Cedez can handle it without involving us by notifying the City Watch.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Dave sighed. He watched Cedez chatting to the trio for a few minutes. They looked harmless enough, he thought, just a bit¡­ flamboyant. The ginger foxkin was certainly dressed up sort of like a fancy butler. But in Shandria, outlandish was pretty much the norm. "She''s definitely interrogating them," Dave commented, watching as Cedez thrust a shadow blade towards the foxkin¡¯s neck who didn¡¯t even flinch. "Let her," Remicra said, reaching out to stroke his hand. After a few more minutes, Cedez stood up, a wide, toothy grin on her face. She waved her companions over to their table. Dave and Remicra stood up and walked over towards the table occupied by Cedez and the odd trio. She rapidly introduced Dave and Remicra to them with a flourish. "This is Lord Protector, Christophorus, and his¡­ fianc¨¦es, Lady Voltara and Lady Castabriella." She then announced. Dave blinked, taking in the trio up close. The ginger foxkin, Christophorus, had a surprisingly warm, almost familiar smile. Lady Voltara, the redhead in blue, had the most captivating ocean-blue eyes Dave had ever seen. ¡°Quite the stunning lady you have there, Lord David. Seems like we share similar tastes in dragons who can change colors at will,¡± Christophorus said. ¡°I don''t quite understand your joke, I''m afraid,¡± Dave said, frowning at the foxkin. ¡°Are your companions¡­ not human?¡± "My Sovereign," the foxkin turned to Cedez. "I see that you''re blocking out sound. Do you mind muting the view too?" Cedez nodded and shadows blossomed around their table. The sounds of the marketplace faded, and even the bright sunlight seemed to dim slightly within their little shadowy island. ¡°Perfect,¡± the ginger foxkin grinned. Then he turned to the redhead and the black-clad woman. ¡°Ladies, would you care to reveal your true forms for a moment?¡± Dave blinked. Reveal their true forms? What? Then, the redhead girl began to shimmer. It was subtle at first, like heat haze on a summer day, but then it intensified. Her blue dress seemed to ripple and dissolve, colors shifting and swirling like paint in water. Dave¡¯s jaw dropped as the human form melted away, replaced by¡­ feathers. An explosion of rainbow feathers, shimmering silver, blue, and all shades in between, unfurled from her back, wings spreading out, impossibly large and breathtakingly beautiful. Her human features sharpened, becoming more draconic. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Dave¡¯s mind skittered to a stop like needle lifting off the record. Castabriella was absolutely perfect, a goddess in human form, one for whom he would do absolutely anything if asked. He recognized that he was being charmed with Charisma magic and switched his mind to the Sherlock-Dave-Sherlock chain and looked away from Castabriella¡¯s radiant, mind-melting wings. Beside Castabriella, Lady Voltara was undergoing a transformation of her own. Her pale skin erupted in dark and white feathers, magisteel claws replacing her delicate human hands. Her Victorian black dress and hat vanished, revealing black and white feathery mane and wings, and armor that seemed to be made of polished metal. Lightning, faint but visible, crackled around her. Wings. Claws. A draconic, iridescent snout. A dark beak with sharp teeth. Both women grew considerably taller and now sprouted absolutely stunning wings. Dave stared, dumbfounded. He¡¯d seen wings before, of course, in Shandria. Birdfolk were common enough. But these¡­ These were something else entirely. They weren''t just wings; they were living works of art, radiating power and an otherworldly, alien, predatory grace as each feather changed color or shape with each breath they took. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Dave couldn¡¯t help but declare, his eyes wide as he stared at Lady Voltara and Lady Castabriella. ¡°Wings!¡± He glanced at Remicra, whose violet-gold eyes were practically popping out of her head, her scales now cycling through a rapid succession of shocked orange, red, and violet. Even Cedez, rarely surprised, had her jaw slightly ajar. ¡°Wowza,¡± Cedez breathed out. ¡°Now this, I absolutely did not expect.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°That¡¯s definitely not something you see every day.¡± ¡°What are you?!¡± Remicra breathed out, just as stricken by magic wings. ¡°Interdimensional tourists,¡± Christophorus repeated cheerfully, as if revealing something perfectly mundane. ¡°From Earth.¡± ¡°Earth?¡± Dave choked, the word catching in his throat. ¡°Oh, you know Earth?