《Kiada, Blood Servant System Reborn》


 Chapter 1: The Blood Dripped

    Chapter 1: The Blood Dripped


    Blood sprayed into the air as I was knocked back. The Rogue fell to the ground as the massive lizard warrior ripped its de from the eviscerated body.


    The massive stroke had almost split the now dead adventure in half. I could barely raise my shield in time to block the next fast strike, and I was pushed back.


    "What is wrong with that idiot?" I called out.


    This party consisted of the best adventures I could find, but what would I expect in this city? Not one of them worked together, and each thought they knew best.


    So far, this tactic of not having a n has done fine. The problem was that this was the boss room, meaning we had finally reached the Core, and things were not going well.


    "He was trying to protect you!" The fighter yelled back.


    "A Rogue trying to protect a Tank?" I said in indignation.


    I couldn''t talk, this was a fight to the death, and now the lizard was moving away from me. The vicious scaled lizard man had turned and was heading straight for the healer who was standing alone.


    He was by himself, with no one to protect him, dipshit. I sucked in a deep breath and filled my lungs before letting out a roar of words.


    "HEY! YOU! WALKING BOOT LEATHER!" I screamed out.


    I unleashed my voice in a deafening scream, a specialty of mine. This specific tone was saved for monsters and drunken men with wandering hands that they were not fond of.


    It had been over six months since the massive maze-like structures appeared from nowhere, stopping all wars. That ended up turning every idiot that could hold a stick into an adventurer.


    "ROAR!" The massive creature shouted at me.


    I was tall for a girl, but this thing was huge. At least two and a half meters tall and arms like a tree, but it moved like a dancer.


    As I charged, I inclined my shield and deflected its strike, then rammed the monster. Our warrior thought it was an excellent time to attack after I disengaged, so at that point, I spun off the lizardman and managed to get between it and the priest.


    "Ahhhh!" Screamed the warrior as the lizard man smashed through his weapon.


    As the warrior rushed head-on to the monster, the lizard effortlessly decapitated him. As his head fell to the ground, blood spewed like a fountain.


    The lizardman had stepped aside to let the headless body finish its descent, but the monster was momentarily distracted. I threw up a hand to deflect the blood-spraying, but I didn''t blink.


    It was down to two of us now, so I had to move. I dialed into the moment and dug my feet into the ground as I dashed forward, but I still couldn''t figure it out.


    How could they be so stupid? Nothing mattered as I charged, the sounds of chantinging from behind me.


    The man was praying to Healia for healing, but everyone but us was already past that point. I held my mace in a lowered position; I would have to rely on the healer to patch me up if we survive.


    Suddenly, the lizardman flung his sword, but I dodged it. Toote, I realized what I had just done.


    The sounds of chants cut off in a gurgling noise. I had no time to look back. This thing was so confident that it felt it didn''t need a weapon to face me.


    That made me mad; too many times, I had kicked my brother''s asses for the same attitude. Girls are weak and should stay home, girls don''t need to fight, but this girl was a fighter.


    I dashed forward and crashed into the monster, bashing the thing to the ground. Instantly, I could feel the ws tearing into my skin through the basic chainmail I wore.


    Red hot fire tore at my body, and I could feel the pain trying to overtake me, but I wouldn''t stop now. I would not die before I had the chance to touch the Core!


    I started to smash my mace into the lizard''s pointed face with devastating effect. Having a pointy face wasn''t that good vs. a mace.


    I felt the pressure slowly let off as the ws fell out of my back, but I didn''t stop; I couldn''t. I smashed until there was nothing left.


    Blood and bits of flesh stood out from my ck hair, and I weakly flipped them off. I stood, but with great difficulty, wincing at the pain.


    I could feel the blood trickle down my back, but I wasn''t going to die from this. My breathing was still fine, unlike the rest of my party.


    A group of idiots, but they had been the best idiots I could find around the Guild. It was bing harder and harder to find good help these days.


    Having a party wipe like this wasn''t umon; more people went in dungeons than came out, but it was still unsettling. It also didn''t help for the next time when I had to find an entirely new party.


    People might consider me bad luck and not want to join me. Still, these men had made their beds, and now theyy in them.


    There was no reason for people to die needlessly. You only needed to clear the first room of any dungeon, and then you could turn around and leave, but most didn''t.


    The entire world had been lulled into the chance for a random gift. Yet no one had ever got to the end of a dungeon, yet. The reason was on the other side of this door I stood in front of, the Dungeon Core.


    I pushed open the swinging metal door to reveal an empty room. Save for one half-meter tall glowing red gems in the middle of the room.


    I was starting to feel light-headed, but maybe this would give me a way to stop the bleeding or to get out of here. I was not meant to deal the final blow or get into wrestling matches with monsters.


    So, I didn''t want some fancy weapon, maybe a good pair of boots?... I was really starting to slip.


    I staggered over to the core and put my hand on top of it; I had no idea what would happen. No one had ever made it this far, so there weren''t even legends yet.


    What I did was the right thing, and the crystal began glowing brighter. Suddenly, A blood-red message popped into my view, like floating words with a light behind them.


    ''BLOOD SERVANT SYSTEM ACTIVATED''

 Chapter 2: All It Takes Is One Lick

    Chapter 2: All It Takes Is One Lick


    I opened my eyes and then shut them right away. It should have been a mostly cloudy day with hardly any light.


    It now felt like I was being blinded from the brightness. I ced a hand up to shield my eyes as I opened them again, but I was already to close them again.


    Sensory overload assaulted me with a telescoping vision that pulled me back and forth. Every time I focused, my vision zoomed in close, to the point where I could see the most minor details in everything.


    Looking at the grass was like peering into a ded forest alive with insects, worms, and other things. I could count the pollen on a flower over fifty paces away.


    I closed my eyes again and tried to focus. How did I get here?


    I was just touching the Dungeon Core, and I got The Blood Servant System, but what does that mean?


    I took off a gauntlet and reached to my back to feel where the lizard had dug its ws into me. I could feel the broken links, torn cloth, but smooth and icy skin.


    I brought my hand forward, and then, I slowly opened my eyes. I tried concentrating only on my exposed hand, trying not to let my vision wander.


    I shook off my other gauntlet and then slowly touched my hand. It was the same, ice-cold like I had been out in a storm.


    Now I was really starting to get worried as I touched my face. I felt the same cold, but my hands were not pale or blue, and I felt excellent in the physical sense.


    Mentally, something was slowly invading my mind. It was not the binocr vision or the coldness of my skin; it was more visceral than that.


    It was a kind of hunger that was slowly surfacing and making itself felt in my mind, creating an emptiness inside of me and the need to fill it. It was something sweet, and then I started to feel colder.


    What the hell was going on with me? I stumbled back into a wall and slid down it.


    The hunger was almost like a whisper, but I had no idea what I was hungry for. It wasn''t like I could even get up yet to do something about it.


    I needed to fix my vision; that was first, hunger be damned! I was useless with my eyes in this state. I would be more than likely to trip on t ground or walk into someone.


    I closed my eyes again and concentrated; I just needed to calm myself down and get back to the house. My idiot father might know what to do about this.


    Thankfully, my brothers had moved out; this weakness would have made me the target for their jokes. I opened my eyes again and got up, anger pumped the blood in my veins, and suddenly, I was able to see fine.


    Now I was up, but the hunger was starting to get to me. It felt like a hole inside of my body that needed to be filled. I bent and picked up my gauntlets and started walking back to town.


    I gave a brief nce back to the dungeon entrance, a gray stone archway with an oily barrier that stretched across the opening. That was when I felt around my person but soon stopped, letting my shoulders sag.


    My weapon was gone, along with my shield, and I had very little in the way of saving. That stupid priest was carrying all the loot left behind by the monster.


    He and the rest of them were now absorbed into the dungeon. That went the same for the rest of the things left behind, monsters, humans, and loot.


    Each trip into a dungeon was different, and you could never meet another party while you were in there, but that didn''t stop people from waiting outside of dungeons to rob parties leaving.


    There were no rules to dungeons, and thew was lost without proof. When an attack like that would happen, the robbers would just throw the dead bodies back. Once they fell into the dungeon, they would be absorbed and never found.


    It had only been six months since these structures, and the idiotic gods showed up. The war stopped, but it was traded for faction wars and guild turf battles.


    I walked into my hometown, which had recently received a name change. It had been called Tiagelia, but that was changed to Healia, named after our very own Goddess.


    Yes, in the flesh and as bright as a bag of hammers. For a Goddess, she was nice but almost too friendly. I was heading to my home that was only another five minutes of walking, but suddenly I froze.


    There was something sweet and delicious in the air. I could smell it like I was next to the fruity scent, and it made me heat up inside, cutting some chill.


    The hunger level multiplied, and that''s when I heard the scream. I knew exactly where it came from. The echo came from around the corner and behind the house I was standing in front of.


    The information from the smell tranted into my mind outside of the fruity scent. Suddenly I was aware that something was going on, and it wasn''t right.


    I ran around the building to find a man holding a de to a girl''s throat while trying to hike her dress up from behind. That was when I saw it drip from her neck where the tip of the de was pressed too hard.


    Blood. Strawberry sweetness. The two thoughts bled together to mean the same.


    The rage of emotions and feelings made me heat up inside even hotter. Whether it was the man trying to force himself on the woman or the hunger, my body moved on its own.


    I was standing beside the man before his head could start moving.


    ''Eosinophil- Target Weakness, Red Cells- Increased strength, speed, reaction.'' -Scratchy deep feminine voice.


    I felt something burning inside of me, but it wasn''t pain. A red spot appeared glowing on the side of the man''s neck. I didn''t hesitate. I rammed my fist into the man''s neck.


    The man dropped the knife from his shaking hand as he fell to the ground choking. His head turned slowly and looked into my eyes, and I watched them as he tried to gasp for air.


    My hunger dove me to act without waiting, but this was too much power and speed. Yet, I only wanted to taste the single drop of blood that leaked down the blonde girl''s neck was too much to handle.


    The girl tried to turn around, but I pinned her to the wall. I wasn''t in control anymore; the thirst for the strawberry nectar was too much.


    I was pressing my body against her as she cried out softly. I had never been this close to a woman like this. I was bing aroused as my breast pressed into her back.


    I was so close now that I could almost taste it. I stretched my tongue out to taste what I wanted so bad and slid my tongue over the drop.


    Instantly, I felt pain in my mouth as my teeth started to shift. I could feel the change, and my heart was racing at an uncontroble rate.


    What was I doing? I had just saved this girl so I could...but I couldn''t stop now, I had tasted her sweet nectar.


    "I''m sorry."


    That was all I could whisper before opening my mouth and sinking my freshly grown fangs into her soft neck.

 Chapter 3: The First Taste

    Chapter 3: The First Taste


    It all happened so slowly, but there was nothing I could do to stop the thirst. I had just tasted the red juice leaked out of the girl, and the vor was like freshly picked strawberries.


    I could feel her body tense as I pushed into hers. She didn''t cry out again as she had with me before, making me rx some. I knew I was doing wrong, but I couldn''t stop, and her not screaming for crying out helped.


    The feeling of my teeth sliding into her neck was almost more than I could take. It was erotic in the sensation, causing me to involuntarily push my hips into her soft bottom.


    Then I was hit with the rush of the hot nectar. Oh, the taste was like a silky thickness that leaked into my mouth as I drank deeply.


    I could feel my body be more robust, like the blood was fuel to me. Then I was flung backward into a stone wall.


    My body must have almost cracked the stone wall as I impacted, but I was not hurt. I was able to stand up without a problem.


    It was as though I had merely slipped and had fallen gently. Then, I was smashed against the wall, again, but this time the blonde had her hands around my throat.


    I could see from the strain of her muscles that she was clearly trying to kill me. I could barely feel her hands touching my neck, let alone any pressure.


    Our eyes locked, and then the blonde''s muscles started to contract. Her body started to sag, and her hands began to slip down.


    When our eyes first met, hers were blood red. Now they were turning blue and bing distant.


    I reached forwards and gently caught the girl as she passed out on her feet. The blood I had taken from her must have made her very tired.


    But now what? What do I do with this girl?


    ''Registering the first Blood Servant, Lesha Kresh. Service is Red cells: Physical buffing.'' -Scratchy deep feminine voice.


    Who was that voice?


    ''I am Drania, I am the System'' -Drania.


    And this person is Lesha?


    *Internal Silence*


    Not a big talker, but if I was going to have a voice in my head, I would prefer the solid and silent type.


    I rubbed the back of my gauntlet on some exposed cloth while holding Lesha up with my other arm. I wanted to shine up the surface to use as a mirror.


    Once I was finished, I held it up to my face. With my crystal clear telescoping vision, I quickly adjusted my eyes to see my face somewhat clearly.


    Red eyes gazed back at me from my reflection. There was also a small line of blood that ran from my mouth and down my chin.


    The line continued down my neck and disappeared into my cleavage. Uck, if I wiped at it, the mark will smear and look worse than it already does; great.


    I turned the reflection back to my face and braced myself as I opened my mouth. Yep, two elongated and sharpened Canines.


    They stuck past the rest of my top row of teeth. Somehow, they fitfortably when I closed my mouth.


    What was I bing? Would I be seen as a freak of nature? Or hunted like the monsters in the dungeons?


    Lesha moved in my arms and started to moan softly. That started making the tiny hairs stand up all over my body.


    I pushed the feeling down and looked into her sky blue eyes as she opened them. Both of us stared at each other.


    Our eyes locked, and I was getting lost in them; I had never seen eyes as beautiful as hers. Then Lesha suddenly pulled me close and started to lick.


    I felt a spark in my veins as she ran her tongue along my skin. From the start of my cleavage, then moving up my neck.


    I was frozen in shock, but only until she reached my chin. Then I shoved her away from me before she could go any farther.


    My heart was pounding in my chest, and I was sure it burst through my chain mail vest. I looked at Lesha, who wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.


    Lesha then looked down at her hand that was shaking with a scared look. What had just happened?


    "Lesha, are you okay?"


    "How...do you know my name?"


    "It''s tough to."


    "Did she tell you?"


    "She? You can hear that old witch with a deep and gravelly voice?"


    "Yes! I was worried I was going crazy, considering what just happened."


    Lesha had a hopeful look, but it was still mixed with fear.


    ''Why would you call me a witch?'' -Drania.


    ''I would have called you a bitch, but the witch was a guess. I just didn''t want to be rude to her and on the subject of her. What did you do to her? That was you that made her lick my neck, wasn''t it?''


    "Lesha, I am sorry if this bitch made you do that. Give me a minute and get rid of that stupid male on the ground. However you please, I know what I did to you isn''t alright, but what this scum was about to do" I said to point at the man still clutching his throat.


    "No, you saved me from getting raped by this scum. I was caught in a moment of weakness, but I am afraid that if the man would havepleted it, I...I am a fighter."


    Lesha took a deep breath to get her bearings and then continued.


    I will take care of this one, but can you retake some of my blood? I am okay with what the olddy asked me; I was just still in shock from everything," Lesha said.


    *THUMP, THUMP*


    That request made the sound of her heart be the pound of a Calling Drum in my ears. Suddenly, my body became very hot, and the hunger encroached on my mind, pressing down to squash my will to resist.


    ''Call it to you with your mind.'' -Drania.


    *THUMP, THUMP*


    I focused my hunger on the sound of the thundering heartbeats. The sulent smell of her sweet red fluid helped me target what I wanted.


    As I focused, the twin holes on her softly suntanned skin began to leak blood. It flowed into a stream that ran through the air.


    I pulled it to my mouth and drank deeply of Lesha''s silk cherry blood that flowed into my mouth. Having it again so soon made me melt inside, and I had to stop myself from squeezing my thighs together.


    It was over too soon for me, but Lesha''s eyes burned like twin scarlet stars. She turned around and stood in front of the man that was only now getting back up.


    The man looked like he was getting his confidence back, but he was still rubbing his throat as he reached down. The man had grabbed his knife and was about to lunge at Lesha but stopped as she faced him.


    He dropped his knife and then pissed himself as he stood frozen in fear. I could feel the waves of anger roll off Lesha, generating a paralyzing presence of fear for the scum.


    Suddenly, Lesha was a blur of motion, and the man''s chest was ripped open. She had almost split him in two with a long sword she had drawn, and blood sprayed everywhere...or it should have.

 Chapter 4: James Crest

    Chapter 4: James Crest


    Clear liquid sprayed the alley as the man fell to the ground. A trail of dark red blood funneled from the body until it withered.


    The blood drained into a sphere and floated in the air in front of Lesha. I stepped forward to inspect the blood ball and kicked the dry husk out of the way beforeing close to the blob.


    It was hard to describe, there was nothing like it in this world. The blood didn''t stay in a perfect sphere, instead, it undted and seemed to rotate in the air.


    The smell was of blood, but it was not sweet and sulent. No, it was the irony kind that I would have normally thought typical of blood. It was nothing like the cherry sweet nectar I had silk over my tongue.


    ''Absorb the blood, pull it into your body. While stored, you can use it as a catalyst for your blood Services you will gain.'' -Drania.


    I focused on the moving sphere, and at first, there was nothing. Then, I felt the power floating in front of me, begging to be taken in.


    I closed my eyes and concentrated on the blood and the power it possessed. Then I felt it press into my chest.


    When I opened my eyes, the blood was gone. I looked over and Lesha''s eyes were huge. She had a look of concern, not scared, and that was strange.


    "Are you human? I mean are you one of them? The gods?" Lesha asked,ing closer, not backing away.


    "I was a human about two hours ago, now I don''t really know. There is no good answer, but this is not the ce to talk. If you would pleasee with me, my father''s house is a short walk from here," I said, taking her by the hand to lead her.


    "Your father? You are not married?" Lesha asked as we started to walk, holding on to my hand.


    "Are you?" I shot back, turning to scowl as we walked.


    Lesha turned her head and started to examine the poorly built houses. She was concentrating on the with rapt attention as we walked without saying anything.


    Good start Kiada, she asks you a question, then you react like you''re talking to an idiot man. I signed, but we were at my dad''s shack, it was no exception from the rest of the houses crammed together.


    There were nicer parts to the city, but this wasn''t one of them. I had to lift the door to open it, but I hardly gave it effort, and I had to stop Lesha from opening the door for me.


    I really hoped she wasn''t going to act weird around my father. That was all I needed, I didn''t want to deal with him going on.


    "Ooo, who is this strapping youngdy? Kiada is this your new...just kidding! Don''t hurt me, oh violent daughter of mine!" My father said the second we walked into the house.


    I could feel my face heat up and I red at my father. The tall, heavy-built man was wearing a shop apron that still had metal shaving on it.


    The apron and shavings were from his job at the smith''s sharpening weapons. The man should be running the smith, not taking orders from the imbecile Gastbo, my father''s boss and supposed Mastersmith.


    My father''s name was James, and he had dark ck hair and a five o''clock shadow that he shaved off every morning at work with a fresh de. He was one of the few good ones.


    "This is Lesha, and she will be staying for supper," I said without giving many options in my tone, but my father just gave me an insufferable grin.


    "Oh? Sure, I will have stew with bread ready in twenty. Leina stopped by and said to say hi, she brought the bread, they had some extra at the bakery," my father said as he stirred the pot.


    Leina was the woman my dad was seeing. It wasn''t that I didn''t like her, but she was very prim.


    I was not and she never forced me to try on dresses or anything like that. Though, she would always insinuate about me wearing something other than thick stockings and chain mail.


    What was wrong with these things?


    I waved Dad off and dragged Lesha by the hand up the stairs. I heard my father''s little girlish titters, and I stormed the rest of the way.


    I practically dragged Lesha up, but it was only two flights of stairs. So, she was able to stumble along. I finally let go of her hand and pointed at the open door.


    Lesha went in without asking any questions or making a sound. Now that I think about it, she hadn''t said anything since I had snapped at her about not being married.


    Had I offended her?


    ''No, she is not allowed to speak to others unless you allow it.'' Drania.


    "Lesha, you can speak whenever you want, you do not need my permission," I said without hesitation.


    "Thank you, I was wondering why I couldn''t talk, but it was probably for the best," Lesha put a hand up to her face to cover a smile that was spreading.


    ''You can always put it back whenever you want, just saying.'' -Drania.


    "I don''t want to know," I closed the door to my room and motioned for Lesha to sit on my bed since there was not a lot else to use as a chair.


    "This is a cute ce, and your father seems like a nice man," Leshamented.


    "Oh yes, he is too nice and that''s the problem. My father is the best man I know, he is hardly appreciated for the work he does. That isn''t saying a lot since the rest are idiots or my brothers, which are worse."


    "You have brothers? Where are they all? What do you mean by worse?" Lesha asked curiously.


    Great, of course, she was interested in my brothers. She was a beautiful girl, so I shouldn''t be surprised.


    I felt weird around this person, something stronger than the blood connection we shared. I wanted to get mad, but that wasn''t the answer. I didn''t know what I wanted, so not being civil was not being helpful.


    "Yes, four of them, and they all have their ce now, and they adventure together as a group," I said, trying not to sigh.


    "They live together?" Lesha asked with a bit of surprise.


    "Eat, breathe, and shit together. they have always been close, and I have always been the youngest sister that had to be weaker than them...sorry, I get worked up about them," I said turning my head.