¡± Christophorus asked. Dave nodded, still trying to process the sudden avian and draconic transformations and the unexpected mention of his home world, glancing between the rainbows cast by colorful wings and electric sparks raining from the dark wings. ¡°That¡¯s where¡­ I¡¯m from too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re from Earth?¡± Christophorus leaned forward. ¡°Are you a tourist too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dave sighed. ¡°I was summoned to Arx by a bald, fat God-Emperor man amongst a million others. Ah, I might be getting excited over nothing,¡± he sighed. ¡°I guess you''re from one of the other bazillion alternative Earths, judging by how you''re a fox and your companions are some kind of¡­¡± He trailed off, searching for a word, anything to describe the winged beings before him. ¡°Cryptids,¡± Christophorus supplied helpfully. ¡°They¡¯re classified by humans as cryptids and they call themselves Omnids. A Quetzalcoatl and a Thunderbird.¡± "I see," David uttered. Cryptids were real? Aren¡¯t cryptids supposed to be¡­ creepy? These two were definitely not creepy. They were more like little gods, radiating magic power and femininity like nuclear reactors. ¡°A pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± The foxkin seemed to notice that his companions had thoroughly shocked and spooked Dave¡¯s group. "Alas, we have breakfast to nom and much to do today. Why don''t we exchange Voicecast so that we can start to slowly work on our joint mission of taking over Shandria from above and below?" The group traded voicecast bracelet taps. "My right hand man, Shash," the foxkin waved at an overly muscular man. "Will work with you on Arx to fulfill our part of the bargain as we''ll be departing shortly back to our homeworld and likely won''t be back for a while.¡± ¡°What bargain?¡± Remicra demanded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later,¡± Cedez fired a wide smile at Remicra. ¡°How long will you be gone, Lord Protector?¡± Cedez asked the foxkin. ¡°Maybe a year and a half,¡± the foxkin replied nonchalantly. ¡°Maybe less or more. It depends. I¡¯m currently operating on a borrowed gate, going to try to make my own. Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll set as much as possible in motion before we depart. In due time, the institutions I¡¯m setting up in Undertown will be at your disposal, my Sovereign.¡± Cedez dragged Dave and Remicra back to their table. Dave¡¯s head was spinning. Omnids. Cryptids. Alternative Earth. Interdimensional tourists. It was all too much to process at once, especially before he¡¯d even finished his coffee. He glanced back at the table where the ginger foxkin and his no-longer winged, once again disguised companions were now digging into their breakfast, seemingly unfazed by the minor interspecies reveal they¡¯d just pulled off. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Dave demanded. ¡°Yeah, Cedez,¡± Remicra nodded. ¡°Fess up. What was that bargain they mentioned?¡± Cedez grinned, a flash of sharp teeth in the morning sun. ¡°Intriguing, aren¡¯t they?¡± she said, ignoring the questions for a moment, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. ¡°Interdimensional tourists! Real ones!¡± ¡°Cedez!¡± Remicra insisted, tapping a clawed finger on the table. ¡°Out with it! The bargain.¡± Cedez sighed dramatically, but her smile remained. ¡°Alright, alright. Patience, my scaled friend. The bargain is¡­ well, it¡¯s rather ambitious.¡± She leaned in conspiratorially, even though the shadow bubble still muted their conversation from the rest of the cafe. ¡°Lord Protector ¨C or Christophorus, as he introduced himself¨Cwants to help me ¡®fix¡¯ Shandria.¡± Dave raised an eyebrow, a skeptical frown forming on his face. ¡°Help you fix Shandria? Just like that? What¡¯s in it for him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the best part,¡± Cedez chuckled. ¡°He wants Undertown.¡± ¡°Undertown?¡± Remicra blinked. ¡°That garbage heap district filled with addicts and criminals? Wait¡­ is he some kind of an interdimensional criminal? Is that it? What does he plan to do with Undertown?¡± ¡°Apparently, he likes a challenge,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°He said he wants to build a proper city there.¡± Remicra¡¯s scales shifted to a curious green. ¡°A city? In Undertown? What?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Cedez exclaimed, her eyes shining. ¡°Imagine, someone actually willing to take on that festering mess! Anyways, he¡¯s offering to clean up Undertown, and in exchange, he wants control of it.¡± ¡°And you just¡­ agreed?¡± Dave asked, trying to wrap his head around it. ¡°To give away the bottom half of Shandria to some random interdimensional tourist?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t own Shandria,¡± Cedez pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m not actually the Sovereign. I¡¯m Sovereign-adjacent, at best. Look, Dave, Undertown is a lost cause. The City Watch barely even bothers going down there anymore. It¡¯s a breeding ground for crime, despair, and soon, dungeon monsters. If this ¡®Lord Protector¡¯ actually manages to do something with it, anything at all, it¡¯ll be a vast improvement.¡± ¡°What was that last part?¡± Dave frowned. ¡°Dungeon monsters?¡± ¡°Oh right,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Some idiot breached the wall between Abystall dungeon and Undertown. The undercity below Shandria is currently being flooded with magic-eating mites spreading out from Abystall dungeon. The Guildnet Mage Towers sealed Undertown with dimensional magic and the City Watch is now charging a pretty penny for anyone willing to pay to leave. I suspect that most people won¡¯t be able to afford to leave and will die down there and get turned into dungeon sentinels.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really concerning,¡± Remicra said. ¡°Not much we can do about it,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Getting back to the topic at hand, what kind of ¡®help¡¯ is this¡­ Lord Protector offering?¡± Remicra pressed. ¡°And what did he mean by ¡®institutions¡¯ and ¡®at your disposal¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where it gets even more interesting,¡± Cedez said. ¡°He mentioned starting his own bank. A bank that ¡®cares about its clients¡¯ and ¡®doesn¡¯t eat their mana.¡¯ Can you believe the audacity? He wants to compete with the Arx Bank!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Arx Bank?¡± Dave asked. ¡°They¡¯re basically an Arx-wide gang,¡± Cedez explained. ¡°Wait,¡± Dave said, eyeing his hexagonal bracelet. ¡°The System bracelet¡­ is eating my mana?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Cedez nodded. ¡°Just a bit. It''s also translating all languages into all languages and displaying System stats.¡± ¡°Hrmmmm. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re trusting an incredibly suspicious trio of creatures from another dimension,¡± Dave said. ¡°¡®Cus they gave me this,¡± Cedez slid a yellow folder across the table towards them. ¡°It details the Arx Bank¡¯s dirty laundry. Crimes, corruption, Topaz drug sales, everything. Seriously deep, dangerous shit. The sort of information that gets you killed.¡± Dave picked up the folder, his eyes widening as he quickly scanned the contents. Names, dates, transactions¡­ it was a meticulously compiled dossier, outlining a web of illicit activities. ¡°Where did he get this?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Lord Protector asked me to ¡®execute the Arx Bankers for these crimes¡¯.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°As if I could just waltz in and start ordering executions.¡± She sighed. ¡°Shandria is rotting from the inside, has been rotting¡­ since I died, nineteen years ago. The High Lords are too busy squabbling amongst themselves, the Watch is stretched thin and exists pretty much entirely on bribes, and the Arx Bank is bleeding the city dry.¡± ¡°And you think this ¡®Lord Protector¡¯ and his cryptid ladies are going to fix Shandria?¡± Dave asked skeptically. ¡°I dunno,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°Maybe they will, maybe they won¡¯t. Honestly, by all accounts at this rate Shandria is doomed to fall sometime by the end of this year.¡± ¡°An specifics as to why?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Maybe an invasion, maybe a revolution,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°The Seers are struggling with the specifics, they just know that something truly catastrophic is coming. Overall, things are absolutely effed and snowballing towards the city¡¯s destruction. Once the Ward falls, Leviathan Nightingale will dissipate and then I¡¯ll vanish too.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Dave said. ¡°Aww, aren¡¯t you a cutie,¡± Cedez cupped Dave¡¯s cheek. ¡°You think that you can save all of Shandria from destruction? So sweet and brave! Lord Protector reminds me of you actually. He¡¯s¡­ like a broken mirror version of you. Yeah, that¡¯s a good analogy.¡± Dave frowned. ¡°Hang on,¡± Remicra said, looking through the yellow folder. ¡°You knew about this stuff?¡± ¡°I know about lots of terrible things going on in Shandria,¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t do shit about it. If I try to make big waves, the City Watch will turn on us, shut down our Cafe, arrest you two. The Scrutimancers and Watch Officers are basically puppets and hounds of the Arx Bank and Highborn Lords.¡± ¡°The man who was with them, Shash,¡± Remicra said. ¡°Is he an infiltrator or a local?