    Both of us sat quietly for a while longer, but Lesha broke the silence.


    "What are we now? And how did you be like this?" She asked, looking up into my eyes.


    What are we? I didn''t know how to answer that question. I didn''t know what I was.

 Chapter 5: Home Invasion

    Chapter 5: Home Invasion


    I decided to start from the party wipe and go from there. I exined everything in as much detail as I could to Lesha.


    For her part, she sat quietly and nodded at the appropriate times, and it actually looked like she was interested in what I was saying. Weird, I wasn''t sure why any of that was important, but then, I was just a stupid meathead head tank and a girl to boot.


    My opinion on matters was usually not asked for or shrugged off when given. so, I guess it was just nice to have someone actually listen.


    After exining, both of us sat quietly, but my father shattered the silence. I was so distracted that I lost track of the time and let myself slip.


    My father''s bone-rattling yell for supper came at the top of his lungs. I was normally ready for him at the door to rip it open and attack him for his stupid antics.


    "SUPPER TIME LADIES!" roared my father from outside my room.


    I looked at Lesha and she had a big smile on her face. What was she smiling about?


    "You and your dad have a nice rtionship, I didn''t have that kind of a father. He was a straight edge adventure and a general before that. So, I only got advice on how to be better, but I still amcking so much" Lesha said, her voice trailing off.


    "Come on, let''s go eat," I said, seeing that the memories were troubling her.


    I stood up and offered her a hand up, but then dropped it. What was I doing? It was a bed, she wasn''t sitting on the ground, but then she caught my hand before I fully let it drop.


    I froze in ce. Even though I had offered my hand, I never expected her to take it.


    When she gripped my hand, I unfroze. I held her hand as she stood up and then she gave a warm smile.


    Then she looked down at the hand I was still holding. I dropped it quick, too quick, I turned, almost walking into the closed door, but stopped myself, and let out a long breath.


    I opened the door and headed for the stairs, hoping Lesha would follow. I didn''t rush down the stairs this time, I wasn''t in a rush to sit at the dinner table with the two of them.


    I walked and took deep breaths quietly. I could feel the heat still in my face, and I was not walking into a room with my father and Lesha with a red face.


    "K, your face looks like you soaking it in a bowl of tomatoes! Are you okay? What was that girl doing to you up there?" My father said in a lecherous voice with his eyes peeled back in mock surprise.


    "I will end you old man if I hear just one morement from you!" I growled.


    "Calm down woman,e sit down with yourdy friend and eat some damn stew!" my father said with augh.


    I walked over to a dusty seat across from my father, he must have grabbed this from upstairs. He only brought them down if we had guests or the idiots visited, but they had been keeping busy.


    As much as I didn''t like the four idiots, they were some of the best in their ss. To top it all off, three of them were Topaz ranks Adventure. Only Pike the youngest was an emerald, butst I heard he was almost ready to take the test.


    I brushed off the seat and sat down. My clothes were already dirty, so a little dust wasn''t going to hurt them.


    Lesha took the chair beside mine, but the second she sat down, there was a knock at the door. Who would that be? I had a creeping suspicion I knew exactly who my father had run and told the second my door closed.


    "James! It''s so good to see you, I was walking by and thought I might stop by to say hi on my way home! Oh K, you have a friend over, that''s interesting," Leina, the woman my father was seeing said, walking into the house.


    That bastard! Perfect, this damn woman lived on the other side of town, and the bakery she worked at was the halfway point. She had no damn business being over here except to see my father. This only meant one thing


    "Liena! What a surprise to see you here, I would have never guessed that you would stop by at such a perfect moment! You should join us for a meal, K brought home a friend! A real friend!" My father said with augh, ushering Leina to one of the dust lest chairs that my father and I used.


    I was going to skin him alive, but that''s when I looked around. I finally noticed ALL of the chairs and the muchrger than a normal pot of stew.


    No, he wouldn''t...they hadn''t been around in months, there is no way


    "Liena!" Four male voices chimed,ing closer.


    There was no way to escape, why would he do this to me?


    ''We could just kill them.'' -Drania.


    Woah! Where is the little angel to argue the point of why that was a bad idea?


    ''Or, you could try for once to act like a grown and mature woman around men.'' -Drania.


    ''Don''t act as you know me, and I would act better if they could keep their stupid remarks to themselves. Watch, I try this civility you speak of, and I will show you the results.''


    I took a deep breath and prepared for the storm of hoots and cheers, but they didn''te. Liena and my four brothers, Mike, Rick, Mort, and Pike walked the house, and they all looked different.


    I mean they were still my idiot brothers, but something had changed with them. They seemed more hardened and serious from what I remembered, but then they saw me, crap!


    "K? Are you okay?" Rick asked, walking straight at me.


    "What?" I asked, still confused, but the question and, well, all of them.


    "You survived a party wipe! It''s all over the guild!" Pike cheered.


    "What? How do people already know?" I asked,pletely stunned, but my father cut everyone off.


    "WHAT?! Party wipe? What do they already know?!" My father roared.


    "Did you really touch it, sis? Did you touch the Dungeon Core?" Rick asked walking up beside Mike.


    "Who are you and what did you do with my idiot brothers?" I asked, squinting at them all.


    "Calm down, K, it''s been six months since we saw each other. Things...have happened, and now we are all a bit more level-headed about things," Mike said looking away.


    "DAMNIT K, DON''T IGNORE YOUR OLD MAN!" My father barked.

 Chapter 6: Girlfriend?

    Chapter 6: Girlfriend?


    "Dad, I''m fine."


    "I can see that much! Turn around, right now!"


    How does he always know? My father made this chainmail for me in his spare time, but every time it got damaged, he knew exactly where it was without taking more than a nce. I turned and I heard a parade of footsteps rush up behind me.


    "How do you have that many breaks in the mail, and not have a scratch on you? Your shit is even torn! Liena, do you think you can sew this for K after we eat?" My father asked from behind me.


    "K,e one, stop leaving us hanging! Did you or did you not touch the core?" Pike, the youngest of my four brothers said.


    "Yes, I touched it, then I woke up outside of the dungeon, fully healed."


    "SO YOU DID GET HURT! K, what did I tell you about"


    "They are all dead dad, the entire party was wiped. I was barely able to beat the giant lizard man alone, then I dragged myself into the core room and touched it. After that, a message appeared in front of my face saying I had a system."


    I stopped there, they didn''t need to know the rest, and I was starting to get ufortable being gawked at by everyone in the room. That is, except for Lesha, who was eating furiously. When had that girl eatenst?


    My father was about to go on another tirade, but Liena put a hand on his arm when I turned around. Father let out a sigh and then sat down. That was the cue and the rest of my...I was having a hard time calling them idiots, maybe just stupid for now until I was proven otherwise. The five of us had a jaded past, but I should try and listen to Drania, and give them a chance, maybe.


    "Your girlfriend has quite the appetite! Are you going to introduce us?" Mike asked with a sly grin.


    I had just sat down and barely five seconds after I had the thought. See? That Letcher was already eyeing up Lesha, and I was about to lose it, but then Lesha spoke up for herself. I had to hand it to her for standing up for me, but the way it happened only made it worse.


    "I am Lesha, I came to this town to start over and your sister saved me from being raped. Now, I am her servant and I will serve her faithfully until we end our days together!"


    Ugh, all five men''s eyes nearly fell out of their heads, even Liena, hardly the ppable type, sat ck-jawed. I had a clear shot to the door, but I lived here and Lesha was here. What she said was true, I guess, but thest part is what stripped the eyelids from the men''s eyes.


    "Then, you are K''s girlfriend?" Mike asked.


    "Hm, she saved my life, so I would consider her more than a friend, and she is a girl...so then I guess that would make us girlfriends, Right Kiada?"


    There was a bird to the south that stuck its head in the sand to hide, and I really wished there was some sand, dirt, or even a boiling pot of frying oil! I could feel my face start to heat, but then I took a deep breath. This couldn''t get worse, so I might as well roll with it.


    I wasn''t sure if she was being serious or if she really thought that a girlfriend was just a girl that was a friend, but I didn''t care at this point. I was pissed off and hungry, so I red around the table and stared down at each person until everyone was absorbed into their meals.


    I turned to Lesha and nodded at her with a smile. She gave me a warm smile back, but Pike must have been staring because he spit his food out onto Mort beside him. Mort then smacked Pike and whispered to keep his damn eyes to himself. What happened to these boys? There would have been no end to the torment six months ago, but now, it was like I was looking at different peoplepletely.


    I turned back and focused on my food, which was very good. My father could be a hair-brained idiot sometimes, but he was a hard worker and a good cook, something he said that mother loved about him. We didn''t talk about mom very much anymore, but it had been over twenty years since she died.


    Dad stopped talking about her as much when he started seeing Liena two years ago, but neverpletely. Liena didn''t mind, and I was happy that my father had found someone after all that time. No one deserves to be happy more than my father, the single father of five children that fought like cats and dogs.


    Soon, we finished supper, but no one hammered me with questions. Even when I stood up to go to my room and Lesha did the same, no one even batted an eye, but I suspected they were just waiting to hear the sound of my door close to start gossiping about us. That was fine as long as I didn''t have to hear about it.


    Lesha followed me up the stairs and then into my room. This was about as far as my brain had got with a n. I guess she could sleep in one of my brother''s old rooms, not like they were being used.


    "Um, we have a bathroom beside my room, and if you want you can sleep in the room across the hall."


    "Can I sleep in here? I can sleep on your floor, it''s just that, I feel like I need to be close to you. It''s hard to put into words but, I don''t want to be away from you, even in another room. I could, but" Lesha''s voice trailed off


    "You can''t sleep on the floor, you will catch a cold! It might be nice now, butter tonight it will get colder."


    "You have a big bed, I could sleep at the end if it wasn''t too much trouble" Lesha let the words hang.


    There was a hammer smashing the inside of my head trying to crack my skull to get out, or that''s what my heartbeat felt like.

 Chapter 7: So Soft

    Chapter 7: So Soft


    I was a grown woman, but I was still having trouble getting to sleep with Lesha already passed out on her side of the bed. I was curled up with my back to her, staring at my wall. If I wasn''t going to sleep, then I wanted some answers.


    ''You just need to ask me, child, I can only tell you what I am allowed to, but I will not lie to you. I may seem heartless, but it is our nature to be as such. You will learn that you need to be ruthless to defeat the gods.'' -Drania.


    ''Defeat the gods? You think I could get rid of them?''


    ''This is unbelievably frustrating, but yes, you will. You are so much more than you know, but enough of things that aren''t yet. I will exin what you are, as you both you questioned earlier, but refuse to ask me.'' -Drania.


    ''Both of us? So you can talk to us both?''


    ''Girl, please hold your questions until I am finished, but yes I can contact any of you servants that you are close to. You are a necromancer that uses blood as a medium. You, servants, are bound to you by a blood pact that will have far-reaching abilities that will even allow you to heal and halt death from healing, but you are a long way away from that. Now, questions.'' -Drania.


    ''...What is a necromancer and how can I learn how to heal?''


    ''Good, Necromancers are the masters of life before and after death. You will learn to raise armies of undead minions to fire for you, Turn to blood mist, and many more things wait for you at the top, but we must start by eliminating the gods before they start causing real problems. To learn these things you will have to find more servants, and they can''t just be anyone. We will have to find them or make theme to us.'' -Drania.


    ''My head is swimming! The gods are supposed to help unite us!''


    ''I can''t say more than I have, I am sorry, but heed my words! There is another reason for you to pursue the gods and the dungeons, your servants will need the prizes that they will be awarded and so will you.'' -Drania.


    ''Is there anything else?''


    ''Plenty, but I can''t tell you, yet. We have to work together and you will have to do things that you will find detestable, but over time you will learn to ept who you are.'' -Drania.


    This was what I asked for but, there was so much. How was I supposed to stop a god? Better, how to stop nine?


    ''You will need more than just the servant to do think, Kiada. You will need the guilds, and there are four men who might be able to be shaped into fine guild leaders, if you give them a chance and trust them.'' -Drania.


    ''My brothers? Guild Masters? You have to be kidding me, right.''


    ''Don''t be so pigheaded, girl. You will learn over time, but don''t let your natural urge to distrust all men get in the way of seeing these for men''s true potential. This is important for your sess in finding certain servants. This will also be a chance for you to change the life expectancy of adventures.'' -Drania.


    ''I will try, but''


    ''Go to sleep, tomorrow you will be going to learn how to summon undead minions.'' -Drania.


    Suddenly, it was morning, my eyes were closed, but I could hear the birds chirping and the familiar warmth wrapped around me...warmth...arms...around meLesha was spooning me with her arms tucked under my breasts. I couldn''t move, nor breathe, but at the same time, I didn''t want to...move, that is. I let out the breath I was holding, but that caused Lesha to stir, then I was spun into a tangle with my nket faster than I could react, even with my new speed.


    Lesha was on the other side of the room, and her face was burning red, and she was staring at her arms. Now seeing her like this somehow made me feel better. I guess seeing that it was just as weird for her wasforting.


    "Kiada, I''m sorry, I" Lesha tried to say, but I cut her off with a wave after getting an arm free.


    "Don''t make a big deal about it, I might get the impression that you enjoyed it."


    Woah, where the hell did thate from? Did those words juste out of my mouth? Now I could feel my own face burning up. What had just possessed me to blurt that out, and, just to make the matter worse, Lesha looked away from, with her face somehow darkening even to a darker shade of red.


    At this point, I was worried that one of us was going to start a fire, but then I heard the floorboard outside my room creak. Any heat in my face drained away instantly, and my face went stone cold. Someone was about to die, or maybe all four someone''s.


    "If you value your life, I will see you at the table in thirty seconds, and I even see a sideways nce, someone is going to die."


    The sound of scrambling feet, down the stairs and muffledugh was in line to put me into a very bad mood, but then Lesha spoke.


    ''I didn''t not like it, I just...I have never held a woman in that way before...and you are so soft"


    I mped my hand over her mouth, and put my mouth close to her ear. My heartbeat almost drowned out my whisper as I shook, trying to control my voice.


    "I-I enjoyed t-the feeling, but this isn''t something I want to talk about here. Drania says we will need my brother to help take over the guilds, and if they heard what you just said to me, I would have to kill them."

 Chapter 8: The Spark

    Chapter 8: The Spark


    Dad was already gone when we got downstairs, and my brothers had made themselves scarce. The Kitchen was empty, but there were four beaten-up apples on the table left for us. There was a note, but I could barely read what my father called writing, his hands were meant to wield a hammer, not a quill and ink.


    "Your father doesn''t do a lot of writing does he?" Lesha said with a yful voice from beside me, pushing into me to try and read the note.


    "Hammer, not feather, still, this just says that he has to workte so he won''t be home tonight, Leina''s ce is closest to the shop by a good distance. Grab an apple, my brothers are waiting outside."


    I crunched the note up before Lesha couple really read what was in the note, maybe the old man had messed it up on purpose. I waited for her to grab two apples and I grabbed the remaining ones after she pulled away. Like a ma, I was drawn to her, following her to the door, and taking a bite out of my apple to distract myself from what the rest of the note had said, stupid old man!


    "Kiada?" Lesha said as I walked right into her.


    It wasn''t an impact, but I wasn''t wearing armor or a wrap, and my chest pressed together with Lesha''s, sending a warm sensation running through my body. I was looking directly into her eyes, but then I saw something I hadn''t noticed before. There was a spark in the back of her eye, like a small star in the distance, then something inside of me clicked, and I didn''t hesitate.


    I moved my lips to hers, moving my hand to the side of her face, and stroking her cheek. Lesha moved into my lips, and the connection was like a lightning bolt going off in my head. Short sh hit me or other times we had done this very thing, as different people. I knew Lesha In a personal way that I didn''t quite understand at the present moment, but I couldn''t think about that right now.


    I held the kiss, the shes had stopped. They had only been moments of us being intimate with each other. I pulled away, not wanting to, even though this was something that had happened before, it was all brand new to me.


    "We...should go, your brothers are waiting for us," Lesha said, straightening her clothes.


    Oh, great, we were right beside the door. I really hope they have the sense enough not to make jokes. I looked at Lesha and smiled, the smile I got back warmed me up and bit and rxed me. I wonder if she felt what I did?


    I opened the door and all four of my brothers were standing about four houses away, trying to look like they had something to upy their time, but they just looked suspicious. Then, when I got close to them with Lesha, they all got red-faced and walked ahead of us.


    Serves them right for being nosey, but I could only imagine what was going through their heads. Everyone joked about it, but no one knew it was true, so it was nice to see that they were going to be stupid children. No, instead the twenty-year-old plus group of them were acting as they had walked in our parents, but this was better than the alternative.


    "Boy''s where are you going?" I asked, calling up to the speed walkers who were trying to put distance from us.


    "Going to Healia, Hawk''s vision, she is almost always there drinking, but she wants to see you! Hey, what if you just go? Then only two of you have to deal with her," Rick said from up ahead.


    "Ya, we have been sending Pike in each time to collect and return the items we collect, She doesn''t seem to bother him," Mike said, slowing down.


    I knew what they were talking about, Healia was known for mooning over the men they came into our guild and she was almost always there with wine, and half-cut. I sigh and shooed off my brothers while turning to Lesha, who had a curious look on her face.


    "She is a Letcher and she likes to make lewdments to passing men and she also doesn''t respect private space. The best thing you can do is to use something heavy and blunt, then just hit her with it if she gets too close to you. Depending on how drunk she is, you might have to hit her seven or eight times to get her to back off."


    "We are still talking about a god, right? The big shiny people with unnatural strengths, and abilities? And we are supposed to hit him with sticks?" Lesha asked, now with a fully confused and worried look on her face.


    "No, not a stick, that would just break. There is a metal fire poker to your right when you first walk into the building, grab it fast. Then we will try to beat her down so I can have a decent conversation with her."


    "You know, none of this sounds like a good idea, are you sure you''re alright? Did you see more than I did?" Lesha asked, grabbing my arm and stopping me.


    "All I saw... was you and me, doing...but that was all, why?"


    "I guess I just don''t know you as I did in those times, but what you''re telling me sounds crazy, like waving my hands in the air and rubbing mud on your face. You know you''re talking about a god right? Or am I missing something here?" Lesha asked.


    "Just wait and see, this one is a special case. She is a bit of a ck sheep among the other gods, but she helped me get signed up here. Now I have to beat her off with a metal bar, since there are not a lot of female adventures, she treats me like a child."


    "She can''t be that bad, can she?"


    "Don''t believe me? Come we shall go see Healia, prepare yourself for battle!"

 Chapter 9: Drunken Pervert

    Chapter 9: Drunken Pervert


    When the god showed up, no one knew what to think. They appear in the middle of the battlefields all across thend, wielding powers this world had never even dreamed possible. Gods, that''s what they called themselves, but we had very little understanding of what that meant at the time.


    The world we live in has never had any kind of power or magic, as they called it. Each one of the beings could be twice as tall as us and they were virtually unstoppable. We revere them because of their ability to stop a war that had been about to tear thend apart only six months ago. I was thankful for Healia stopping the war, saving all of us from having to fight.


    The war had just reached our corner of the world, thest untouched ce in thend. As the troops built defenses and worked to fortify our tiny city against a force that we had no chance to defend against. The moment that we were about to charge, a tear in the very air itself opened up sting everyone with a blinding light.


    After the light cleared, a tall woman with beautiful pink hair with blonde highlights was standing in the center of the battlefield. It was like seeing a star fall from the sky and then watching it get up and start walking around. Of course, a group of men from the other side thought this was some kind of trick with lights, and they rushed the Healia without holding back, thinking that she would be easy prey in the middle of the battlefield.


    The goddess Healia, barely even batted an eye, instead, she drew in a sharp breath and the men rushing towards her fell to the ground. Their bodies that were examined after were said to be dried-out husks with nothing left, but I could see the life had taken from them. Like nothing more than white wisps of smoke leaving their mouths and eyes, but that was everything that person had ever held dear to them, their life.


    Since most people give the gods a wide berth, I considered our town now known as Healia, to be in the best hands. Still, that was like saying it was worse to stick your hand in boiling oil vs boiling water, both still hurt, even if one might not be as bad, but Healia was the nicest one out of the nine. The rest had killed hundreds of thousands of troops before everyone backed down and surrendered. Healia was the specialzy and lecherous case, but that meant that we didn''t really have radicals in our town, unlike the other cities, where opposing factions waged wars at the drop of a hat.


    Our city was off in the far corner of The Te Nation, and hidden behind a mountain range, making the ce hard to attack, but not impossible. Since Healia has shown up, life has been pretty good, but now where have traded wars and dungeons, but most of the factions did more infighting than ever now. We always received word from travelers about new faction wars popping up and then became squashed before anyone even knew what they were about.


    Healia always dealt with serious problems, like groups that thought they coulde into town and strong-arm a guild into hiring them as bodyguards. Healia despised these types and since thest group had been sucked into dried husks, it had been over a month now since we had any problem. Healia had been good for our city, and still was, but that didn''t change that she was a drunk pervert that didn''t know how to keep her hands to herself.