¡± ¡°A local criminal,¡± Cedez said. ¡°An Assassin from Undertown. Works for the Gloomy Horse Pub aka Undertown Adventurers Guild, which is basically a front for a group of assassins, thieves and murderers.¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t give me much confidence in Lord Protector''s motives,¡± Remicra huffed. ¡°What did you expect me to do?¡± Cedez shrugged. ¡°I tried to scare that trio with my shadow blades, but Lord Protector wasn¡¯t even afraid of my magic and his female companions turned out to be¡­ absolutely terrifying. I¡¯ve never met anyone or anything like them. Anyways, why don¡¯t we make some yummy breakfast for ourselves and inject some positive vibes into all this spooky gloom?¡± Dave nodded. He finished his drink, stood up from his table and headed into the lighthouse with the girls. [>3<] The Guild of Undertown Quest The trio were enjoying freshly cooked steaks on their private table behind the lighthouse tower when Cedez''s Voicecast bracelet chimed. She tapped it, and Shash''s voice resounded from within. ¡°Good day, Lady Astra," the Assassin spoke. "From my understanding Lord Dave is an adventurer, yes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cedez replied, a dark halo flashing over her head. ¡°Very good. Our Guild requires adventurer assistance in a matter of some urgency." "What kind of assistance?" she asked. "Our Guild is offering urgent Quests that require... discretion and efficiency," Shash said. "We require couriers for package delivery across Shandria. One silver per delivery." "Package delivery?" Cedez repeated, her tail twitching. "What kind of packages?" "Smoke hexagrams and thunderclaps, Lady Astra," Shash replied smoothly. "Harmless, I assure you.¡± Dave exchanged a wary glance with Remicra. Harmless smoke hexagrams? That sounded about as trustworthy as a necromancer offering free hugs. ¡°Smoke and thunder,¡± Cedez contemplated. ¡°Sounds like you''re trying to cause a distraction to perform some kind of crime. Is that all?¡± "There''s also another Quest. We require a team of adventurers to¡­ relocate certain individuals, by force. Ten silver per relocated individual." "Relocate individuals?" Cedez repeated again. "What exactly does ''relocate'' entail?" "Merely¡­ ensuring their safety, Lady Astra," Shash¡¯s voice remained carefully bland. "Providing them with¡­ temporary, alternative accommodations outside of the city. For their own protection, of course." Remicra growled softly beside Dave, her scales flickering with a suspicious orange. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Cedez said, her voice deceptively light. "A silver per delivery for smoke and thunder hexagrams, and ten silver per relocated individual? That''s¡­ awfully low for such discreet services, Shash. Lord David and his party and my maids are¡­ high-end professionals, you see. We can¡¯t exactly be seen delivering packages like common couriers for peasant wages." Remicra snorted in agreement. Dave kept his silence, letting Cedez handle the negotiation. "The Undertown Guild is willing to be¡­ generous for this work, Lady Astra," Shash replied after a moment. "For your party, we can offer¡­ three silver per package delivery. And¡­ thirty silver per relocated individual." "A gold per package and two gold per relocated individual," Cedez countered without hesitation. Another pause. ¡°Fine,¡± the Assassin replied. ¡°When does this need to be done?¡± ¡°Today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check with my people if they¡¯re available and call you back," Cedez said. "Excellent," Shash said. "I look forward to a fruitful collaboration. Payment will be transferred upon confirmation of task completion." The Voicecast connection abruptly cut off. Cedez released a pent-up breath. She turned to Dave and Remicra. ¡°So, that was¡­ rather ominous,¡± she commented. ¡°What do you two think? Take the jobs, or tell the Undertown Guild to shove it?¡± ¡°We could use the money,¡± Dave contemplated. ¡°But how safe would it be to get involved with the Undertown Guild?¡± ¡°Not very,¡± Cedez said with a small shudder. ¡°Something very big is going down. Shash agreed to pay gold without even bartering. This literally never happened before. The Undertown Guild, as far as I am aware, is in a lot of debt.¡± ¡°Debt to whom?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Other Guilds, Bankers, Highborn Lords, etc,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Whatever this is, Lord Protector is likely funding it.¡± ¡°What are the chances of us getting caught doing this?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°Pretty high,¡± Cedez answered. ¡°But we can spend a portion of the gold to bribe the Scruts into looking the other way.¡± ¡°Bribing the Scruts?