    "I know I might not be sounding reasonable right now, but trust me, and just grab the fire poker. I will let her get me first so you can see why you need to beat her off you but don''t hesitate. That will be the one and only time you ever do or you will just never go inside another guild for the rest of your life."


    "Dyster is always happy, but even his followers that pray to him stay away unless summoned by him. Anyone that gets close to him usually ends up dead just for being in the same room as him, and now you want me to hit another god?!"


    "Healia is a lot different from what I have heard of other gods, she is more of a joker than a threat, but her sexual advances aren''t anything to be scoffed at. No one can say anything about it, and she only bothers Hawk Vision guild, and the Guild Leader sits and drinks with her all day. She chases his patrons, while he sitsughing and drinking, making us the least popr Guild of the four in this city."


    We had reached the outside of the tavern where the six-month-old sign of a hawk''s eye hung over the door. Three windows stretched across the front and a steep roof you could almost touch from the ground. The building was three stories of wooden shingles, windows, and small balconies.


    "Bottom line is that she is friendly, just, too friendly, and she won''t get mad if you hit her. She likes it when we y rough, her words, not mine. So, maybe this time if we work together, we might fend her off."


    "What do you mean, might? What has been happening to you with this god?!" Lesha asked, getting a bit heated.


    "Just believe me when I tell you not to hold back."


    I was surprised to see Lesha get angry, but that was good, we would need that and more if we hoped to have a reasonable conversation. I knew I needed to talk to Healia about touching the dungeon core, and what that meant for me now with the Guild and the rest of the dungeons. Asking Gram, the Guild Leader was pointless, the guild was a trading post at best, the ce offered to help new adventures and many died because they don''t have information or proper training before they go into the dungeon.


    I wasn''t ready for this, but every time I walked through this door for thest six months, she was always there.


    "Kiada! My darling, why have you been hiding away from...did you bring me a present?!"


    Healia called from the only set of chairs and tables in the room. She was drinking with an old short wizened man that had more hair than there was a little old man. He looked more like a ball of hair with eyes and a big nose, and when he took a drink, the ss always disappeared under the hair,ing back empty.


    "Get ready!"

 Chapter 10: Shared Emotions

    Chapter 10: Shared Emotions


    "Don''t be like that to Mama Heli! Juste over here and sit on myp and let me have a good feel! I can see you didn''t wear your wrap today and you''re jiggling around! Don''t be such a tease!" Healia said as she rushed me.


    I pushed Lesha towards the firece and dug my heels in.


    [Red Blood] Activate!


    sped hands with Healia, stopping her in her tracks, a p of force echoing from us. I was standing toe to toe with a god! Then I was tossed into the table that Gram had just stood up from. The old man had an uncanny sense for danger, and always was wherever it wasn''t.


    I smashed through the table, barely feeling the impact and catching myself, and sliding back. Healia was going for Lesha, but she had already grabbed the fire poker and had justnded a hit to Healia''s face, good girl! But the poker just bent like a sick joke, and I bolted for Healia.


    The fire poker was normally enough to fend her off, but if the fire poker bent that meant she was using more of her power. The gods never were at even a fraction of their true power or this wouldn''t be possible, we would be killed like insects. Healia must be worked up now, but I wasn''t going to let her touch Lesha.


    I threw her chair and smashed it into bits against the goddess, but all she did was flick the splinters from her hair, but she kept moving towards Lesha. That was fine, I was already there, and I plowed into Healia, knocking her over and taking her to the ground, only to get kicked back off like a rag doll, but I was back on my feet. I rushed forwards, but this time, I pulled at Lesha, draining some of the sweet strawberry juice, the blood flowing to my mouth like a thin stream that chased me as I closed on Healia.


    "So, it is true, you did get something from the Core! Come at me then, my sweet little child! Wait!"


    Lesha mmed into Healia with more force than should have been humanly possible and was lifted off her feet and mmed into a corner, but Lesha was on her before I could get between them. Sparks flew and I could barely hold Lesha''s arm, but I took deep breaths, in my mouth out my nose, and her arm rxed. Healia was already standing in the middle of the room, ring at the two of us, but Lesha copsed, and I was just able to catch her.


    "What are you, or is she? Did you make her? Why is she so brutally strong, I almost had to make a mess!" Healia said dusting herself off, but there was a thin red line in the back of her arm where Lesha had smashed the iron poker into her arm.


    "You tell me, I got this power from the Core, and then I found Lesha about to be raped. I saved her, but then I bit her and took her home with me! You stupid woman! You could have just had a normal conversation with me from the start, now I''ve used up most of my extra''s!"


    "Wait, you bit her? Can Ie closer? I will keep my hands to myself for now," Healia said, waiting.


    "Fine, or I''ll bite you next!"


    "Dear, your teeth would break, and you couldn''t hand all of this. As for my motives, I wanted to get a feel for your power level, and I have to say, with just the two of you, I almost had to break my third gate to keep from getting injured. I still got a slight mark from deflecting that stab. Remarkable, and this all happened after you drank her blood through these little holes? What does it taste like?" Healia asked with curiosity.


    "She goes into a frenzied state when I take her blood, and then she feeds of our emotions. Her ability or her Service is red blood, strengthening, and I also have that ability and more. What do I do with this? Now, that I have it, what am I supposed to do?"


    "Start by bringing out a new table and four chairs, you''re strong now, I think you will be able to get it. Then we will talk about what your next move will be. Don''t worry, I won''t touch your girlfriend, I would be scared for her to wake up!" Healia joked, waving me away.


    I got up with some hesitation but decided that Healia seemed to have calmed down, and she was usually good after that. Still, I was surprised but how much I had changed overnight. It was just yesterday that I was fighting for my life and on the verge of death, now I was almost forced into the hand of a god.


    I walked to the back storage room where there was arge stack of poorly made tables, and I grabbed one taking it back out, and then grabbed four chairs, and after myst trip, Lesha was sitting up, but Healia had left the room. I put the chairs down and walked over to see how she was feeling.


    "Lesha? How are you feeling? You passed out."


    "Mmhmm, I''m sorry, I lost control, is the goddess Healia mad at me? She left the room as I was waking up!" Lesha tried to get up, but I held her door, and then kissed her out of instinct, pulling away quickly.


    Her face had a look of surprise, but then it turned into a warm smile.


    "Healia is perfectly fine, but you left a mark! Good girl! I am actually impressed, that strength you get is enough to make a god turn up their defense!"


    "Yes, well I didn''t want to kill you before you got a chance to let that power grow, so It was nice of Kiada to stop you. Cute blondes like you are so hard to find! So, let''s get down to business! Come join me at the table girls, I will be civil this time, god''s honor!" Healiaughed.

 Chapter 11: Guild Leader

    Chapter 11: Guild Leader


    "So, the party was killed, and you finished off the boss? Then you touched the Core and got tossed out, bit this one on the neck, and then had a sleepover. Then after you snuggled, and came to see me?" Healia asked from across the table.


    "Yes, you have already asked me this," I said with exasperation.


    Healia was going around in circles, putting my questions off. I was starting to get annoyed, but Lesha put her hand on my arm, and then I automatically put my free hand on hers, smiling. Healia noticed this right away, like a snake sensing a mouse, her eye locked onto our hands.


    "So you are a pair?! When did this happen? What was wrong with me?" Healia asked with a hurt look.


    "ENOUGH! Can we please get to the point that I have been asking about?"


    That was the moment when Guild Leader Gram came from a side room carrying a tray with papers and a closed ink bottle. The walking mothball set the tray down on the table and pulled a quill out of an undisclosed ce on his body and then went over to sit beside Healia. She had a strange smile on her face, but she still waited until Gram was settled.


    "We are putting you in charge of this guild, these papers will sign Hawk Vision over to you and you will be the Guild Leader. From there"


    "No," I said.


    "What? No? You just asked me"


    "Make one of my brothers the leader, I have things to do!"


    "Like what? Finding more girlfriends? Don''t answer that! You can still gvant around and your brother can help you, but for now, your job is to stabilize these girls, and after you leave you will receive a Blessed Quest from me that will help you earn guild points. You will need these, along with many other things that we will go overter, but for now, I need you to sign the document, then we will go over how the guild works and why it has to be you, if you haven''t already figured it out," Healia said pushing the paper at me.


    I looked over at Lesha, and she was studying the paper, and then she started to smile, looking up at me.


    "Kiada, I think this will be fun, and we will still have to go in the dungeons once a month for guild raids. This is good right? There is something about a point system that you get as the guild leader, but the rest is blurred out for me."


    "That''s because those are Guild Leader secrets, but you can go over them at anytime, they are just instructions on how to ess the Guilds System. This is why you have to be the leader at least until this guild is fully built and you can take over the next one, and the next, finally controlling the city. After that, you will start expanding your influence, but you will have to defeat the other two dungeons here in the Te nation. Then you must kill Giyadel and Dyster. After that is done we will n for more, Kiada, you are my champion and all I need is for you to sign, and then a new life begins."


    This was a mouthful and brain overload, so many things I would have to do, but this is what I wanted, to change how people kept getting fed into a meat grinder. I looked at Healia onest time, and then back to Lesha. She gave me a nod, but at this point, the decision had already been made for me.


    I picked up the quill and then dipped the tip in the now open bottle, then I wrote my full name, Kiada Crest. I then picked up some sand and sprinkled it over my name to dry it. Dusting it off, I handed the sheet back to Healia, but she pushed it back to me.


    "Seal it with a drop of your red stuff to activate the contract."


    Fine, there was a small pin on the table, but I bit into my own hand letting the pain bring me back to focus. I didn''t skink in far, just enough to get the blood toe to the surface. Then I took my finger and smeared it across the page, making the writing all light up in red.


    Bands of empty red squares ran around my wrist about one by one centimeter wide. I looked at Healia, but she just smiled back and me, but then began to exin when I started to get an irritated look on my face.


    "You will earn points from finding members and finding artifacts in the dungeons. The more artifacts a guild controls the more power the members have. The points you earn will allow you to upgrade the guild and guild your member''s special minor abilities to help them out. To thwart the gods, we must work together. They believe the only way to win is to have everyone be killed, and thest god standing will be the winner. I believe there only has to be one god standing and not everyone has to die, does that sound reasonable to you?"


    "How do I know this isn''t all just some big borate game or trick?"


    "What if it is? Does it really matter in the end? This isn''t your game, we the gods were sent here as our final test was sent here to find out who is meant to ascend to Aiha! I give you my word because I have nothing else, I am here to work with you."


    "Fine, so I believe you, now what? I''m a guild leader, am I just going to sit and drink here all day?"


    "If that''s what you think is truly the best use of your time, then yes, sit down and get drunk with me together and I can feel you both up, or, you can go out and get the quest I told you about and get started on this. You won''t be the only one with this power for long!"


    This was not what I had expected, but that didn''t mean that it was a bad thing. Guild Master Kiada, weird, but if I could help save more lives, then I would shine this ce up!


    "Fine, but we need a new name. Crimson Legion, that should make people want to join right?"


    [Author here! Please vote if you like the book! helps me out more and I will release more chapters if we can get up there! Thank you in advance!]

 Chapter 12: Bit Off More

    Chapter 12: Bit Off More


    Lesha and I turned from finally finishing our talk with Healia, and were walking out of the Guild together after talking about the different things that I could use my Guild Points for when I got some. For now, the Guild would stay the same, but many tasks and positions would need to be filled to have the guild working in proper order.


    First and foremost was getting points to create a Revival Tree. ording to Healia, the tree had a set of ribbons for each member, and all they had to do is keep one of the ribbons on them and the other at the tree. There was only one small problem, without having both revivals and summoning sickness skills at max, there was almost guaranteed to have temporary side effects and stat and skill limiters.


    Still, people wouldn''t have to worry as much about dying, and it would be a great way to get new members, but it wasn''t a way to be invincible. If a person dies outside of the dungeon, they die for real, no ribbons will save you. Next, the person has to wait a week without going into the dungeon, their guild seal, a whole other story, would even prevent them from entering if they tried.


    This meant that the Guild would have to support the member and find an extra to fill in so the group could keep bringing in things. Another thing, money doesn''t just appear in the guild bank ount or whatever she called it, The Vault, another thing that needed a point to hold more money. In order for the guild to make money, we needed to sell to the vendors and craftspeople, and there would be magical items we would have to sell at the shop I had to build.


    "Awerrrr" I growled out loud as we were about to walk through the doors.


    "Hm? What is it?" Lesha asked, stopping me before the door, and putting her hands on my shoulders.


    "There is just a lot that needs to be done, and just the two of us. I am just going over it all in my head right now, and it feels like I bit off more than I can handle."


    "You don''t have to handle it alone, we will talk more about itter, but you have people in your life that will help you. I am one of those people, Kiada, you''re not alone in this."


    That did make me feel better, not about all the things I had to do, but knowing she was with me, and not just because she had to be. I took a deep breath in and let it out, forcing a smile onto my face. I could do this with her help, and she was right, more people in my life could fill the roles.


    "Thank you, you''re right, we are a team," I said as I pushed open the door, or tried to.


    When I pushed the was something blocking it, but then the door opened to four grinning faces. What was their problem? Did they not know what privacy was? I red at the four smiling faces, and Leshaughed softly beside me, making my re falter. This was like oil on the fire and the boys faces almost split in two before they burst outughing and started to back up, using the only shred of intelligence they possessed.


    I started to move forward to go fix these fools so they couldn''t make more idiots, but I was almost knocked backward in my shock as a red semi-transparent sign appeared in front of my face. I tried to back away from it, but no matter where I turned, it was still there. Even closing my eyes did nothing other than put the red sign on a ck background.


    "That is your first mission, stop acting like a sheep with its head stuck in a pail. Stop, take a deep breath, and then read what it says. Also, boys,e in here, since you and your sister''s new girlfriend will be the first official guild members I will exin a couple things for you while she is distracted. That means you too, girlfriend," Healia said, waving them over.


    Lesha didn''t want to go, but my brothers were already past so I put her between me and them and gave her a quick kiss as best as I could with the sign in my face. The whole thing was like target practice with a transparent cloth over my eyes. We finally kissed, and I heard snickers from the boys, but I didn''t care anymore. Little did those boys know, but they had just be servants of another sort to me.


    I let Lesha go and pushed her away towards the group and I went and gingerly felt my way around, looking like one of the zombie monsters from the dungeon. I found a window ledge to sit on, but I had to dust the fingers width of dust off the sill before sitting and leaning against the warm single-pane window, finally focusing on the red sign.


    [Guild Leader Title] Acquired!


    [Guild mission] Acquired!


    [Guild Member Stockpile] -Collect new members 0/5


    [Guild Member Stockpile] Completed! -Collected new members 5/5


    [Guild Points] 5 Acquired!


    {Close Window}


    The moment I thought of Close Window, the sign disappeared, but I had gotten to the main points. Next, I opened another window, like how Healia had instructed, calling my Guild Upgrades up. I used three of the points to buy the Revival Tree, and a sh of light appeared beside me, and a tree with no leaves appeared an arm''s length away from me. It was small, but it had six branches and each had a pair of ribbons tied loosely to the branch. All the ribbons were ck except for one set and it white and red.


    I closed the window, and reached for the tree, taking the red ribbon. It came alive and tied itself around my wrist, but then I got a burning feeling on my chest. I pulled my shirt back in panic but stopped when I saw the red circle with a line through in red had appeared on the top of my left breast. The ink looked like it leaked towards the center of my cleavage, like blood.

 Chapter 13: Revival Tree And Summoning Sickness

    Chapter 13: Revival Tree And Summoning Sickness


    "Well,for a first addition to the hall, you reallydidn''t spicethe ce up," Healia said looking at the sadexcuse of a tree that had grown up from the floor with no leaves and only ck ribbons and one white.


    "This is moreimportant than any of the other things."


    "Ah, yes, the Revival Tree is a pretty nice addition, and now you all get those cute ribbons to wear! I suppose that might be something you might have been interested in, but what about theBar Upgrade?!" Healiained.


    I ignored her, opening up my guild skills, and ced thest two points.One went into Daily Bonus, and now everyone would get a Health and Mana Potion everyday. I wasn''t sure what mana was, but itmust be something useful. Thestpoint went into Members, each point I had would allow me to recruit five more members for a total of twenty points.


    I closed the menu and looked upat my brother and Lesha. She was smiling,the other four...looked unhealthy. All four oftheir faces were almost as white as a clean sheet, and they had worried expressions on theirfaces.


    "What is wrong with you four?


    "You''re...the Guild Leader now?" Mike, theoldest asked.


    "Oh yes! But you four need to get your asses into gear, it''s almost lunch and thosedungeons aren''t going to clear themselves!"


    "Yes, Guild Leader!" The four boys shoutedwith the color returning to them and the lifereturning to their eyes.


    "Don''t call me that!"


    "Yes, Sister!"


    "Grrr, make sure you grab a ribbon beforeyou go, but only take one."


    The men looked at me, but then Healia cleared her throat, and they jumped up and raced over to grab a ribbon. I hadn''t noticed, but the tree had five more sets of ribbons, and after my brothers left, Lesha came to join me and to take her own ribbon. I wassurprised to see that she had grabbed thst of the first six sets of ribbons.


    "What made you pick that set of ckribbons?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.


    "ck? This was the only set of white and red, and it didn''t feel right to take another," Lesha exined as the ck ribbon tied itself to her wrist.


    "The ribbons only register with its owner, so there is no confusion," Healia exined for us.


    "Since you exined things, what is the deal with the summoning sickness, there is a great deal of text, but if you know, then mind saving me the time? For now at least? Also, what did you say to my brothers?"


    "Well,e sit down and I will exin, butthen you should be going to find more members, like you said to your brothers, it''salmost lunch, so it''s time to get working Guild Master! As for you brothers, that is between me and them, don''t you worry your little ck heart," Healia said, giving me a closed eye smile after.


    I rolled my eyes and walked over to the table with Lesha, and we took seats across fromHealia.


    "So, with your current stats, if someone dies, they are restricted from the dungeon forseven days and when they do go back theywill suffer a 24 hr Summoning sickness statreduction of seventy percent. The real kicker is the random effect thatsts for eight daysand can cause all sort of weird effect, but they are all bad from what I have seen inprevious games I have yed."


    "Okay, and do I have any goals? Other thanwhat you said earlier?"


    "Yes, collect twenty total members so we can upgrade this dump! Because you bought the tree, it takes up all three of your building slots. So, for now, you can only upgrade skill and abilities, and then when you get to twenty members, we can expand this diveand get that new bar!"


    "Don''t you think there are more important things than a bar?" Lesha asked with a raised eyebrow at Healia.


    "Of course there are, but that doesn''t make me want it any less! You''re the boss now, I''m just a patron of your Guild now, The Red Legion! Has a nice ring to it, and I like your matching breast tattoos! You should try to match them up! Come one, just push them together for me one time!"


    "Go make yourself useful and get more chairs and tables, your time of breaking things is over, and now you can decorate the ce. The two of us are going to go look for more Members and talk to my father. He will want to hear the news, and I want to see if I couldconvince him toe and work for us, to do repairs and things like that."


    "Very good, my whittle champion is using her cute little brain! One thing, before you go, Don''t just let anyone in just because they want to, we are trying to weed the bad ones out."


    "If I don''t help anyone that wants to join, then what happens to them?"


    "They will either go to a different guild or they will leave town, and that is the best option.No matter what in the end you will have to push them out or they will be problems for your members," Healia exined.


    "So, then I just say, no sorry we arenot looking for your type?" I asked sarcastically.


    "No, I want you to t out refuse them andtell them exactly why!"


    "What? Why? You want me to belittle them and call them out on the spot?" I asked now with confusion.


    "If that''s what it takes, then yes. You are trying to get a reaction out of them. Depending on how they react, is how you will decide what to do from there," Healia exined.


    "So, what do I do after?" I asked, hoping to get more insight on what I was supposed to do after yelling at the person, but I was sadly disappointed.


    "You will figure it out."

 Chapter 14: Proud Father

    Chapter 14: Proud Father


    ''Moving up in the world. Good, enjoy the rest of your day, tomorrow you will enter the dungeon again.'' -Drania.


    Lesha and I were walking to the forge that my father worked at, but I was surprised to hear the raspy voice again. Not that I thought it would just disappear, but Drania wasn''t that talkative. Still, How was I supposed to enter the dungeon right now? I need to find more members, and that wasn''t the ce to start.


    ''Don''t worry about Guild Members, you made a very wise use of your first points. That tree alone with help grow your Guild above the rest, but that means it will attract all types. Head Healia''s words, you mustn''t let them fool you, there will be many types.'' -Drania.


    I looked at Lesha, who was looking around the stall and small shops. It was hard not to let my eyes travel down from her sky blue eyes, down past her full lips. I let my eyes travel from her chin, down the curve of her neck, then down into the flood of her exposed cleavage, and blood-red Guild Tattoo.


    "The tattoo does look nice, but I think we are the exact same, and we are out in public right now. So, do you mind at least staring at my face?" Lesha said with a softugh that made my body heat up, and I turned away in embarrassment.


    I had just been caught staring at a woman''s breast like a pervert, out in public, what was wrong with me? Thankfully, we were only a short distance from The forge my father worked at, called The Forge, overly original. All you had to do was just ask the owner, Gastbo, and he will tell you that it was him that thought of the name, and all the rest were fake''s and cheats. Also, just to be clear, he is talking about anyone who considers their ce of work a forge.


    "You don''t have to act so stiffly, I don''t actually mind if you look, but maybe save the starting letter. Your father did say we would have the entire house to ourselves tonight, so maybe we can try that thing Healia was talking about with matching" Lesha would have kept going, but I cut her off.


    "Enough of your dirty talking, pull yourself together until at least we have talked to my father and are far away from his shop?"


    "Oh, K, don''t be like that! She is just trying to be cute like your mother was with me! So, squirt, what brings you all the way down here? How did things go with...errr...thedy?" My father asked with a bit of a spooked face, and he even looked around after speaking the words, thinking that Healia might be listening.


    I wanted to fo and stick my father''s head in the quenching bath for thatment, but I let it slide.


    "I was pretty good, Lesha gave her a red mark!" I said with a forward stabbing motion with my hand.


    "No way! Good girl! That woman needs a good tuning in, but there isn''t anyone in this world that could do that, so what does that make her?" Father asked with a curious, not worried expression.


    "I marked her, but K is the one that fought her bare-handed! I only got my blow in at the end, but K stopped her in her tracks and tackled her!"


    "OwO!" my dad yelled.


    He had dropped therge striking hammer on his foot, at the end of Lesha''s short description of the fight between me and Healia. After he stopped hopping around he turned and yelled at me.


    "HOW IN THE THREE KINGDOMS DID YOU DO THAT?!"


    I had never seen my father so charged up like this before, it was like he was a whole other person. He grabbed me by my shoulders, and then looked me directly in the eyes. There was a fire of intensity burning in his eyes.


    "And then what happened?" My father asked in a far too serious tone, which belied his normal rxed and joking manner.


    This was more than strange, my father never acted like this, even when the boys moved up in sses, and I could tell that he was on the edge of his sheet in anticipation of what I was going to say next. I tried to talk, but for some reason, the words just wouldn''te out, like I didn''t have the air to force them out. I was starting to get a wavering vision, but no, that was tears, why was I crying?


    A hand slipped into mine and then another one on top of it, and suddenly I could breathe again, but now the tears were running down my face. I had never seen my father so excited in my entire life about anything as much as he was to hear the next wordse out of my mouth. I still was having trouble forming the words and I looked at Lesha for help, and she smiled at me, then turned to my father.


    "K is now the Guild Leader of The Red Legion Guild formerly known as Hawk Vision, your sons and I are the first official members!" Lesha said smilingrgely.


    I was worried at first, and I didn''t want to look at him, because he wasn''t saying any words, but I was starting to hear snifflinging from his direction. I turned to find my father in a mess of tears, and I couldn''t hold it together anymore. I threw myself into my father''s arms as we both cried with joy and excitement.


    I didn''t expect his kind of reaction, but I already knew what the first question was he was going to ask, but I cut him off before he could open his mouth.


    "No!"


    "What do you mean, no? You don''t even know what I was going to ask!" My fatherined.


    "Oh? Then tell me with a straight face that you weren''t just about to ask me if you could join the guild as a member?"


    "Well, you see...ohe on, K! Let your old man join! I can swing a sword!"


    "You will join, if you want, as staff in the future. We will need a cksmith to do repairs and other odds and ends, and I hear from good sources that you are the best around, hehe!"


    "You let me know as soon as you''re ready for me! You two enjoy the show tonight, you will be alone, all alone, now one to"


    "FATHER!"


    "I''m going! Don''t hurt your dear old man!"

 Chapter 15: Mana

    Chapter 15: Mana


    "Make sure you stop and see Leana, she will be very excited to hear your good news. I am so proud of you, K!" My father said before heading back into The Forge.


    "James? Are you wasting time? Again? What do I pay any of you useless louts for?" Came the whiney voice of Gastbo, The Forge owner, and my father''s boss. "You! Your James''s little toy bo"


    Gastbo was a short and fat greasy little man, and when he came out and started to yell andin, but when he started to insult me, Lesha''s arm shot forward and wrapped around his neck. Gastbo''s eyes went huge in fear, and he tried to put his hands on Lesha''s arms to stop her, but she squeezed harder, preventing the hands from touching her. Gastbo''s eyes were near popping out of his head, and my father stood behind him with a concerned look on his face, but he did not try to stop Lesha.


    "Enough, don''t take it too far or guards will be called, and we don''t need that."


    Lesha released Gastbo, but he scurried back and ran into therge frame of my father. James red down at him, and the man nearly squeaked before scurrying for his life. Today was just not a good day for Gastbo.


    One of the biggest changes that happened since what we call The Fall when the gods arrived, was the food chain. Higher up like city officials and the few nobles had been pushed to the back now as nothing more than private backers. Adventures were the nobility now, they were the only ones that bought the expensive things and higher quality armor, so they were treated with more respect than was reasonable in some cases. The biggest issue that I found with it is the way we can act outside of thew.


    Not a single person batted an eye or made aint the entire time the altercation happened. In this situation, this wasn''t that big of a problem, but if we were on other adventures, we might not have let him go so easily. It was very easy for a powerful or high-ranked adventure to ''identally'' kill the offending person, and the charge for the death was fifty gold coins, if they had family, if not, it just wasn''t talked about.


    "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have reacted like that," Leasha said, turning to me.


    "No, it was a long timeing, I normally let things like that slide with him, simply because he is one of the lowest forms of a human that I have ever seen. He is basically a dog that can walk on two feet, he barks at anyone that walks by his shop, but it was good you did that. There are adventures out there that don''t really care about the working ss or anyone, better you put the fear of gods into him then he ends up dead, no matter how good it might actually be for the world, hehe."


    Lesha looked back at The Forge, but I took her hand in mine. It felt natural, and normal for her hand to be in mine, and the smile she gave me heated up my body, bringing a smile to my face. I turned with her hand in mine and started to walk to the bakery that was just down the street from where we were. This was where Leana worked, and father had told me to stop by and let her know, so that was what we were doing.


    The streets were not packed, but no carts or horses were allowed on this main road, there were service streets that ran behind all the shops for them. The people that walked around right now were mostly wives of adventures or younger children running errands, but there were the odd adventures. They always stood out from the rest; besides guards, adventurers were the only ones that carried weapons, and most of the time you could tell the ss just by looking at what they were wearing.


    Our walk to the shop was peaceful. I was still holding Lesha''s hand and we were about to enter the bakery when a disturbance made us both stop. We turned at the same time, to find what looked to be a Fighter bothering a scrawny man in ck robes.


    "What do you mean you don''t want to join my party? You said you''re an adventure to that shopdy, and I need a new party member to fill our group. So, what''s the problem?" Therge brown hair Fighter said, getting into the other man''s face.


    "I do not wish to join the likes of you! I am not looking for a party, please step back from me now. I do not like when people get too close to my person," The small man said with a schrly voice, but it almost sounded like the tone was forced.


    "You don''t know what''s good for you! Now, I have asked you a couple of times nicely, and now I''m done asking," the Fighter said in a low voice menacing voice.


    I was about to move to stop things before they got worse for the little man, but then stopped. The scrawny man''s eye began to glow and he raised his hand almost faster than I could see. Only the man''s finger touched the Fighter''s armor as he was still drawing his sword, and then the man said two words.


    "Lightning{gninthgil}!"


    The Fighter exploded off his feet and was sent hurtling backward into the tailor shop wall beside the bakery. I understood lightning, but he had said something else at the exact same time, giving the words an otherworldly effect. I had never seen anything like this before; What did he just do?


    ''Magic, an art this world has never experienced before. Mages will be rare, but they will start appearing more, and they will be drawn to you.'' -Drania.


    ''Why would they be drawn to me?''


    ''You are the first real Guild Master in this world and the only one that can create Mana Potions. They will be able to sense your powers even though you do not consume Mana. Mana is the energy consumed when a mage casts a spell like he just did, but at a lower level, they burn through it fast.'' -Drania.


    I looked at the small man, who was straightening his robes, but then he looked up at me and smiled.


    "I think you''re the person that I have been looking for. Though I could only just recently sense you, I have been drawn to Healia since I received these powers. I need to give my thanks to Healia, and there is a leader that I am to find. Are you the person I am looking for?" The small man asked.

 Chapter 16: You Mean, Like This?

    Chapter 16: You Mean, Like This?


    Lesha squeezed my hand in excitement, and I wanted to be excited with her, but Healia''s words came back to me. Still, this guy could send a full grown man flying across the street with the touch of a single finger. I think it would be unwise not to take him, just because he would make a powerful foe.


    "My name is Kiada and this Is Lesha, I am the Guild Leader of The Red Legion."


    "Hmmm? Red Legion? Well, I am drawn to you, but from what I have heard, Healia was a supporter of Hawk Vision Guild. I think I need to go talk to her first before I make any decisions. First, I''m Corbit, and I guess I''m what you would...no...what will be called a Lightning Mage," Corbit said, using a more rxed way of speaking.


    "Don''t worry, K, sorry, I mean Kiada, changed the name when she became the Guild Master," Lesha awkwardly exined.


    Corbit looked relieved, so I spoke up.


    "Listen, we were just going inside the bakery here to see someone, and then we can take you to the guild hall to meet with Healia. If you don''t mind waiting, or you cane inside with us, best to be somewhere else when that one wakes up."


    "Yes, I wille with you. That man was being rather forceful about getting me to join his party," Corbit said, following us into the bakery.


    I was hit with the st of freshly baked bread, pies, and pastry that left me with a ravenous feeling gnawing at my insides. The ce wasn''t big in the front, just a single counter top, and some special ss cases that held the fresh baking. I could see Leana moving around the back, but she was kneading some dough, and I suspected she was just taking it from rising, so I would leave her be. Instead, I turned back to Corbit.


    "It was good that you refused his offer, people like that are only looking for someone to push into a trap to set it off or to use as a shield. I want to change that and make it safe for everyone to profit from the dungeons. I have other ns but this is my first goal."


    "Oh, hmm, very nice, I like your spirit. One of those go getter types, I see. Well, I am not the type to be bullied around!" Corbit said with more of his fake bravado.


    "No, maybe not now that you can shoot sparks from your fingers, but I will just go and assume you didn''t have it easy before this. Am I right?"


    Corbits shoulders dropped and he hung his head. Yup, hit the nail on the head with that one, but it wasn''t hard to assume, given his stature. I was about to try and cheer him up, but that was when Leana called my name.


    "K?! You came to visit me! You must have just seen your father! What a pleasant surprise, and you brought your ''friend'' with you! But who is this other young man you have with you?"


    Leana fired off the words before I could even react, but I wish she wouldn''t put so much emphasis on the word, friend. I was going to have to get used to it, Lesha wasn''t going away and I didn''t want her to. So, I would just have to get over my squeamishness over it and not let it bother me.


    "Yes, I just saw dad, I had good news to tell him, and I wanted toe over and let you know as well. I am now a Guild Leader, and this boy"


    "I am almost eighteen!" Corbitined in indignation.


    "...This, BOY, is Corbit, one of my new potential members to the Guild." I finished.


    "Congrattions! I am so happy for you!" Leana said with excitement and she wrapped me in a hug.


    The experience of telling her wasn''t the same as with dad, but that wasn''t her fault. I had just never got that close with her, and it always felt like she was trying a bit just too hard. Still, I hugged her back in gratitude, and then broke apart from her, and she was smiling brightly.


    "Just wait here! I have something for the two of you tonight; I was just going to give it to you when I finish work, but you''re here now," Leana said, turning to go around the counter and into the back. "Jenna, give them all a meat bun or two, I''m sure that they haven''t eaten yet, and it''s well past lunch now!"


    At the mention of food, all three of our stomachs started to growl like angry animals. We each epted a still warm bun that had a meat filling on the inside. As I bit into the bun, Lesha let out a soft, but she was just behind me, so it was louder in my ear than it probably was to everyone else, but I felt my legs start to be less sturdy.


    "Do you need to enjoy your food that much! We are in a public ce!" I whispered severely back to Lesha.


    That didn''t help; instead of stopping, Lesha moved closer behind me so our bodies were touching, I could feel the points of her nipples pressing into my back, and I started to have trouble breathing normally. As I could feel the pressure of her soft breasts, pushing into my back, Lesha put her lips beside my ear and whispered.


    "You mean, like this? Mmmmm!"


    The feeling that hit my body was like a pain with no pain. I started to feel an aching pressure between my legs that was demanding pressure. I could actually feel myself starting to get wet, and the feeling of wanting pressure was building up, Lesha''s fingers...I was starting to lose control of my legs and they felt like they were just going to bend over at any moment and I would fall


    "Lesha?" Leana asked.


    All the heat, blood, and pressure that had been growing between my legs went straight to my head. Leana put a hand to her mouth to cover her face splitting smile, and then handed me a bottle of wine.


    "I thought you might need some encouragement tonight, but it looks like you are already both enjoying each other''spany. I will see you girls tomorrow, be safe, and try not to keep the neighbors up." Leana said, still with the hand covering her mouth.

 Chapter 17: No, Come Back Tomorrow

    Chapter 17: No, Come Back Tomorrow


    I pushed Lesha out of the bakery while she was holding the bottle of wine and smiling like a fool. Corbit followed me, and Leana called goodbye, and to enjoy our night. Lesha was far too happy, and the mood was starting to be infectious.


    I was starting to feel better about the Guild, and being the leader, maybe I was making it seem harder than it would actually be. We already had a new member, or would if he joined. Corbit was humming as we walked back but then turned to both of us.


    "So what''s the deal with you two? Are you a couple? I don''t mean to pry, but I have never seen women your age act so friendly with each other," Corbit asked with a quizzical look, while still walking and managing to avoid everything in his path.


    The question distracted me enough, that I stepped on Lesha''s foot, which almost made her fall, but I caught her in my arms. She was facing me, and giving me a mischievous smile, then she took my face into her hands. Lesha pulled our faces together, then she kissed me as I had never been kissed like this before.


    Oh, jeez! Well, umm, I guess that answers my question...do I just go find the Guild by myself? I can see your...umm involved, so I''ll just...find my way."


    Lesha finally let me go, but I found myself not wanting to, but then I remembered where I was. Kissing a girl, in the middle of the street, like I was in a y. No, I won''t let this bother me, I am a calm ocean.


    "K! You need to save that kind of thing for when you get home!" Mort called from behind me, far behind me.


    Well, I tried, but now, someone was going to die. I helped Lesha up and was about to round on my brothers when Lesha grabbed my chin.


    "Don''t, or I will do it again, I don''t know why I feel so free with you, but I can''t help myself when I look into your eyes. It''s like I can see all the things in some far-off world that we had, and I have never looked at a woman the same way as when I look at you," Lesha said, letting go of my chin with a cute smile.


    Dammit, just like that, I was disarmed, all my fire was put out. I sighed, and then slowly turned to see my brothers ever so slowly walking closer. I forced a smile onto my face and gave my best Guild Master''s voice, or something grand.


    "So boys, how was the dungeon today?"


    "Gross, K. Don''t talk like that, or we will start calling you Fearless Leader, but all and all, it was okay, nothing special. Are you heading back to the guild?" Mike asked.


    "Yes, we have a new prospective member, brothers, meet Corbit," I said gesturing back to the scrawny kid with a robe.


    Rick came over and leaned in towards me.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be a bit pickier than that?" Rick asked seriously in a quite strained voice.


    "Rick, he put one finger on a fighter chest te, said one word and blew him across the street, and knocked him out. He will do fine, plus you will need a fifth."


    *Low long whistle*


    "Alright, Alright, I give, that does sound pretty impressive, but how''s he do it?"


    I red at Rick, and even Leshaughed when Rick spoke again.


    "How am I supposed to know, Rick? Go ask him!" Rick said in a low imitation of me as he walked over to Corbit.


    "Let''s go back so I can get this over with and then go home and rx."


    "Oh, yeah, I bet you will be doing"


    "Mort, there is only so much shit I can take in one day. So, unless you want to be sitting out for a week, after I take you to the dungeon and kill you, and you grow some horrible disfigurement, CAN IT!"


    Mort actually looked scared of me; they always brushed my menace off, but he was getting pale. I hadn''t used my strength in front of them, so there was no reason for them to be scared of me. Unless


    "What did Healia say to you?"


    "Nothing!" All four men said almost jumping out of their skins, even Rick who was talking to Corbit shouted out with the rest.


    "She told them about our fight, and how we made her almost lose her cool," Lesha said from beside me.


    The three in front of me all rxed, but only a little bit, but Pike spoke up.


    "Did you really fight her with your bare hands? She said you even tackled and knocked her off her feet! K, are you even human anymore?"


    "Ugh, that witch! I am still me, I will try not to actually kill you, but I am getting sick of all your childish jokes. Can we just act like normal people for once?"


    I didn''t wait for them to respond, instead, I turned back towards the guild and started heading that way, grabbing Lesha''s hand who followed obediently. I was d to get that out of my system, even if it didn''t change anything; it made me feel better. Lesha had caught up with me and had her other hand on top of mine that her other hand was hoping for.


    The trip to the Guild wasn''t that long, and the trip would be short back home, hopefully. I walked to the door and pushed it open, Lesha was still holding my hand and smiling, but my smile cracked when I saw the inside of my new Guild Hall.


    It was packed with adventures, and every one of them looked at me. What in Healia''s name was going on here?


    One of the men in the front walked up to me and gave me a bow.


    "Would you happen to be Miss Kiada, the Guild Leader of The Crimson Legion Guild?" The man asked.


    "Uhh, yes..." I said, letting my voice trail off as I looked around the room.


    "We are all here to join your Guild!"


    "No,"


    "What?!" The man asked in disbelief.


    "Come back tomorrow, and you better had a damn good reason why you want to join me!"

 Chapter 18: Lemonade

    Chapter 18: Lemonade


    After getting everyone out, my brothers said goodbye. Gram did the trade for me, I guess we did have some funds in the Guild Vault. Tomorrow I would have to deal with new guild members, and take them with me.


    There was also the matter of Corbit, I looked at him and then exined to Healia about him quickly. She said that she would take care of things, and I could deal with the rest of things in the morning. I was about to pull Lesha with the wine alone when I noticed some white hair poking up from behind it


    "Gram, are you going to stay with me? I mean, in a position?"


    "How do ya want me, honey!" Gram called out from behind the bar.


    Then that little fur ball hopped up onto the top of the bar. He began to show off his lewd positions, but the little man had so much hair that it just looked like he was dancing. Lesha even started tough, a soft sound that was music to my ears, so I was done messing around. I took a single drop of Lesha''s blood, curious as to what it would do with her, but what I wanted was two pairs of glowing red eyes.


    The single drop of strawberry nectar was almost more than I could take, and my body craved so much more. I held myself back from taking more, this was a test to see the effects, and to get this show on the road. I red at the furball dance on the countertop, and he yipped like a scared dog, disappearing behind the bar.


    "I will take care of the Bar and Trade Kiosk for Members! Don''t suck me dry!" Gram called out from behind the bar.


    "That wasn''t very nice, and now there is nothing to do to get rid of all the extra energy I have," Lesha said from directly behind me, whispering into my ear, sending chills and then heat down my body.


    I felt her nipples and this time wrapped her arms around me, and just when I couldn''t handle it anymore, that witch started to tickle me! The horribleughing sounds that came out of my mouth made me sound like the cackling witch! This freaking woman was strong, but this was my System and I got turned around, pushing her back from me.


    I was about to jump at her when Healia hand-chopped me on the top of my head with no strength, and it caused me no pain, but the effect was what I needed. I was stunned for all of a half a second, but then went and grabbed Lesha''s hand after she put them up like a cat on its back. I waved to the other three and left, grabbing the wine Lesha had set down to tickle me. I was d that Lesha was finally walking in step with me. I didn''t really want to drag her home, but I would if I needed to, she has brought this onto herself!


    It was already starting to get dark when we opened the Guild door, but I was just happy to get out of there and head home. We still had to eat, the apples and meat buns were a long way down, and I was starting to get hungry again. Lesha took my hand and we started on our way home; this was a different feeling, going home with someone, not alone like usual.


    I was still wondering what we were even going to eat when we got home, but then something fresh-caught my nose. Spring, morning, fresh, lemon, sour, but with the right amount of sugar it made for a sweet treat. I put my nose into the air sniffing to see if I could figure out where that smell wasing from.


    "K, What are you doing? You look like a hound with your nose up in the air like that!" Lesha jokes, trying to wrap her arm around mine, but I pulled away.


    "Don''t you smell that?"


    "Smell what? I am hungry, but I don''t think you want me to describe the smells around here. None of them smell good or appetizing."


    "No, you don''t smell that lemon? Almost like a sugary lemonade?"


    "Kiada, has all my teasing fried your brain? Let''s just go...K your face, close your mouth!"


    "What?," But then I saw a girl wearing a red robe and I knew what the lemon was, and what Lesha was talking about.


    What was this? Another Servant? But, now, in the open? I turned to Lesha, but she was gone, huh? I turned back to see Lesha walking up to the girl, and then started talking to her.