¡± Remicra repeated dubiously. ¡°Is that wise?¡± Cedez shrugged, tossing a small mana crystal to Feely, who caught it mid-air with a twirl. ¡°Everyone has a price, Rems. Especially in Shandria. The Watch are terribly underpaid. A bag of gold coins in the hands of the right Scrut Officer will make them suddenly¡­ blind to certain criminal activities. As long as we don¡¯t murder someone, it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s so dangerous that even the Scruts need bribing,¡± Dave trailed off, chewing thoughtfully on his steak. ¡°Maybe we should just stay out of it. We could take on more Mimic Hunter quests, or something safer. Or Haunted Housekeeper? That one sounds pretty easy and it pays like fifty silver. Plus¡­ we¡¯ll get lots of money once we get the tree out of the Whispering Depths?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Dave, darling,¡± Cedez said. ¡°We need a lot of money, ASAP. Tree excavation is going to take time and money since it¡¯s so deep underground. We need to buy mana crystals for our Kitlix trio, renovate the lighthouse further, promote the cafe, get more mana crystals¡¯ for me. Mimic hunting and haunted houses are a good start for a beginner adventurer, but aren¡¯t going to cut it. Besides that,¡± she leaned closer. ¡°Our timeline is accelerating.¡± ¡°Accelerating?¡± Dave asked. ¡°How and why?¡± ¡°The expansion of Abystall dungeon into Undertown forced every Huntsmaw and princess into the open,¡± Cedez sighed. ¡°Existing upstairs isn¡¯t cheap. They will likely be coming for us. Plus¡­ I suspect that if we don¡¯t take this job, Shash will just call up my competitors and offer them the gold.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Dave conceded. ¡°Let''s do it. But we do it my way.¡± ¡°Oh? And what is your way, O wise and mighty Lord Walter?¡± Cedez asked, tilting her dark head to the side. "We will accept the Undertown Guild''s offer. But we renegotiate the terms,¡± Dave said. ¡°Call Shash back. Let me talk to him.¡± Cedez nodded and tapped the Voicecast bracelet. ¡°Yes?¡± The Assassin asked. ¡°Have you reached a decision about¡­¡± ¡°Good day, Shash,¡± Dave said, sliding all of his points into Wisdom. ¡°If I understand it correctly, this job has a tight time limit, yes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shash replied. ¡°The package delivery and people relocation Quest MUST be performed exactly before the noon bell today.¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s only a few hours away. One Celesteel card,¡± Dave said. ¡°And our group will do absolutely everything.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dave said. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else involved in this, especially not Lady Astra¡¯s Shadowmancer competitors from Undertown.¡± ¡°Let me check with my Master,¡± the voice on the other end of the line fell silent for a minute. ¡°Yes. One Celesteel card. However, since this is a much increased price¡­ The amount of Quests increases accordingly: Your group must demolish abandoned houses between 12 and 1pm, kidnap Infix Guildnet Tower personnel and steal all non-bound Frostix Kitlix from Shandria. Deal?¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Dave said. ¡°Come to the back of the lighthouse with a map of what needs to be delivered where. I will also require a downpayment of a thousand gold for mission expenses.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Shash said. Dave hung up on the Assassin. ¡°One Celesteel card?¡± Remicra breathed out. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Enough to buy this lighthouse and your rainbow-bod,¡± Cedez grinned, clapping. ¡°Enough to hire Earth-mages to unbury the Void tree! Enough to solve all of our problems!¡± ¡°Are you two insane?!¡± Remicra growled. ¡°How are you going to demolish buildings, deliver Abyss knows how many packages and steal all the Frostix Kitlix in just one morning?!¡± ¡°Cedez can accelerate me with a handshake,¡± Dave said. ¡°Amplified agility will put me into a timeless state for twenty four hours. I can buy mana-refuelling potions to keep going longer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not doing everything yourself then,¡± Remicra said. ¡°I want a handshake too.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll fall into a coma after twenty four hours,¡± Cedez said. ¡°Like I give a shit!¡± Remicra growled. ¡°I¡¯m not letting Dave do this alone. We¡¯re all going to do this!¡± ¡°But the other princesses¡­¡± Cedez began. ¡°Aren¡¯t going to do shit,¡± Dave said. ¡°As long as we move ninety clicks out of Shandria they won¡¯t be able to reach us.¡± Cedez opened and closed her mouth. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to go out by themselves that far, but they can send minions and assassins.