    I was a statue, frozen in indecision, but I didn''t want to move, my body was turned up as I had just taken Lesha''s blood. Now, my body wanted this girl''s sweet-smelling lemonade and only that. Nothing would stop me from getting it, but I was surprised to see Lesha bring the girl over to me.


    "What did you say to her?" I asked, half scared of what the answer was going to be.


    "If you could bite her."


    "Wah?"


    "She just needs a ce to stay, this is Mie," Lesha said as Mie walked up, she also had blonde hair, but she was much younger than us, maybe only sixteen.


    Was I really going to suck the blood from these little girls and make a child my servant? She was cute, but I liked my girls with a bit more chest, and I wasn''t into little girls but Did I have a choice? My body was urging me to move my lips to her pale neck, but I stopped myself.


    "Let''s go home and we will figure out what to do with you after, we get there. The street isn''t really the ce of this kind of thing." I said trying to pull myself together, but it was hard to do with this little lemon squeeze so close to me!

 Chapter 19: Electric Blue Razzberry Lemonade

    Chapter 19: Electric Blue Razzberry Lemonade


    The rest of the walk back to the house was in silence, for many reasons. Least of all was that I was hungry, next was the little girl walking beside me with Lesha on the other side. Finally, the real reason for the quiet was the fact that I wanted to dig my teeth into Mei''s neck and drink the sweet lemonade nectar that I could smell.


    We finally reached the house, I opened the door and walked in. I was surprised to see the table had some pastries, meat buns, a pie, and a big tray of fancy custard tarts. Yet, I couldn''t smell anything but the little lemon tart walking in with Lesha. I rounded on them after the door was closed, and the little girl ran to hide behind Lesha.


    "K, stop it! You''re scaring the child with your teeth, and glowing red eyes!" Lesha scolded me.


    I was about to try to exin, but the little girls stepped out from behind Lesha and red up at her.


    Oh? What was this? My curiosity was taking the edge off the thirst for lemons, but barely. I wanted to wait to see what this little girl was going to say to Lesha for calling her a child.


    "I am twenty-six! I am not a child, see I have breasts!" Mei shouted as she flung open her robes to expose the naked body of a child just past growing hair, but her breast did have slight plumpness to them, but they were nothing like Lesha''srge full breasts.


    Since I knew that she wasn''t a child, just ate bloomer or something like that, I started to advance on her. I could smell the lemon-blood just under her skin.


    "Woah, hold ondy, you can''t touch them!" Mei said closing her robes fast.


    I rolled my eyes and then she was in my arms. I moved to pick her up within the blink of an eye. Even though she had small breasts, she had a very soft and shapely bottom, but that wasn''t what I was looking for. I moved my mouth over her neck and then a thud of force hit me in the chest. Normally a blow like that should have sent me flying back, but I only grunted from the force.


    What was this? More of the Mana stuff? I sank my teeth into Mei''s neck as she squealed in fright. Sweet but hot lemon sprayed into my mouth, bathing me in a frenzy. Then it hit me like a shock, a charged blueberry vor joined the lemon and I felt myself getting a little wet from the uncontroble pleasure I received from the two vors.


    Finally, I stopped, my reserves filled with a new Service and Servant. I let go Mei and we both stood up straight, but then I was hit with a massive wave of dizziness and I fell over. I hit the ground and started to shake uncontrobly, as blue veins started to cover my arms.


    There was some kind of change going on and it was tearing me inside up, but the shaking was slowing down now and the veins were disappearing. I mmed my fist down on the ground and yelled out to vent some of the pain, but finally, it was done, but I felt different. Seriously, just how many changes was I going to go through, and what the hell was that? I was like my insides were going through a meat grinder!


    I looked up to see Mei holding Lesha back, but her eyes were still glowing, so she would be stronger or something. Lesha had a worried look on her face, so I smiled at her weakly and Mei let her go toe running over to my side, helping me back up. Suddenly a message shed on a sign again, almost making me a trip, as I tried to back out of Lesha''s arms.


    "It''s really horrible, isn''t it? The pain?" Mei asked me.


    "You knew that this would happen?" Lesha asked as she rounded on the little girl.


    "Yes, I knew this crazydy was going to suck my blood and blue stuff up out of my neck. Yup, happens twice a day, I was clearly hiding it! Of course, I didn''t know!" Mei said, stomping her foot.


    She was cute in her own way, but a bit of a firecracker. I was able to stand on my own, so I kissed Lesha and I heard Mei ask me something weird.


    "What are you doing to her?" Mei asked, and I looked over to see a curious look on her face.


    "We just kissed," I said like it was nothing, this was bing easier, and I took Lesha''s hand and walked over to the table where all the food was.


    "Is that allowed? Like, isn''t there a rule or something?"


    "Rule? No, not that I know of...Lesha do you know?" I asked as I grabbed a meat bun and started to fill my mouth, waving Mei over.


    "Hm? Law, no nothing like that, why would you think there was?" Lesha asked while handing Mei a bun that she epted gratefully.


    "Well, I just have never seen anyone but you two do it before, so... I don''t know, I just thought there was aw against it and I was weird. Are there more girl lovers? Do you think I might find something like...whatever it is you to have?" Mei asked before tearing into her bun.


    "Well, this is pretty new for both of us, and there is no girl lover club, but we will find more girls in the future, just like I already found you. So, eat your food then you can take the bedroom on the third floor. I will get you some nkets and one of my dad''s shirts for you."


    Lesha smiled at me and squeezed the inside of my thigh and sent a shock up into between my legs, making me want to moan out softly, but I held myself in check, for just a little bit longer.

 Chapter 20: What It Was

    Chapter 20: What It Was


    After we all ate our fill, Lesha cleaned up and I took Mei upstairs to the top floor where Pike and Mort had shared a room. The two had sworn when they left that they would have their own rooms, I wondered how that had worked out for them? We were almost to the top of thest flight of stairs when Mei spoke up.


    "What do you guys do? Like, when you''re alone together? You don''t have, you know like, boys" Mei''s voice trailed off, but she looked hopefully up at me.


    How was I supposed to know? I just kissed a girl and now I was about to go find out that answer, but I didn''t want to tell her that. The boy''s room was directly above mine, but she was probably tired, and I hoped she would fall asleep fast. This girl was far too interesting for my taste, but she was also a confused girl, even if she was older than me.


    "I don''t know yet, this is all still pretty new to me. If I figure it out, I will let you know, I will go and get you a shirt so you can change out of those robes and get into something a little morefortable. I noticed that her chest was red, that robe must be hard on your skin, and your breasts. Why aren''t you wearing any clothes under them?"


    "I was taking a bath in the river and someone stole them, and I had to sneak around with leaves, and mud on, and then I stole this from a clothesline outside of the city. Maybe I should go return this now that you are giving me a shirt I can just wear that! Yeah, my points hurt a lot, and my skin on my boobs and arms are really itchy!" Meiined, walking into the room and stripping out of her clothes again,pletely this time.


    I wanted to look away from the little exhibitionist, but then I saw she was covered with red marks and dry skin. This wasn''t just from the robe, her skin was cracked and burnt from the sun. I told her I would be right back, and ran down the stairs, tears streaming down my face. What had happened to this poor girl?


    I ran down to the second floor and went to my father''s room, grabbing a shirt and then running over to my room. The door was closed and I opened it up and walked right into Lesha, and I mumbled sorry, trying to move past her, but not looking at her. Lesha grabbed me, and held me, forcing me to look at her.


    "What is wrong, K? You''re a mess, what happened up there?" Lesha asked with concern.


    I took a deep breath while trying to wipe the tears that wereing worse now that I was facing Lesha. I don''t know why it bothered me so much, but I felt like I had done something wrong, and I had no clue why. All I knew was this poor girl has had a very rough life, and I wanted to do something, anything, to make her feel better.


    "Juste and help me put lotion on Mei, okay?" I said trying to hold myself together.


    Lesha let me go and nodded but wiped my face before I could move past her. I was thankful that she didn''t ask me anything, I really didn''t think I could handle answering her. I went into a drawer and pulled out the three bottles of lotion Leana had given me over thest little while.


    The two of us went back upstairs and I was a bit slower than Lesha, letting her take the lead, as I tried to get control of my emotions. This girl was so full of energy, and happiness that it would be mean of me to act like this around her, it would just make her feel awkward. Lesha entered the room where Mei was still standing naked.


    "Dear, you do have some bad skin! Don''t worry, we will get some lotion on you and then this shirt, and you can have a nice long sleep, Okay?" Lesha said in her calm and soft voice that soothed my tension and allowed me to go into the room and help.


    After some painful massaging and a little bit of crying, we got Mei into my father''s shirt that almost touched the floor, and then into bed. I noticed that her hair looked to be more knots than hair and I almost scolded her, but I sucked toment back in before it could leave my lips. I had no idea what this girl had been through, but she was here with us now, and safe.


    Lesha tucked her in and then was about to take the candle from the room when Mei spoke up.


    "Can you leave it? I don''t really like the dark, and if I don''t have to I would like the light if that''s okay?"


    Lesha smiled and put the candle over on the bed stand. And the two of us left the room and said goodnight. I made a jokingment about not burning the house down, and Mei shouted out of bed, with a scared look on her face.


    "I won''t! I promise! Please, I won''t do anything bad! I will be a good girl, just don''t make me leave!" Mei cried out with her hands sped together.


    Both of us reassure her that she was more than wee to stay and that we wouldn''t be kicking her out. Still, we both left the room with heavy hearts. I could see it in Lesha''s eyes, she had heard that tone, of a scared little girl.


    We went to the bottom floor to make sure that we were out of ear range, and the wine was in the kitchen. Lesha went and sat at the table, running her hands over her face and back through her hair. I pulled the cork from the wine and brought two wooden cups, that was all we had and sat down beside Lesha.


    I poured us two drinks, but then I put my head on her shoulder and let out a long sigh. This was not what we had nned and now, the likelihood of that happening was low. Still, we had the wine and there was no reason to let it go to waste. I picked up a cup and passed it to Lesha and then took my own.


    We clinked the cup and both drained them with satisfying sounds. I poured another one for each of us, but this time, we only drank half and then held the cups in our hands, both of us staring at them. I felt like there was something in the air, or maybe it was the quick drinks, but I turned to see Lesha looking into my eyes.


    The moment our eyes connected, I could see that spark and we fell into each other''s arms. I kissed her passionately, and I could feel her hands moving in my hair, pulling me closer. I tried to stand while still kissing her, but we both had to stop andugh. Both of us downed our drinks and snuck up to our bedroom.


    Once inside, I closed the door and froze in the realization of what was going on. Wait, we were really going to do it? And now, Lesha was taking off her clothes, and looking at me, but I didn''t know what it was!


    [If you would like to read the XXX scenes, Look up the book Kiada''s XXX Chapters]

 Chapter 21: I Think I Peed Myself

    Chapter 21: I Think I Peed Myself


    I received a slow p that would never catch on in an empty room, and it soon died off, but Healia''s smile didn''t.


    "K, look at you go! Just stepping into the shoes and running full speed ahead! And what is this little razzberry lemon tart you just brought me?" Healia said walking over to me and the girls.


    I pushed both of them behind me and red at Healia, but I was more concerned about how she knew the vor of her blood.


    "Why can you smell her blood?"


    "Blood? Is that what the lemon is?" Healia asked, trying to get around me, and sniffing at Lesha. "What does she taste like, hm?"


    I pushed her back and red at her again.


    "Mei is going to be joining the guild, so I need to know how to do that."


    "Oh? Just put you want the tattoo and confirm in your mind that you want them to join your guild, other things will happen, but you can find that on your own when it happens."


    I nodded and then went to turn to Mei, but Healia stopped me, shaking her head no.


    "First, I need to seal her Mana and then yours, or the Mana will slowly burn through your reservoir and reduce your Mana to nothing. Since neither of you has ever used your Mana, it has not changed, but with my blessing to seal your Mana reservoir, you will be able to summon forth fantastical things that this world has never even dreamed possible! What you saw Corbit do was one of many different types of magic, and in order for you to do the crest yourself, you will have to use Mana. I did the others, and I would have continued for you, but you have Mana of your own now."


    "Fine, where is Corbit?"


    "In bed."


    "Why? It''s already past breakfast? I didn''t pick him toze around!"


    "He has been in bed since I sealed his magic, but he is a weak and frail human, not like you girls. You will be fine, here, just watch."


    Healia streaked around me faster than I could turn and by the time I was turned, Healia had Mei''s little face in her hand and she leaned in and kissed Mei. Blue light encased Mei, and she started to moan loudly as Healia pulled away, but I was blind to everything. Healia had crossed the line. I pulled in the strawberry lemon nectar, and time slowed.


    [Red Blood Service] Activated!


    [Eosinophil Service] Activated!


    A redness appeared on Healia''s bare skin just below her ribs on her right side.


    ''Eosinophil, Target Weakness, teach that cow a lesson for touching one of your girls.'' -Drania.


    My fist impacted the targeted spot and I sent Healia to fly at the wall, but she never hit it, the wall hit her. A massive tree trunk grew out of the wall with incredible speed, smashing Healia back to me, but Lesha was already flying past me. The right hook smashed Healia right in the same ce, making her grunt before getting flung across the room into another massive tree trunk that spawned from the wall, but then the atmosphere changed.


    Healia stopped mid-air and righted herself almost instantly, stretching her hand out at the oing tree trunk.


    "Holy Barrier!{Reirrab Yloh!}"


    The tree just stopped and then fell apart, and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke. Healia''s red mark was gone, and that meant she had no weakness right now, and she actually looked pissed off. There was a red mark where Lesha and I had hit her under her ribs, but she showed no signs of injury as she walked over, her presence making it harder to breathe or even stand.


    When she finally reached me, I was just barely able to stand up, but I couldn''t take or draw a breath, and my head was starting to get fuzzy. Healia ced one finger on my forehead, and I felt something surrounding me and I could breathe again. She turned and walked away, and then walked off into a back room behind the bar and mmed the door.


    I turned quickly to find both girls unconscious, but I wasn''t surprised. The two began to stir, and I helped them up. Both looked rough, almost like there had been thrown in a stone tumbler, with the stones.


    "Are you two alright?"


    "Did she kiss you?" Lesha asked, with anger in her eyes.


    "No, I suspect that was her being a pervert, but now she hopefully learned a lesson to stop messing with you two."


    "What was I doing?" Mei asked, shaking. "I feel really good all over my body, but...I think I peed myself a little...I''m sorry."


    I walked over to her and hugged her into my breasts. The poor girl must have felt what I did because I smelled no pee, and I remember how wet Lesha got. Now she had no idea what was happening to her body, but then she started to rub her face into my breasts and make little moaning noises into my shirt.


    I pulled her away, to find her hands between her legs and her tongue sticking out with a dreamy look. What the hell was she doing? I went to pull one of her hands out, but then she started rubbing herself harder with her other hands and when I went to grab her other hand, she yelled at me.


    "Wait! I want another one! Likest night! Your boobs feel just as soft as I imaaaaaaagined, ah!" Mei said as her eyes crossed and knees closed, moaning out thest words. "I think I peed again."


    "What do you meanst night?" I said in a growling voice.


    "I, uh, might have snuck down to hide outside your roomst night and, um, peeked a bit. I''m really sorry! I couldn''t help myself after hearing you two, and I couldn''t sleep...so I came and peeked a bit and copied you! It took me a while, but Miss Lesha is a good teacher!"


    I was about to tear into her, but Lesha took my hand, making me stop.


    "Come with me, let''s go get you clean up. You see there is a sink over there? I will meat you over there after I talk to K, okay?" Lesha asked in a gentle voice.


    "Sure!" Mei said smiling and turning to go over to behind the bar.


    Lesha turned to me.


    "Something is wrong, K I don''t think she had parents or any kind of mentors. She acts like it''s normal, and you and I both know it''s not, but we have to be gentle. I think this poor girl has been through enough, so save your temper for the ones that earn it, okay?" Lesha said quietly, before giving me a quick kiss, and turning to go help, Mei.


    I was left standing there, nothing to do, but she was right. I should have already seen it, but I was two focus on her being something that was weird, but she wasn''t, she just needed some guidance. I took a deep breath and went over to help Lesha.

 Chapter 22: Dont Hurt My Points

    Chapter 22: Don''t Hurt My Points


    After helping Mei get cleaned up, I talked to Gram about funds to get some new armor and weapons.


    "Hmm, funds? Oh, yes there are a few gold coins in the vault,e, and I will show you."


    Gram led the three of us down to the basement that was nothing more than stairs leading down to a set of three doors, one in front and one on each side. I could almost stretch my arms out to touch the two doors opposite of each other. Mei tried one of the side doors, but when she pulled it open, there was a red brick wallpletely covering the doorway.


    "Why is there a wall behind this door?" I asked, looking at Gram.


    In response, Gram opened the door opposite to the one Mei had opened, and there was the same brick wall there as well. This was strange, there wasn''t any other brick in the building, maybe save the oven in the kitchen, but it had brown bricks and not red. These bricks were also perfectly made and ced by a master, no one else could create such fine work, but why?


    "I have no idea why they are just walls, The whole ce is like that you know? The thing is, some rooms have opened up upstairs, maybe go check it out before you leave to the dungeon, but first,e in here and grab what you need. Don''t be shy, this is all yours now, I have been collecting items with the gold so there might be something in there that you girls could use, but I think you might need to get some breastte hammered out!" Gram said as he opened the door to what I assumed would be the vault.


    It was, and to my surprise, there was a good bit of coin and different types of armor and weapon, but there was something that caught my eye and pulled at me. It was a ss triangle-shaped object, and it was sitting at the end of a long shelf at the end of the room. Gram must have noticed me staring at the thing, and spoke up.


    "I found that on my first run through a dungeon! I have no idea what it is, but when I brought it down here, I had to put it in that spot on the shelf. It was like I had no choice in the matter, but I don''t know what it does. Take what you need, but try not to rob yourself blind, this ce does cost money to run!"


    With thatstment, Gram turned and left back up the stairs, leaving the three of us alone. Mei turned to me with a screwed-up expression on her face.


    "What was that?"


    "Hm? What was what? Did I miss something?" I asked looking around, unsure what Mei was talking about.


    "The hairy thing that was just talking to us! Was that a real person?! He looks like a hairball a cat coughed up!"


    "You''re not wrong, but that was the Guild''s previous leader."


    "No way! And that furball went into a dungeon? What do you think that ss thing is? Hey! Look there is a robe over there, Lesha! Come we go see it?!"


    "Yes, we will go see it while K gets the other things we need, right?" Lesha asked me, giving me her patient easy-going smile.


    "Yeah, I got the stuff ready, you two find something for us to use."


    Mei was a real mystery, where did shee from? She couldn''t have been living alone all this time, could she have? Looking at her, it was easy to see, but she knew how to talk well, maybe the word choices were a little rough, but, she must have had parents and lost them or they were taken as ves.


    The wars had created many orphans and too many people were conscripted to go into a meat grinder of constant battle and death. The dungeons may im lives, but we humans had killed more of our own kind than any dungeon ever would. Sad, but then, I wasn''t here doing this because the world was a friendly ce to live in where everyone got along and sang songs together.


    I first walked over to the triangle, and looked around it; it had four sides all going up to what looked to be an extremely sharp point. So, what did I do? I reached forward without control, but I wasn''t trying to stop my body; something told me that I needed to do this. As my finger poked the point, and it easily broke the skin.


    {Guild Leader} Rank Ruby


    {Guild Level} 1


    {Total Guild Experience} 2%


    {Total Guild Funds} 8433 Gold Coins


    {Total Guild Expenses} 3450g/month


    {Total Guild Members} 6/100


    This time the sign in my eyes was blue instead of red and when I was finished reading them over, I closed it up. The first quarter of the distance down of the triangle was now filled with an electric blue with red blood swirling around inside with it. So, this must be like a record or a note of the guild, but I wasn''t a Ruby rank!


    Then there was the matter of the Guild expenses, which were crazy! I was pretty sure Dad and I paid something like fifty gold a month between the two of us! Heck, I was lucky to make two gold per day! How were we supposed to make that much money?! Ugh, just another thing to add to the list.


    Still, it only said six members, which reminded me of Mei, and that I still needed to mark her.


    "K! K! Look at me!" Mei called.


    I rolled my eyes while still looking away, but then turned to look at the two of them. Mei actually looked cute in her new robe, and this Purple one fit her a lot better. I could also see that it was made out of a special kind of fabric that was made in the far north called Kieve Cloth. It was known for being very smooth and nice on the skin.


    "Well, you look really good Mei, it suits you. I bet it feels better on your skin, as well?"


    "Mhmm, they don''t hurt my points no more!" Mei said with a big smile.

 Chapter 23: Cold Hands

    Chapter 23: Cold Hands


    Lesha and I both found a weapon and were going to give Mei a dagger that was nice and small, perfect for her. Then she asked which end to hold, so I slipped it into my boot instead. I would have to teach her how to use it in the future, for now, she could just hit them with trees. After collecting what we needed and I took four hundred gold coins, I got Mei toe over and stand in front of me in her cute little purple robe.


    "Where do you want your new crest? It looks like this," I said, pointing to the red crest I had on the top of my breast with the ink bleeding into the fold of my chest.


    "Ooo, can I feel?"


    "You know you are quite the little twerp, go ahead, but do start getting handsy with me or I''ll be putting you over my knee! We are going to have to teach you somemon sense, among other things."


    Mei touched the mark gently, but I could almost see trouble and mischief chasing each other through her mind. She tried to sit her hand in the fold of my breasts, but I swatted her hand and she pulled it back giggling at me.


    "K, your boobs are so soft! Miss Lesha, can I feel your mark next?!" Mei asked, jumping up and down.


    "No, please let K give you the Crest so we can get going, we still have to stop by a shop for armor, and a shield. You can''t be asking to touch our breasts Mei, be patient, we will find someone for you, or figure out something," Lesha said with the patient smile and eyes closed.


    "Fine, but I want it in the same ce as you guys have it!" Mei said, ripping open her robe to reveal her small breasts and pointy nipples.


    They didn''t look as bad, but I was still gentle, but Mei pulled back with a little squeal the second my hand touched her breast.


    "Your hands are so cold! It''s like you stuck them on a chunk of ice!" Meiined, covering herself back up with a shiver.


    I put my hand to my face, and it was cold, like ice. Weird, it wasn''t like that before, why was I so cold now?


    ''You need to absorb more blood, the girls will not be enough on their own. You have depleted almost all of your reserves, it is time to go to the dungeon for training. You will not be needing that mace, leave it, the shield is what you need.'' -Drania.


    I grabbed Mei''s robe and pulled her close, reaching my hands inside her robe. Grabbing the top of her breast, while still trying to be as gentle as possible, I thought themand. Mei stopped and leaned forward, into my hand. Mei then almost fell over when I pulled my hand and tried to stumble into me.


    It was one of those little tarts games, and I sidestepped her, but I grabbed the back of her robes before she actually hurt herself. I didn''t let go of her, instead, I turned to Lesha and motioned to the door, but she gave me one of those looks that said, that''s what you''re going to do? I signed and tossed Mei over my shoulder and shrugged at Lesha when she rolled her eyes at me.


    The two of us walked up the stairs and into the Guild where Healia was sitting, and I could see her unblemished side where both of us had hit her. Her healing was out of this world, it had only been maybe an hour of looking around downstairs and she was alreadypletely healed and drinking tea as nothing happened. When we got close, Healia put her tea down, then stood up to face me, and then she bowed her head to me, not much but enough to see what she was trying to do.


    "I am sorry K, I deserved every bit that you girls gave me, and I won''t be trying any more tricks like that on you or the girls, I give you my word. Plus, if you had another servant, there might not be a Guild left. Today was the first time I have opened the fourth gate since I first arrived, impressive, and good news for us. As I said, I will refrain from touching you or the girls like that, but I can''t promise the same for the rest of the members, and your handsome brothers!"


    "That''s fine, just don''t kill them. As for the rest of the members, I really think some will join just for the chance to be abused by you. Men are weird like that."


    "Oh, Only men? I think some girls can be like that as well, plus the men are no fun when they get like that. Also, Little Miss Mei, you should tell the girls your story tonight, I think they would like to hear it, and then you can leave Mei with Gram two days out of the week for training. I will be with them teaching her reading and writing and Gram will teach her basicbat."


    "Hm? You want me to trust you just like that? No, Leana will do her teaching, and I will do the training with Lesha."


    "You will not have time," Healia countered.


    "I will make time for her!" I growled.


    "Fine, calm down, you''re really a hair-trigger, aren''t you?" Healia joked as she sat back down.


    "I have known you for six months now, and I see you every day. The fact that I don''t just immediately try to kill you should mean that I am trying!" But, Lesha put a hand on my arms to bring down the finger I was stabbing in Healia''s position.


    "Well, at least you have her to tame you when you need it. Go see your father and then get to the dungeon. I will have a Gram bag and tag everything from the applicants and then you cane in tomorrow and deal with them. Oh, and don''t n on doing much of anything else, tomorrow you will be doing a lot of work with the guild to get it up to functioning order!"

 Chapter 24: Fill It Out

    Chapter 24: Fill It Out


    As soon as we got outside, Mei started toin.


    "My head feels funny and big, can I ride on your shoulder? Not like this, but sit on them? I''ve never done it before, but it looks like fun!"


    I let Mei down and looked to Lesha for some help, but that was not a good idea. The look she gave me was so damn mean, that I scowled back at her obnoxiously adorable face that said for me to just give in. That just got me an even brighter smile that ruined my resolve.


    "Yes, Mei, you can ride on my shoulders,e here," I said reaching forward, trying to hold my annoyance of it all back.


    Mei squealed in excitement and ran to my arms, and my annoyance drifted away. The way she was so excited for something so simple broke my heart; I would really have to work on my attitude, at least for the girls. Everyone else would still feel my wrath, but Lesha was right. I needed to save my anger for those that earned it.


    I turned her around before lifting her up and over my head, setting her on my shoulders, her legs straddling my neck. Then I remember and felt that Mei had no underwear on, another shop we would stop by on the way to the dungeon. At this rate, we were going to get home quitete, but maybe I would take the girls out for a meal after.


    We started down the street towards my father''s work; dad would make us something, but for now, he would have a shield for me. Mei was wiggling and she kept sticking her legs up and partially shing them. I turned to Lesha and she smiled but started to exin to Mei about making sure others don''t see her private parts, and to keep her legs down, or I wouldn''t be carrying her anymore.


    With that somewhat settled, we arrived at The Forge, and Gastbo was waiting outside, not for us, but just sitting on a crate outside of his shop. He looked over at me and scowled, but then saw Lesha, and rushed back inside, and my father came out right after there was some yelling.


    "K! Two days in a row? Do you miss me that much? I''ll be home tomorrow night don''t you worry! Hey! Who''s the little squirt on your shoulders? Are you sick?"


    "Oye old man! One at a time, I''m here to make some te armor orders for us, and I am missing you a lot less with all these questions! This is Mei, she will be staying with us, and I can help out more with food and such. Why would you ask if I''m sick?"


    "You can''t take a swing at me for this, but, K, you don''t really like people...Yet there is a smiling little girl on your shoulders" James tried to continue, but Mei cut him off.


    "Hey, I am twenty-six!"


    "Hunh? Really, well Leana will have to get some more baking into you to add a little weight to you."


    "I also wanted to ask you if you thought Leana might mind spending a couple days a week with her to teach her to write and such?"


    "Her? Pft, as long as she doesn''t mind Leana fussing over her and making her try on outfits, BWAHAHA. You know, I think she would love it, considering you were pretty much my fifth son, hehe!" My fatherughed at me, but that actually made me feel good even if he was joking.


    "Outfits? What are those? Who is Leana?" Mei asked from up top.


    "Leana is my step-mother, and she is a really nicedy. Maybe she can tackle your rat''s nest without having to shave it all off! Anyways, father, can I go and make those orders? I also need to buy a good shield that would be suited for an emerald to Ruby ss adventure, do you have one?"


    "Wait, Ruby? Which one of you...no way, K? Come here! Why didn''t you tell your old man!" My dad said, pulling me into an awkward hug with Mei on my shoulders, and then pulled back, looking up at Mei. "How about I show you what I do? Come with me while the girls get what they need, okay?"


    I let Mei down and she was excited to go off with him. My father had a way with all kids, and even though he knew she was older, he knew exactly how she wanted to be treated. Lesha came over and took my hand in hers and squeezed, cheering me up a bit more along with a kiss on the cheek.


    I took her back with me to the fitting room and closed the door and locked it. I turned back to Lesha, who was about to take her shirt off, but I stopped her.


    "No need, you can do that when we get hometer, that is, if we ever get to this dungeon. This shouldn''t take too long, just hold your arms out for me and I will get your size written down on this paper."


    "Size? I can just fill it out, let me see...see there!" Lesha said handing the paper back to me, then I looked at her and then the numbers.


    "Well, this actually saves a bunch of time. Let''s go talk to Gastbo about my shield and then we will collect Mei from my father, then we can go to the dungeon and pick something from a vendor on the way for lunch. I am starting to get hungry," I said, starting to slide my hand under my shirt and then pulled it back out quickly.


    I had forgotten about how cold my hands were, we needed to hurry, I could take some of the girl''s blood, but without anywhere for them to point their energy, I would end up the target.


    "Okay, let''s go, my hands are getting colder!"

 Chapter 25: The Blood Queen

    Chapter 25: The Blood Queen


    After I dealt with Gastbo and got a decent shield for fifty gold, we collected Mei and said goodbye to my father. I was starting to feel the cold now, whatever it meant, it couldn''t be good for me, and even my covered skin was starting to get cold. Lesha was getting concerned about my color, and I couldn''t me her, Mei was even behaving and staying quiet; her hand Lesha was holding hands as we walked, I could give frostbite at the current moment.


    We stopped and quickly grabbed some BBQ meat sticks then headed straight for the dungeon. We lived and worked on the dungeon side of the city, and I hardly ever found myself even needing to go anywhere else. Not that I hadn''t been around the city, this was just the ce I spent the most time and...my mind was a wonder, not good.


    ''Stop messing around, girl. You need to refill or you will go feral, and you don''t want that! Pick up your feet!'' -Drania.


    She was right, the cold was starting to really get to me, and no part of feral sounded good for anyone. I ate my two meat sticks fast, the food was good, but not what I needed. I tossed the sticks in the bin, and then looked at the girls.


    "Let''s move a bit faster, I need to get into the dungeon before something bad happens. Come girls," I said, starting to pick up my pace, and the girls agreed and started to move at a jog.


    The dungeon wasn''t that far from the city, but the five-minute jog felt like an eternity. I wanted to run ahead, but then I would just have to wait anyways for them to catch up, if we didn''t go in at the exact same time, then we wouldn''t be together. That was not what I wanted, I should be able to hold on; I thought the system was supposed to help me, this seemed like quite the disadvantage.


    ''This is a safe protocol ced in the system for if you are to be captured. You will switch to a mode called The Blood Queen, and then you will turn midnight ck, and then kill everyone within your range for thirty seconds. Nothing short of a god could stop you, but the only ones safe from your wrath will be the girls, everyone else will die. Later you will learn to control this, but for now, it is too dangerous and should never be used; if it happens, it should be because it is yourst resort. Don''t think that being in a dungeon will be alright either, the system prefers human blood over a monster, and a dungeon will not hold you inside.'' -Drania.


    ''So, a bit of a disadvantage.''


    ''Only to start out with, and you need to be more mindful of your supplies. Thest thing you want is to go feral in the middle of the city, or in your Guild Hall. This is your system, you will learn how to use it.'' -Drania.


    We were at the shimmering wall that was the entrance to the dungeon, and the girls and I didn''t hesitate to enter. Once inside, I made sure they were both through the portal and with me, and then I ran as hard as I could ahead. I could see the first room''s entrance up ahead, so I redoubled my effort, and charged into the room that had four massive Dire Wolves waiting for me.


    As one, they all lept, but the girls were close enough, and I pulled, then everything happened in slow motion. The second the blood hit my tongue, I started to warm up, and instantly all four were pinned together from every angle by trunks of trees a third of the size that hit Healia. Next was Lesha, and ever in slow motion, it was hard to follow her with her blinding speed, as she lopped off the four heads.


    The blood didn''t spray, instead, this time, each body leaked one red and a thin clear stream of fluid. I pulled them directly into my body, not being able to wait for the balls to form. My body finally filled with warmth again, and the trees dispersed in blue smoke, dropping the husks of the dead wolves.


    "K, are you feeling better now?" Lesha was, with still a tint of red in her eyes.


    "Much better, now we can go at a normal pace, but you guys did really well! I didn''t do much."


    Lesha justughed at me and gave me a shove.


    "Oh yeah, nothing? You just didn''t make it so we could do that? You''re the tank, you rushed them and distracted them, we are the damage dealers. I think you did your job well," Lesha said smiling at me.


    "Do I always have to go crazy to make the trees? I mean, it''s fun, but can''t I grow a tree, just cause I want to? Or does it work only if I''m crazy?" Mei asked,ing up to my side, look at the ground.


    "I don''t know, but I will find out from Healia since I have no idea how to even use my own magic. Don''t worry, we will figure it out," I said while ruffling her hair.


    ''It is time to create Gobby. ce your hand forward and call out Blood Gobbler.'' -Drania.


    ''That''s a cute name, but what is it?''


    *silence*


    I deserved that, I was the queen of giving people shit for asking stupid questions, and low and behold here I am stepping on my own toes with Drania. Fine, I will summon whatever this thing was.


    "Girls stand back for a minute, I am going to try something with some of the blood I just got."


    I stuck out my hand in front of myself and called out the weird name, no wonder It had a cute nickname, the first was horrible!


    "Summon Blood Gobbler!"

 Chapter 26: Gobby

    Chapter 26: Gobby


    Blood poured out of my hand and some clear fluid that became white, forming a disk on the front of the blob of blood. It grew a pair of finger width legs and arms and little cute hand and feet, then a red dot formed in the center of the white disc. Finally, a mouth opened filled with white teeth like some torture device, then it started to make noises, iling its arms around in the air.


    "Herga blerga habsantch bibizalwozzle," The little monsterined, wiggling its little arms and hitting itself.


    ''Kick him, he does this every time he gets summoned! Hard to or he will want more and make sure it''s into a wall.'' -Drania.


    The thing was just below knee-high, so I kicked hard into the nearest wall and smacked into it with a sickening slurping noise, almost goingpletely t. Then it rolled down the wall and into a puddle on the ground and then reformed, throwing its legs out to the side.


    "Ta-da! K! Mei! Lesha! None of you know who I am, and I have to keep my mouth shut because that''s the rules, but girls! How''s it been? Mei, have they been keeping all the food from you? And look it went to your chests as usual! You look like you haven''t eaten in a month! I''d let you take a bite out of me, but I think I''m already past due. Oh, and Ladies how is the love life going? Any fun awkward sex stories you wanna tell you good ole buddy, Gobby? No? Anyways, what are we doing today?" Gobby asked in a series of bounces going back and forth from each of us.


    "What are you?" Mei asked walking over to the Gobby.


    "I''m K''s number one servant minion! The strongest and bravest one of them all!" Gobby announced.


    "He is pretty cute, how long does he stay around for?" Lesha asked.


    "You have me forever! I''m basically indestructible, and I''m good at taking down bad guys! Where is one? Let me at him!" Gobby said while making punching motions.


    "Okay, let''s go then, I want to see you in action, Gobby," I said, pointing to the next hall after I had picked up the ws that were leftover.


    The dungeons always had monsters, and they had some kind of small items that were valuable, but there were also traps. So if this guy could make it through the traps and let them off without dying, that alone would be worth its weight in gold. We would be able to move faster if it worked; I wonder what kind of treats he liked?


    "Sure thing Miss K! I''ll use the Gobby Trapcuum Cleaner move!"


    Gobby ran into the hall and sttered face-first into the ground, and then began to spread out to both walls. His eye was in the middle of the hall and blood connected the walls. Then he started to move up the hallway and set off three traps, so that meant the ce was a higher level!


    Well, we would just have to see about the next room, but he wasn''t kidding about being tough! The floor spike and fire didn''t even phase him. Instead, he just kept going like nothing had happened. Once he got to the end, Gobby pulled back together and waved at us jumping into the air.


    "Got them! Look! See!"


    "K, what is he?" Mei asked with a screwed-up face.


    "I don''t know, but don''t make ugly faces like that. I think he looks cute, and he is a great help so far. I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but the dungeon is at a higher level, so he will make it easy for us. Come on, we still have a ways to go."


    Mei shrugged then followed Lesha and me down the hall where Gobby was waiting. There was a stone golem in the center of the next room that looked huge and menacing, so I was curious to see what Gobby could do against something like a ceiling monster that was three hands taller than me.


    "Gobby do you think you can fight something like that?"


    "That pile of rocks? Piece of cake, look! Watch me, okay?!" Gobby asked as he looked up at me with a hopeful and exciting look.


    "Okay, I''m watching."


    What was this? Had I just acquired another child? I know you need a man to have one, but I didn''t want them, yet I seem to be acquiring them like burrs.


    Still, I watched Gobby run over yelling and waving his arms, and the girls came up beside me. The Golem raised a long rock eyebrow and then stepped on Gobby. We all pulled back in revulsion at the stting noise made by Gobby getting squished under the massive rock foot.


    The big stone golem looked at the blood around its foot and then lifted it. The monster started to make a grindingughing noise that was hard on the ears, but something was happening under his foot. Where Gobby had been smashed into the ground, his mouth and eye were still in the blood and the mouth was getting bigger.


    "Oh, so you think you''re a funny guy, do you? You like the stone grindingughs? Try that move again, rock brain!" Gobby called from the puddle.


    The Golem didn''t stopughing, but it did stomp down again, but the foot kept going as it had just fallen into a deep hole. The golem had stoppedughing now and was trying to pull itself free, but it was toote. Gobby''s mouth was getting bigger until the rest of the struggling golem fell in and was ground up.


    Gobby pulled himself together and then burped out a purple gem, catching it in his hands, then running it over to me.


    "K! Look! I found a pretty stone for you! Did you see me?! He was all, I''m gonna squish ha ha, but then I was like, not today rock man, I''m gonna eat you! See?! I told you I''m the best!"

 Chapter 27: Out Of Juice

    Chapter 27: Out Of Juice


    Gooby swept the next hall, but there were no traps this time, so we all headed to the next room where two big green orcs were waiting. I looked at Gobby, but he shook his head.


    "It''s not that I can''t or don''t want to, but if I eat them, I eat them all, blood and everything. Well, except for the other things, like that pretty gem I gave you!" Gobby told me.


    That made sense, so I looked at the girls and they both nodded, so I pulled for the strawberry lemon liquid silk. I rushed into the room and rammed the first ogre, and I noticed that Gobby had run with me and jumped at the other ogre, but got batted into the wall. An upward strike from the ogre I had knocked down pushed me back, and I was lucky that I had my shield still up.


    Then, Lesha was beside me and shing into the monster''s arm as it tried to get me again with a backswing. I looked over just in time to push Lesha out of the way, and then get batted back with a direct hit to my shield. Something was missing, and I looked over to Mei and she had her hand forward, but nothing was happening.


    ''She is out of mana, you must use the Services, call to the blood within you!'' -Drania


    The ogres wereing for me, and ignoring the other two, but that was good. I concentrated and called to the blood that was stored in my body. Power, advantage,e to me!


    [Red Blood] Activated!


    [Eosinophil] Activated!


    All fatigue and pain disappeared in an instant, and power flooded into me and red patches started to pop up around the neck, and groins area. If I wouldn''t have been so wired on power, I would haveughed out loud, but that was not the right time.


    I blitzed forward and pulled from only the strawberry, and used my shield to knock the first one at Lesha, who took the head off with a spinning sh. Then I punched up into the throat of the ogre and rolled between its legs, kicking up with a t-footed straight leg. The wheezing noiseing from the ogre was cut off along with its head as Lesha made the final stroke.


    "K! It wouldn''t work! I''m sorry!!" Mie said, running over to me, bawling her eyes out.


    I caught her up in my arms as the blood started to form two bubbles of red and two smaller ones of clear, but I had a crying little woman to deal with first. I scooped her up and gave her a hug, not really knowing what else to do, and patted her hair. She was hugging me fiercely, but I split my attention to drawing in the blood, I wasn''t sure how long it wouldst.


    ''It''s better to do it sooner thanter, the blood slowly leaks away, and the longer you wait the less blood you will have to absorb.'' -Drania.


    "K, I''m so sorry! I didn''t know what to do, and those big things were trying to hurt you, but you''re so strong! And Miss Lesha too! I wish I could be strong like you two!" Meiined into my shoulder, the tears had stopped now, but I think it was time to get going back anyway.


    It would be too dangerous to continue like this, so it was best just to call it a day. Plus, there were two more purple crystals with the ogre corpses. I retrieved them, and then we walked back to the previous room, and I gave the exitmand.


    "Return!" I called out once we were in the center of the previous room.


    One of the nice things that hade with the dungeon was the exit phrase. It wasn''t like it was written anywhere or where we were told it, but when you entered a dungeon, you just knew how to leave, Backtrack on room and then say return. Easy enough, unless you were just entering and you couldn''t get past the first room, then you were in trouble, but as a rule that rarely happened, but that didn''t make it impossible.


    Once back outside, I carried Mei back with us. She was tucked into me, using my breasts to rest her face one, but she was already fast asleep by the time we got back to the city. The walk was about fifteen to twenty minutes long, but we were in no hurry, we just needed to walk home.


    "She is really getting attached, isn''t she, but where did your pet puddle of blood go?"


    "I''m down here! I can change sizes and stick to things cause normies think I''m gross. I mean, they aren''t wrong, but I got a feeling too!" Gobby said from the bottom of my shoe.


    "Well, that was one thing we don''t have to worry about, but you are right, she is starting to grow on me."


    "I thought the two of you looked adorable when she ran over to you crying, and then you scooped her up like she was your little girl!" Lesha said, leaning in and kissing my cheek.


    That brought a warm sensation creeping through my body from my head to my toes. Today was good, but tomorrow sounded like it was going to be a bit of a drag, but maybe I could see if Leana would talk the day of the time with Mei. Leana would love this...woman...frick, she was just a child, and maybe in the morning, Lesha and I would talk to her and see if she would open up to us.