¡± ¡°Let them come after us,¡± Dave said. ¡°We¡¯ll lead them straight into a place where they won¡¯t escape from.¡± ¡°Another dungeon?¡± Cedez asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Dave nodded. They saw a muscular, armored man approaching their table. Cedez vanished the Shadow halo over her head and waved him over. ¡°Greetings,¡± Shash stepped close to the trio and Cedez reignited her anti-scrying halo. ¡°Just to check, who exactly are we working for?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Who is funding these Quests?¡± ¡°Dragoness Emerald Stratos,¡± Shash replied with a smirk. ¡°Stratos¡­¡± Cedez blinked. ¡°The crazy adventurer that attacked me at the Adventurers Guild?¡± ¡°The very same,¡± Shash nodded with a grin. ¡°She¡¯s getting executed at noon today at central square.¡± ¡°Executed?¡± Remicra blinked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she simply be collared for life?¡± ¡°It was discovered that Miss Stratos and her friends were working for centuries in collaboration with the Arx Bank and Necromancer Zalimar,¡± Shash explained. ¡°They were finally caught by the City Watch Scrutimancers after they attacked you at the Guild, Miss Astra. Their execution will be a public spectacle, to demonstrate the justice and efficiency of Shandria.¡± ¡°So you want us to work for servants of the necromancer?¡± Cedez hissed. ¡°Are you serious?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting paid an exceptionally high rate for this work,¡± Shash shrugged. ¡°If you don¡¯t want the job, I will offer this Quest to someone who has less concerns. Perhaps Lady Thalass will¡­¡± Cedez growled. ¡°Me and my team are taking the job,¡± Dave said. ¡°Cedez, don¡¯t argue.¡± Shash unfurled a detailed map of Shandria on the table, weighing down the corners with small, obsidian shards. ¡°Now, to business. Package deliveries are marked in red. There are¡­ forty locations across the city total.¡± ¡°What exactly are these ¡®smoke hexagrams¡¯ and ¡®thunderclaps¡¯ supposed to do?¡± Dave asked, leaning closer to the map. Shash offered a thin smile. ¡°Merely¡­ theatrical devices, Lord Dave. For dramatic effect. Think of them as¡­ loud announcements. Not dangerous in themselves, but¡­ attention-grabbing.¡± Remicra snorted again. ¡°Sounds perfectly harmless.¡± ¡°Relocation targets are marked in blue,¡± Shash continued, ignoring Remicra¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°All Guildnet Tower personnel.¡± He tapped a green circle on a specific Guildnet Mage Tower. ¡°You are to ensure their temporary absence from their posts.¡± ¡°Kidnapping,¡± Remicra stated flatly. Shash blinked, feigning innocence. ¡°Relocation. For their own safety. You must also knock out and relocate everyone from these buildings marked in green. The abandoned homes for demolition are marked in violet. These will be taken down with actual explosives. The demolition could be legal or illegal, but ultimately it doesn''t matter to us.¡± ¡°Legal how?¡± Dave asked. ¡°You could rent the land and then tear them down,¡± the Assassin offered. ¡°Demolish buildings?¡± Dave frowned. ¡°Between noon and one pm? Why?¡± ¡°Again, for dramatic effect, Lord Dave,¡± Shash repeated. ¡°Think of it as¡­ a symbolic cleansing. A fresh start.¡± Cedez snorted this time. ¡°A fresh start with explosions, kidnappings, and demolished buildings? Sounds less like a fresh start and more like a prelude to a gang war.¡± ¡°Lady Astra has a vivid imagination,¡± Shash chuckled, though the sound lacked genuine amusement. ¡°There will be no war of any kind. As for the Frostix Kitlix¡­ you are to retrieve them from all across the city. They will appear on this artifact map marked in blue. Their absence will be¡­ temporarily inconvenient, but ultimately beneficial.¡± ¡°Beneficial to whom?¡± Remicra asked. ¡°To those who wish to see Shandria thrive, of course,¡± Shash replied smoothly. ¡°Lord Dave, Lady Astra, Dragoness Remicra, your Celesteel card awaits you upon task completion. And here is your advance.¡± He produced a heavy pouch, clinking with the unmistakable sound of mana crystals. ¡°One thousand gold, as agreed.¡± Dave took the pouch, feeling its considerable weight. He glanced at Cedez and Remicra, a silent question in his eyes. They were in. Deep in. ¡°Alright, Shash,¡± Dave nodded. ¡°I accept the job. But I could use some more resources¡­¡± ¡°Which we do not currently possess,¡± Shash shook his head. ¡°As they are tied up elsewhere at the moment. You must procure your own resources with the gold I have provided. I will be monitoring your progress, making sure that every Quest is completed.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Dave said. The Assassin stepped away from their table and vanished.