    The walk home was short, and Lesha opened the door for me, and then asked, what she should make, but I told her just to get the fire on and I would help her figure it out when I got back from putting mei to bed. I walked up to the top floor and put Mei into bed, but then I went over to the closet and pulled out a box of matches and lit a candle to find Mei naked again, standing, but barely awake.


    I made her side done, and I rubbed lotion on her, and for most of it, she just leaned against me unless I needed to do the side she was leaning on. After she was done, I grabbed a second brown shirt that I had brought up yesterday that was a bit smaller than the first, I wasn''t sure what it was doing with my dad''s stuff, but it came to just above her knees making a cute nighty for her. I tucked her into bed and then was about to leave, but I turned back on an impulse and kissed the top of her forehead, before heading back down to help Lesha.

 Chapter 28: One Ended Up Being Four

    Chapter 28: One Ended Up Being Four


    I walked quietly down the stairs and joined Lesha who had already made some kind of bread dough that she was frying in some grease. She turned to me and smiled after flipping it to reveal a golden crispy side.


    "So did she go to bed without a fuss? Or?" Lesha asked, giving the pan a quick shake.


    "Yes, I put the lotion on her and then put her into another shirt. She just leaned on me the entire time, then I tucked her in. It was a long day and a lot of new faces, but tomorrow she should have a nice break with Leana."


    "That''s good of you K, I don''t really know what happened before this, but she had been alone for a very long time. None of this is her fault, and I''m not trying to harp on you, since you''re my master and leader, but you''re responsible for her now." Lesha said, using metal tongs to grab whatever she was cooking out and put in on the rack we had to set bread to cool.


    "I know and I''m trying, I just never nned on having a kid, and I''m pretty sure that''s what this is like! Still, I know, and WE will do this together, I can''t do things all on my own and don''t make me!" Iined walking up to her but waiting till she had put the dough into the pan.


    "I am not going anywhere," Lesha said with a smile, then leaning in to kiss me. I kissed her back, but I was tired and hungry, and tomorrow was going to be another humdinger of a day that was for sure.


    The two of us ate the fried bread with some slightly bitter Chokecherry jam, and the big pieces were surprisingly filling. After the two of us we both tired and no part of me wanted to even attempt a bath. There was running water, but it was ice cold and too heat enough...no, we just went to bed. Mostly.


    We did stay up and kiss for a bit but even aroused, sleep took the two of us before anything exciting could happen. The night was dreamless, but I did have a good sleep, and the next morning I woke up feeling rested, not quite as full of vigor, but still it, it was good. I felt something small in my arms and opened my eyes to find Mei in the brown shirt, tucked into my chest.


    Fine, this one time and Lesha was pinning all three of us together, so there was no use in trying toin, but it was time to get up. I pulled us all apart, and the other two started to do stretches, over me, with Mei almost punching me in the nose. I rolled the two in opposite directions and got out of bed. After running a brush through my hair that went surprisingly well, but then tossed the brush to Lesha and pointed at Mei...blonde animal on her head.


    "Do you know where you''re going well enough to take her to see Leana? And my dad?"


    "Hm? Yes, It''s just a straight walk from here right?" Lesha said in revision as she hovered around Mei''s head with the hairbrush, trying to find a ce to start, but it was all bad.


    "Yes, here," I said, tossing Lesha some oil spray for hair, to help. "Can you bring them both to the Hall? There are things that I am hoping I can get done today so I want them toe and see, their work won''t mind."


    "Yes, we can do that, right Miss Mei?" Lesha said as started to soak Mei''s hair with the oil spray.


    "What are you doing to the thing on my head? And what''s this slippery stuff? What''s that thing in your hand, and that bottle, what''s that?" Mei asked, trying to turn around, but Lesha turned her back forward.


    I went over and gave Lesha a kiss, which ended up being four, and one on Mei''s forehead after I got the sad puppy dog eyes. After that was done I headed downstairs and then out of the house. Hopefully, Gram would have something to snack on, there wasn''t much in the house, tomorrow dad would get paid and she would get some groceries, but I would have to pitch in for the girls to, but I still had the ws and three gems.


    I wasn''t surprised to find that the guild was filled with people standing around with nowhere to sit. The only Table was filled with my brothers, who were eating a breakfast of eggs and ham with toast. I didn''t see Healia, but my brother noticed me and waved me over, but then everyone noticed me, but then they all went back to what they were doing. Strange.


    "What is with everyone, I thought for sure I was about to get mobbed?" I asked, walking over to stand at the end of the table, and it was Mike who spoke up, or he was going to, but my look made him finish the food in his mouth.


    "I told them that the first person to bother you when you got here was the first person kicked out. There were some good finds, but most of them were pretty basic, but that doesn''t mean they didn''t do a good job. Gram has the list in the back of the teams and soloist, and he has food for you."


    The second he was done he was already filling his mouth again. Looks like they must have been eating a lot of jarred food for thest six months and this was probably the first real meal they had had that they hadn''t bought. I wondered why Gram was cooking for the boy though, I don''t remember him ever doing anything like that before? Well, before going in the back I should at least let these people know what''s going on.


    "Hey, everyone! Thanks for your hard work yesterday! I will be going and taking a look at the scores. Just remember, good items are good, but I''m looking for consistency and how far you made it. Today is going to be a long day, but if you want to have a ce at this guild you will wait until I call your name, we could have more than just three, so don''t think just because you are not picked right away, that you don''t have a spot. Please, just be patient."

 Chapter 29: Eat A God

    Chapter 29: Eat A God


    Honestly, It was draining to put on the smile and use a hopeful voice, but I was going to have to get used to it. I was stuck now, contract signed and everything, so I walked behind the bar and into the kitchen.


    Inside, Healia and Gram were talking, but both turned with smiles to me. Gram was cooking the eggs and ham in a cast iron pan and it smelled greasy, mmm.


    "Good, d to see you here now, but where are the girls? You should be really using your rooms here and then we wouldn''t have to wait to cook you breakfast separate," Healia said, frowning at me.


    "Room? Lesha is dealing with Mei''s hair mess, and then going to get Leana and my father. When I ept three more members and fill my ten, will I get another five guild points?"


    "Yes you have your own room, and so do the girls, but I think Lesha''s might just be storage."


    "By the looks of it so will Mei''s. I woke up this morning with that little woman tucked into my arms like a little kid. I know something bad must have happened, but I''m not sure how to bring it up."


    "Come over and sit down, I will tell you what I know," Healia said, motioning to a pair of chairs and a small table.


    "What do you know? What do you mean?" I asked, squinting at her.


    "Come, sit, eat, we don''t have all day, but you should know this. Now sit and eat your food, and listen. I bow to you as a patron of your guild, but I am still your god, so, at least here me out."


    I nodded and then took the food from Gram, and then he pulled out a rolled-up set of papers, handing them to me. I took them, and then thanked him for the food, then went to sit with Healia who had already taken them. The kitchen was as most go, one long hall with cookers and cold boxes and storage on one side and counters and cupboard, all oak wood, light in color with a yellowish stain.


    "So, I know you didn''t like what I did to her, but the excitement effects were not my intention. I wanted to know why she was so immature for her age; it''s almost like she had stopped growing. So, when I gave her that kiss, I felt through the memories, and there was a block put on her. What does that mean? I don''t know yet, but for now, you will have to take good care of her, and even after the block is gone, it will still take her some time to get back to whatever normal should be for her."


    "What did this to her, or more likely who? Did something bad happen to her? Where are her parents?"


    "Hm, there were no parents or anything until she was seven, that''s when the memories started. As for something bad, no, I don''t think so. For thest question, there can only be one thing on this wretched dirtball that could do something like that, the Game Master. Why would he, I don''t know, and don''t bother asking...K when is thest time you had a bath? You smell like rotten blood, gross. Got to run a bath up the stairs, but first, go find the first three on the list. And add them to the guild, you can then go over the rest after in the tub, MY GOD K, WHAT IS THAT SMELL?!"


    "It''s me! How''s it going old" Gobby started to say but was kicked roughly into the cab.


    *squi-t*


    "That would be Gobby, my minion. Gobby, this is Healia, and she does like when people say it how it is," I scowled Gobby, as he pulled himself back into the blood ball.


    "What is it? Should you just put it out of its misery?" Healia asked with disgust.


    "See? And this is why I should stay on the bottom of your shoe, but I couldn''t let this old...watch it, old women! I may look small, but I''ve eaten bigger gods than you beforedy! Don''t you go messing with mydy!" Gobby said, making tiny little wee fists and waving them at her.


    I thought for sure she was going to hit him again and test how indestructible she was, but she just stood up and started to leave the kitchen.


    "Wait, The first three? Why them?"


    "They are all Ruby Ranked soloists and we need that or a three-man team, but pick who you want. It''s your Guild, Oh Great Leader," Healia said as she walked out of the room.


    "See?! What should I tell you about it?! I''m the bestest minion ever!" Gobby said, jumping up and down, shaking his fists in the air.


    "Also the smelliest, god, It gets worse when you move around. Can I wash you or will you just wash away?"


    Gobby''s red dot rolled around in his eye.


    "Of course you can wash me, I was wondering when you were going to take a bath cause I thought you smelt funny, but it was me! I won''t melt, but I can get pretty gross being a blood spot on your shoe all day!"


    "Well, let''s go find these soloists and then get you clean up when you meet my dad and Leana. Who knows, maybe Mei might evene near you after!"


    "Do you really think so? What is that olddy''s problem? If I didn''t know she was your friend, I might have just eaten her," Gobby said while turning for the door.


    "Wait, you weren''t kidding? You could eat her?"


    "It''s only a God, but that Game Master is a different story, that one might even be able to kill me, then you would have to summon me again!"


    Well, that was food for thought, but if I ever had to kill a god, I think doing it by hand would be best.

 Chapter 30: Mood Ruined!

    Chapter 30: Mood Ruined!


    I walked out into the room full of people with Gobby and the room full of people went silent. I looked over for my brothers, but they were already gone, but that was good. It meant that they were going for today''s run and so would the other three. I looked at the list and then called out the three names.


    "...The de Guy?"


    "Yup, That would be me right here, yer majesty. I look forward to working for ya; don''t let my humble thin figure fool you! I''m a wiz with daggers and small des, Tim Duncan, but I like The de Guy, if that''s alright with you, Guild Leader Kiada?"


    The man had a drawing ent, and he must be from far up north, but I wonder what he was doing here? The man had ck hair, plus a cloak and cloth over one eye of the same color. I would have to assume there was an entire shop worth of knives in there, but she would do, but I wanted to ask a question.


    " What''s with the covered eye?"


    "How about I tell you another time when there aren''t so many people around? I''ll head out now if that''s fine with you?"


    "First you need to tell me where you want the Crest? And then you need to go over to our sore excuse for a tree and take your ribbon."


    "Oh! That''s the tree they are all talking about, isn''t it?! p it on the check, right there, good Leader!" de Guy said pointing to his left cheek, opposite to his right-covered eye.


    I was even more curious to know now, but I would let him tell me another time. I reached out and touched his face and thought about themand.


    "Oh, that''s nice and warm! I''ll have to check my reflection on the way by some ss! Good stuff! Ribbon and I...look at that! There are a red and white set now with my name all over them!" de Guy said jumping and running to the tree, taking a ribbon, checking his reflection, then opening the window and jumping out.


    What a weirdo, well, there was the next one on the list. His name was a bit better, but there must be something about being a soloist that made you have to pick a special unique name.


    "Shatter Strike."


    "OH YEAH!" came a deep scratchy voice font the back, and people scrambled out of the way as the big and ridiculous muscled body of Shatter Strike walked up to me. Oh boy, that was one big person; I think his muscles had started to develop their own muscle groups!


    "So, where do you want your Crest?"


    "I would like it on my chest if that is good!" The man said jovially.


    I reached up and gave him a Crest and told him to get going. Gobby was really starting to smell bad, and I wanted to have a bath before everyone got here, but then maybe Mei could use a bath with Lesha, and I could get my father set up. I also wanted to convince Leana toe and work here as well, Gram could use the help.


    The next on the list was another weirdo.


    "Staff Master Keedo of Menjo Koa Tia."


    I knew the ce and recognized the olive skin and tired look of the western tree city tribe of Menjo, Koa Tia would be his family name, and he wore all green and a fancy traditional robe, but no weapon in sight. I knew that they used special metal spring staves that retracted and how they could use ten or more staves at once.


    The man bowed and then gave me the top of his hand. "The crest is good."


    Not much of a talker, but I wanted a bath, so after Keedo left I told everyone toe hit the dungeon, but I would pay them this time for what they found. That got a loud cheer from the crowd and they all piled out chanting my name. I had yet to see any bad ones, but maybe they got weeded out already. I would still have to pay attention still, but now it was time to hose down the blood blob.


    "Come, Gobby let''s go get ourselves cleaned up before the others get here so you can make a good first impression."


    "Sure, K! Is it up those crazy stairs? Can I roll from the top, all the way down? It looks like so much fun!!" Gobby said jumping, wafting his odor, so I started up the stairs and he followed.


    The Guild was quite big, but most of it was rooms and most up here did not have handles, there was even an entire floor just walled off. I headed to the top floor that was a single white door with their handprints in red on it. One of the handprints was my size so I put my hand on the door, and the print pulsed red, letting the door open without me pushing it.


    Inside was a long room with a desk and chair on the left side, then on the right, a set of doors that led out to the uppermost balcony of the guild house. At the end on the right side was another door, but in the center on the wall, there was a fire that burned with no wood.


    "K! Is this YOUR ROOM?! Look at the size of the ce, and the view, ahh, K, I don''t ever want to leave here! Unless you do, but really, where is the bed?"


    I ignored Gobby and walked to the front door in a trace. Was this my actual room? Was this really all mine? There were even couches! There was more furniture in this single room than in my entire house!


    I was almost vibrating when I reached the door and let my fingers close around the door hand and open up to find a very short hall. It led to a bed that almost filled the room from wall to wall! There were almost four beds wide! My hands were starting to sweat as I turned to the smell of a lightvender perfume and flooded my now to an open door.


    Healia was in the bath waiting for me. Mood ruined!

 Chapter 31: Break Time

    Chapter 31: Break Time


    "Do you mind? I haven''t even stepped in here and you''re already dirtying the water! Get out!"


    I red at the woman, Healia didn''t seem to learn, but when she looked at Gobby, and he started to growl, she started to get out. I turned and let her get a towel wrapped before fully turning around. I had no need to start at that big-titted bimbo''s chest, and I wanted some semi-privacy, that didn''t incline Healia.


    "I''m not leaving yet, we have things to talk about," Healia said in a haughty voice, putting her nose in the air.


    I looked at Gobby and he rolled his eyes.


    "I can just eat her K, who needs magic?"


    "You wouldn''t dare!"


    Both Gobby and I squinted our three eyes at her and Healia backed out of the room.


    "Fine, I will talk from...here."


    I mmed the door at thest part, so it was a bit muffled. I didn''t want to see that woman right now, and I didn''t want the lecherous beast to see me without clothes on. Gobby went and jumped in the tub before I could stop him, and dove into the water, and then back out, a shiny red blob, and sparkling white eye. I looked at my bath in horror and turned on him.


    "Hey! I didn''t even get to try the water! No, I have to empty and refill it!" Iined looking back at the water, but then I noticed something.


    "Yeah, sorry K, I should have told you first before just jumping in! My bad! But! All is not lost! This bad boy is the ''Even Clean When You Pee In Your Bath Water Cleaning Machine Three Thousand''!"


    "Is that what is really called?"


    "No, silly. It''s just an Auto-Bath, just cleans and reheats the water, but I think my name is way better! So, you don''t have to worry!"


    Gobby was right, all the crud and dried blood was gone, sucked into a hole in the side. I rxed and started to get undressed fairly quick. If I wanted any time here to soak, I would have to hurry.


    "K, can you hear me?" Healia''s muffled voice came through the door.


    "No! Go away!"


    "Listen, K, I think you should get to the repair shop first and then talk to your father about"


    "Done, Done, and done, go away, I will figure it out for now, if I need something I wille to find you!"


    "Fine, I let you soak. I think I heard the girls downstairs, I''ll go check on them, sounds like they brought guests!"


    "Gobby, can you go with that witch and make sure she behaves, please?"


    "You bet K!" Gobby said while jumping up and pulling the door handle down. "I''ming to your old bag! So you better behave, or I''ll let you take a solo tour of the inside of my mouth!"


    Well, that would buy me a little bit of time, and I had already used three points to upgrade the Repair shop for my father, and I was about to put points into the cost of living when I noticed something called a Mana Te.


    The description was that it gave all guild members a base Mana regeneration of 5% a minute. This would be good for Mei and the other magic users since she only used it twice in one day and was out. If she would have only had to wait twenty minutes, we might have been able to go longer, but she was also tired from the day.


    The Mana Te was only two points, so I made the purchase, and a box on my wrist filled in the smallest bit, that was five now. The boxes barely even filled, but it was easier to see on the total member''s bar, but that was the biggest bar, three times as long as the rest. After finishing with that, I let myself sink up to my nose and closed my eyes.


    ''You''re doing well, but there is so much more for you to do. You need to find the girls, you are all stronger together.'' -Drania.


    ''I only wanted five minutes of silence! I know what you''re saying, but, other than the smell of them, how do I find them?''


    ''You need to be a beacon of hope. Stand above all and let the world feel your presence, they wille if they know where to find you. I have no idea what the Game Master has done to the girls, but I think it is vital to find them as soon as you can...I...you...make...pay! Grrr! This is so frustrating! I hope that child figures it out this time!'' Drania.


    ''I''m not even going to ask, because you can tell me, and not even if you try it seems, hm. I will try to make myself stick out and such. I really don''t know what else to do, running around and trying to find them won''t work, so I will just make the Crimson Legion the strongest guild in thend!''


    ''It will take more than one guild, girl. I am getting ahead of myself, but just you remember that I wasn''t cking in reminding you.'' -Drania.


    Now that was weird. It almost sounded like she was worried I was going to get mad about something in the future. Highly suspicious, but my time of rxing wasing to an end. I could hear the patterning of small and even smaller feet. I contemted just sinking under the water and hiding, but there was no soap in the water and any that was put in just cleaned itself out right away, leaving warm and sparkling water.


    "K! Look!" Mei cried as she burst into the bathroom, and a cute and frilly yellow dress, but her hair was long blonde, and no knots.


    "Mei, you look very cute, and your hair looks beautiful!" I congratted her.


    She looked good and clean, so maybe the women already bathed her? Well, break time was over, and I needed more guild members!

 Chapter 32: In There Somewhere

    Chapter 32: In There Somewhere


    I started to get out of the tub, and Mei turned around and faced away from me. I had finally gotfortable enough to stop worrying about her looking, and now she turns away? What did those two women do to her?


    I grabbed a towel that was folded and then quickly dried off. I covered up with the towel and then realized that I didn''t have clean clothes to put back on. I would have to see what there was in the room.


    "Mei, you can turn around now. When did you get so polite?"


    "Your mom told me that I shouldn''t look at your private areas unless you say I can. When she exined it to me I understood a bit better, so I will try to not look."


    "Well, I am d, let''s go see if I can find something to wear," I said to Mei, and I lightly pushed her into the bedroom.


    "I brought some clothes up, but I left them In the other room. Lesha thought you might need them and got some. I''ll be right back!" Mei said, running out of the room.


    That was a thoughtful woman, I would have to thank her tonight for that. Mie came back and handed me a small pile of ck and red cloth. What the hell was this? And where was the rest of it?! I heard two sets of footstepsing up the stairs, both light, stepping with the front of their feet so they didn''t make as much noise, good.


    I waited for the pair of culprits, still holding out the one-third of a dress at arm''s length like a poisonous snake. It wasn''t horrible, red with a ribbon corset in the front that was the same ck as the thread and edging. The parts I didn''t like were that the back was open and the part that would cover my ass, would only cover that part of my body, precisely. So, if I even sneezed, I would be shing the world!


    "So, what do you think of the new dress? I was a little skeptical about it at first, but Healia assured me that it would somehow stay on, and you won''t sh people," Lesha said as she walked into the room.


    Leana must have stayed in the other room, knowing that I wouldn''t put this on yet. Was I really going to put on this scrap of cloth? I looked at Lesha, and that was the wrong move, the pleading look, and those blue eyes. It was always the wrong move to look at her if I was making a decision about something I didn''t want to make!


    "Fine, I will try it on, but you had better have brought me normal clothes! Something tells me I won''t like this, but, I will try it."


    Lesha came over and whispered something into my ear that made my knees weak, and I could feel my face start to heat up as Lesha pulled away with a victorious smile.


    "What are you going to do with your tongue?!" I asked with shock, embarrassment, and a strong urge to hear her say it again, but all I got was a wink and a wave of the hand to hurry up.


    That wasn''t fair! What was I a pet trying to get a reward?


    I dropped my towel and slipped into the dress that seemed to hug the curves of my body and me perfectly. I was still worried about the bottom parts sticking out, but I looked at Lesha and she was giving me an overly friendly smile that made me pull the front of the dress down if it could be called that!


    "Mmm, looks good on you, and don''t worry, it''s all dark under there. I don''t know how or why, but look," Lesha said as she came over and lifted the front of my skirt.


    "HEY!"


    "Don''t be like that, just look!"


    I looked down, and Lesha was right. It was all darkness, ck as night, and Lesha dropped the dress, but then came forward and gave me a kiss. At the same time, the devil slipped her fingers between and slid them up making me give a slight moan into her mouth. Lesha pulled back enough just to separate our lips.


    "Just cause I can''t see doesn''t mean I can''t touch!"


    I was about to give her shit about Mei being in the room, but after looking around I realized that Mei wasn''t in the room. I gave Lesha a quick kiss and then looked her up and down at her tomboy clothes. Well, they were my clothes, but if I was going to wear a dress I would be getting one for her!


    "Let''s head down, I want to talk to Leana and dad together about this before the rest of the peoplee back from the dungeon."


    The two of us headed out of our room and into the office/sitting area. This ce was really nice, but I wasn''t sure what I was going to do with my dad. Maybe he might want to move into the guild, there would be extra rooms.


    Leana''s smile split her face and she had tears in her eyes. I had to use all of my willpower not to roll my eyes, this was Leana''s dream to see me in a dress.


    "K! You look so beautiful in that dress! Oh, wait till your father sees you!" Leana said through her tearsing over to give me a hug.


    "Oh yeah, I imagine he will have so much to say. Now he''s probably never going to look at me again!"


    "Don''t be like that, silly, you might be surprised. We talk a lot about you, you know? Let''s go down to show him! Oh, I am just so excited to see his reaction!"


    I didn''t know what the hell this woman was talking about. My father was not going to get all wishy-washy like she was. Honestly, I didn''t think he would even be able to look at me with all the skin I had a showing. I was even scared to see my reflection, but I followed them downstairs anyways.


    Healia and my father were talking and his back was turned, but when Healia stopped talking and smiled up at me, he turned around. The breath caught in my throat as I saw my father''s big warm smile, and his eyes filled with tears. When my father opened his arms to me I felt like a little girl again as I ran and threw my arms around him, with him hugging me back.


    "I knew my little girl was in there somewhere. A little short, but your mother would have thought you looked beautiful."


    [Author here! Please vote if you like the book! helps me out more and I will release more chapters if we can get up there! Thank you in advance!]

 Chapter 33: Spread Your Wings

    Chapter 33: Spread Your Wings


    Both of us pulled apart a bit embarrassed with everyone around, but now the people I wanted to see were here and it was time to get down to business. I looked over to the door and found a circr tube sitting on a pole that had a glowing orb about four handspans wide. It was on the opposite of the revival tree.


    The blue centerpiece had something inside of it shining and moving, giving off a sapphire candescence simr to Lesha''s eyes. I looked around, but Healia must have known what I was looking for because she spoke up.


    "The repair shop is on the second floor, and on the third is the Guild members quarters."


    "Thank you, Father and Leana, would you follow me? Girls, can you wait for the others to get back, and then tell them where their rooms are if I''m not back down? Gobby will stay with you."


    "But K! You just got down here! Can''t Ie with you? The girls don''t want to talk to me!" Gobbyined while wiggling his arms.


    "Girls, don''t be like that! He is all clean now, and isn''t he cute?"


    "Don''t call him cute, you called me cute, and I am cute. He is a walking bloody eyeball, not cute!" Mieined, also waving her arms to the side.


    "I will try to entertain him, but once he gets started" Lesha let her words trail off, but I understood what she meant.


    "Gobby, please just stay with the girls, Mei, don''t be rude, and Lesha...I''ll be back soon," I said, but I wanted to say more.


    I left the girls and my bloody eyeball to wait for the others, and took my parents upstairs, and entered a door that was previously a wall. Inside was a brick hall that led to the back of the area where there was a brand new forge set up with fresh never been used tools. There was everything my father would need to do all the same things he could at his old job and so much more.


    I looked over at my father who was already walking around, touching the anvils, picking up hammers, and testing mps. I let him walk around and do his inspection in silence, instead of turning to Leana.


    "Leana, would you minding to work at the Guild helping with running the ce? I have Gram helping me right now, but we will need more staff with the more people that we have joined the Guild to help with cleaning and cooking, but I can''t be here all the time. I know that you have been at your job," but I was cut off by Leana.


    "Of course I will, and it will make it easier for me to teach Miss Mei! Oh, this is wonderful! We will have the whole family working here! James! Come here, you can y with your toys after!" Leana called over to my father.


    Dad looked over, finally showing emotion with his face splitting smile, but I looked like there was something more than just tools and a new forge in that smile. He walked over and stood behind Leana and wrapped his arms around her, and then put his hands on her stomach, pressing her upon back to reveal a slightly swollen stomach.


    "You''re pregnant! Congrattions! When did this happen? Wait, I don''t want to know, but that''s great!"


    "We wanted to tell you, but we wanted you to get your own ce, but your father wouldn''t bring it up to you. Still, all things happen for a reason, and now you have a beautiful home of your own, and the start of your own family!" Leana said with a smile, leaning back into dad.


    "What are you going to do now though? Are you going to move in with dad? Or you coulde live here. I have extra rooms, the girls won''t be using theirs anytime soon."


    "No, I think I''m going to move in with Leana, K. Plus it''s time you spread your wings, and you will see more of me than ever now, so maybe its best this way, plus, me and Leana want to spend some alone time, if you know what I mean, hehe," my father said with a smile, but that got him and elbow to the gut.


    "Sure, stay and look around if you want ore down, Gram will give you a rundown on things better than I can Leana, so talk to him about things. Father, people will bring you things and order and you know what to do with them. I don''t need to tell you how to do your job, but I need to go see how things are going, and I''m getting a bit hungry."


    It was almost lunch, so I would have to wait for the others to get back before I can swear in more Guild Members. I left the two, and head back downstairs to see what the girls were up to, but as I got closer to the get, I could hear Mei start to scream bloody murder like she was being chased. I ran out and down the stairs to find Gobby chasing Mei around, both were yelling, and screaming bloody murder, literally.


    Lesha had her head down and fingers jammed in her ears, not controlling the situation at all.


    "ENOUGH!"


    The two froze mid-run, and Lesha looked up with wide eyes.


    "You two, go y outside and make all the noise you want, and you!"


    Lesha was trying to sneak away, but I red at her, and she froze, turning her head ever so slowly towards me with a weak smile.


    "You were supposed to be watching them, not your feet! Get in the kitchen and help me make some food!"


    "Yes Ma''am! You can teach me a lessonter!" Lesha said, racing to the kitchen.


    She was around the bar and into the kitchen before I could retort. I was going to teach her a lessonter! That is after she does that thing with her tongue she promised me earlier!

 Chapter 34: Mistakes Have Been Made

    Chapter 34: Mistakes Have Been Made


    I was about to follow her, but Healia stopped me.


    "So, you messed up. Pretty big" Healia let that trail off while giving me a knowing look.


    "What are you talking about? What did I mess up?"


    "Did you put points into your guild members?"


    I froze and turned to her, and she was giving me a raised eyebrow as I pped my face. How could I had been so stupid? I had just given Healia shit for trying to help me and look what I do, just to prove her point for her.


    "What am I supposed to do?" I asked, hating every word of it.


    This was going to make me owe her something in the future. I knew it and so did she. Nothing for it, this would have to be my lesson in bullheadedness.


    "You will have to force a level out of the guild. Meaning that you will have to rely on the shared experience that you will get from the Guild Members grinding the dungeon. The best way will be for you to take a party in and then you can take one hundred percent of the total experience as Guild experience," Healia exined.


    "Won''t the other not be happy if I take the experience, I mean if it''s for the Guild it has to be that way but"


    "No, they will get all their experience, but the guild will get the same amount. So it''s like a double experience bonus. Don'' worry, you''re not the first person to need to use this feature. I know what you got, what you did and it was a good buy, but you have to remember about the growth. After you get a potions shop you should focus on your skills," Healia finished exining.


    "Thank you, that is a lot of help."


    "You and I both know what I will ask something of you in the future that will make you take back that thank you, so don''t bother. Plus, your sess is in both our best interests. Go get food and then get a group together and go grind!"


    Healia left me and went back to her seat at the single table. Maybe I would get my brothers to bring out more tables and chairs, spruce the pce up a bit. Healia was right, the others would being back from the dungeon soon so I should get going to try and get some more done, and maybe push another guild level.


    I headed into the back to see what Lesha was doing, and she was cooking some steaks in a frying pan. Ugh, it smelled so good! I was excited to eat, but I went over and told Lesha about my mistake. She smiled at me and rolled my eyes when I told her that I owed Healia a favor.


    "Who are we going to take?" Lesha asked me as she tossed in some mushroom with the steak.


    "Mei, Gram, and Corbit. Five should get us some good experience."


    "What? You want to take the old Guild Master? The Human Hairball?" Lesha asked in confusion.


    "Human? Questionable at best, but yes. Gram is a very good Rouge and he would be a good addition with Corbit."


    "And Me!" Gobby walking into the kitchen with Mei, and a very wary-looking Corbit.


    "Ask as you shall receive. I am d you are out of bed. Sorry about Healia, she can be a little much."


    Corbit gave me a big smile, and then a thumbs up.


    "No, thank you! Having my first kiss being from a goddess and being bedridden for a day will for sure boost me to earn my fame and fortune. How many men have lived to tell the tale? Plus, I just heard that we are going into the dungeon and I get to go with the two Guild Masters and your trusted team! I will be the most talked about person in this guild for years toe!" Corbit announced throwing his hand in the air.


    "That is good spirit! I would also like while you are with us to know where you learned how to use words to use your mana?"


    "To tell you the truth, and this will sound weird, but, you need to look inside yourself. I learned mine from doing some thinking after I had just received a sound beating from so many men that wanted to do the same as that other guy, just using me for bait in a dungeon, but I refused. Anyways, after that happened, I took a look at myself and wanted to try to dig deep to try to see if I was missing something. I guess I already knew something was different deep down, so when I dug for it, it came to me like nothing I have ever felt before."


    I would have to look deep inside? Could I do that? How hard would it be? Food wasn''t done, so I went and took a chair at the small table, and Mei came and sat on myp, but I closed my eyes.


    Deep, I just had to look inside, that''s what Corbit and said, but what did that actually mean? Was I just trying to see into my mind or where did I start looking? I was starting to get frustrated and tried closing my eyes, but still, nothing, but then Mei spoke up.


    "Try to look for her voice, that''s how I found my word," Mei said leaning back into me.


    "Who, Drania? I forget that she can talk to you, but I am supposed to look for her voice?" I asked Mei, pulling her closer to my chest.


    "Where you think shees from, that ce deep inside. It''s really hard to exin."


    "No, I get what you mean, I think I can...hm, I guess that isn''t bad?"


    The sound that was spoken forwards and backward in my soul was, Bless{Sselb}!


    Lesha was almost done with the food, and now I had a spell. all that was left was to convince Gram to join us.

 Chapter 35: Becoming A Legend

    Chapter 35: Bing A Legend


    "No!" Gram shouted, jumping up and down.


    "I haven''t even asked you yet!" Iined.


    We had all shared the two steaks and mushrooms, slicing them thin and making sandwiches with them. I was offering thest one to Gram and he was having no part of my ploy. Somehow the old fart knew what I was going to ask, but I wasn''t beat yet!


    "Fine, I want you toe as a rearguard to protect the Mana users."


    "No, I don''t have a ribbon and you''re too low of a Rank," Gram said in a matter-of-fact tone while snatching the sandwich from my hand, making it disappear under the hair faster than I could even react.


    That made sense, even if we could the monsters would be too strong for us. Well, four was Okay, but


    "Are you looking for a tag-along? The nice and friendly roguish backdrop?"


    I turned to see de Guy walking in with a full bag of something. He walked over to the table and poured out ws, horns, eyes, a hide, and a good number of purple gems. This guy was a monster! What Rank was he?


    "I''m the same as you, but I have been doing things all my life. The only difference is the monsters are real and not human. I worked doing things for special people, so when this all came around, wow, yeah I was excited. Plus, this thing makes me feel like a god!" de Guy said shaking his ribbon.


    "Gram will get you paid up and then it would be great if you came along. I know you''re a soloist, but can you work as a team? I can see that your strong, or a remarkably good thief, I don''t need a person that can''t work as a team."


    "Yes, Ma''am! I am at your disposal, I will followmands, but I will also offer suggestions."


    "Good, girls, are you ready to go? Corbit?" I asked, but then I heard my father calling for me to wait.


    "K, wait! Take this!" Father said as he jogged over with a tower shield.


    The thing was about my height, but it was just as wide as me.


    "Dad...how do I carry it? It''s as big as I am!"


    "Watch! All you have to do is..."


    My father did something where he was holding it and the whole thing shrunk to almost half of its size. I was stunned, I had never seen anything like that, and I had seen no cracks. It was an incredible piece of work!


    "How did you make it? That''s wonderful! Thank you so much!"


    I was about to give him a hug, but he cleared his throat and I stopped. He was right without even speaking, that would not be good for my image. I took the shrunk shield, and it was very light, and the handle wasfortable, this was good work.


    "I got it from a man who wants to meet you, this was a gift for you from him. He has many more crazy inventions that could help everyone. His name is Karem Sparks, and I asked him toe by tomorrow if that''s okay? I figured that you would want to at least talk to him yourself."


    "Thank you, James, I will meet with him tomorrow, but we all need to get going."


    Our Group all headed out of town, making it through the city without anyone stopping us or sulent smells to distract me. The walk was quiet as well, I had really thought that Tim was going to say something, but it wasn''t until we got into the dungeon that he finally spoke up.


    "So, K, is that alright if I call you that?" Tim asked.


    "Sure, but I will be calling you Tim. The de Guy doesn''t sound verybat friendly," I said with a smile.


    "Ick, if you must, fine, but traps? Do you needahhh! Dammit, blob! You almost got a de!"


    "Would I get to keep it? K, can I have a knife?" Gobby asked, turning to me.


    "Your mouth is filled with knives, you don''t need more. Gobby is my trap finder, you will see. I take the lead and collect aggro while you hit when you have the chance."


    "Sound n, I use a lot of ranged attacks so I can provide support, but I will make sure I don''t steal your aggro and I will protect Miss Mei. Corbit will surprise us, and you might have to rank him up after this trip. Must have had something pretty spectacr happen to feel you so strong now. I saw you the other day wandering around town, and you aren''t that same boy," Tim said, looking Corbit up and down.


    "See K! I told you! I am gonna be a legend! The goddess Healia kissed me! AND I SURVIVED!" Corbit roared while jumping into the air.


    "Get outta town?! You got a kiss from yours truly, our great Guilds Goddess?" Tim asked with an impressed tone.


    "You bet your life! Put me in bed for a day! Now I''m ready to try something new, so if we get a room full of small mobs, let me take care of them!" Corbit spoke proudly while puffing out his chest.


    "I''d give all the treasure I had her in this bag for a chance like that! In fact, I would give a week''s worth of pay just for one kiss! You are gonna be one hell of a mana person or whatever you are called! Really, a kiss from that one eh, talk about luck!" Jim mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "Are you two boys done yet? We have to do some work before it gets too dark, weirdose out around the dungeon at night."


    "I am ready when you are, everyone just needs to hold hands so someone doesn''t get lost," Jim said.


    Everyone grabbed a hand and we started to file inside. Time to take another trip into the dungeon!

 Chapter 36: Top Tier Ruby

    Chapter 36: Top Tier Ruby


    Inside was different than normal, the ce was all smooth white stone, but it was a long hallway to start with. Gobby was already melting into his pool of blood, and I heard a low whistle from behind me. Gobby filled the floor from wall to wall and then started up the hall, but he triggered no traps, and I was about to walk forward, but Tim stopped me.


    "Hey! Hold on there, does your friend listen to anyone? Can I ask him to do something?"


    "Hm? Yeah, go ahead. Gobby, listen to what Tim tells you to do, okay?"


    "Sure, K!"


    "Alright, buddy, can you make yourself taller, and then walk back here?" Tim called down to Gobby.


    In response, Gobby stretched himself like a quill and then started to walk back towards us. The entire trip back Gooby walked through arrowsing from up, down, left, and right! I couldn''t even believe my eyes, that would have been me. When Gobby got back and went changed back to bloody eyeball form, scratching his head.


    "I feel vited, I''ve been prated like that before!" Gobbyined.


    "Yeah, this one will be a bit of a doozy, I think this is a top Tier Ruby dungeon. This is clear for traps, but we will have to keep an eye out," Tim said falling back.


    This was going to be dangerous, but we all had ribbons, so being careful is all we could do. I moved forward at an even pace, keeping my copsed shield up, and reached the next room. Coming up to the door I could see many small armored bodies in the next room; from a distance, they looked small and cute but up close they were many small rat-men.


    "Oh! Looks like it''s my time to shine!" Corbit tried to walk past me, but both Tim and I both stopped him.


    "Don''t be stupid! Have you never been in a dungeon before?" I asked, still gripping his arm.


    "No? I can''t just walk in and just shock them all? Corbit asked, confused.


    "If you don''t kill them all then you are trapped in there until you do and we can''t help you. There is only a five-second window in higher levels to get into the room," Tim exined.


    I didn''t know about the timer, I just didn''t want him to go in first. That was good to know, this was hard going from a basic adventurer and then jumping three ranks overnights. There was a lot I still had to learn.


    "I am going to cast a spell before we go in, I don''t know what it will do but here goes nothing," I said, as I raised my hands, not really sure what to do with them.


    "Bless{Sselb}!"


    Each person pulsed and golden light and they all looked around. I had not pulsed, or maybe I did and just didn''t notice. I wasn''t sure what I was expecting, but It was a spell, and I had cast it using Mana!


    "Very good boss! You just made us a lot harder to hit! Healia''s prayers are on our side today!" Tim cheered.


    I smiled, and then looked at Lesha and Mei, who both nodded to me, they were ready.


    "I''ll draw them with Lesha, and then Mana users do your thing! Tim, and Gobby, protect them. Let''s go!"


    I burst into the room, drawing the sweet strawberry lemonade from the girls, and popping open my shield as I felt my power sore. The rats rushed me, but Lesha was there with me, cutting into them, as I bashed them back. Something inside of me surged, not like the blood, but something drove me to raise my foot up and m it down.


    Rats flew into the air around me, and I heard the otherworldly chant of Corbit''s voice.


    "Chain Lightning{Gninthgil Niahc}!"


    An arc of pure power ripped through the room, catching every rat, but missing uspletely. I was like with my stomp, Lesha hadn''t been affected at all, but what that stomp? Everything was dead, but I wasn''t done, I reached forward and began to suck the bodies dry.


    "Well, that''s something you don''t see every day! So that''s what you got from a Core? Draining monsters for their blood and your followers for more power all around?" Tim asked.


    "Yes, Mei,e here, are you okay?"


    Mei came over, but her eyes had already dimmed, but she had a grin on her face. I looked at her, but then she stuck her fingers under my nose as she walked by. The little pervert! In the middle of a fight?! Just when I thought she was getting better, but that was a way to burn off the frenzy I guessed, but that put my mind right in the gutter forter.


    "K? Are you ready to check the next hall? You got a bit of a dreamy look in your eyes, you okay?" Tim asked, giving me a knowing grin and a look with his one eye that said he knew what was going on in my head.


    "Yes! Let''s go! Gobby!"


    "Umm, K, you forgot your blood ball" Lesha said looking away from me as she did with a big grin.


    I turned and red at Corbit, and he found a different part of the room to be. Damn that Mei for getting me crossed up thinking about...blood, I need to absorb the blood and continue forward. I told Gobby to listen to Tim while I absorbed the blood, Lesha, and Mei had picked up at the ws that were leftover.


    After I was done and the hall was swept we made our way to the next room but stopped outside of it. There was a single mirror in the center of the room. I had heard of this thing, and only one could go in.


    "That''s a ck Mimic Mirror, and whoever goes in there will have to face the darker side of themselves."

 Chapter 37: Hand To Shield Tank

    Chapter 37: Hand To Shield Tank


    "I can''t go in there, you have to go K, sorry," Tim said bowing his head.


    This made sense, the others wouldn''t be able to fight off whatever came out of it.


    ''Be careful child this is going to be the Blood Queen that you will face. She is a Quirk that has always been deep inside of you, but the System is slowly bringing her forward, but it is too soon for you to take that power. If you try, she will take you. The Mimic will only be a fraction as strong as you are, but it will still have long ws like knives and be able to turn into blood mist.'' -Drania.


    Not trying to talk me out of was all I really needed to tell me that this was my job, but I knew that. I could do this, I had a good reserve of blood and my shield was still in good shape. I went to walk forward, but Lesha stopped me.


    "Are you sure? You''re a tank? You''re not really meant to"


    Lesha was cut off by Tim''sughter. She turned to scowl at him, but he closed his only eye and put both hands up, open-palmed.


    "Sorry, but I would be more worried for whateveres out of there. I will be watching carefully to see how you deal with this, Guild Leader. I have faith that you will make me look like an amateur in a one-on-one fight."


    I wasn''t sure if that made me feel better, but I did appreciate it. I smiled at Lesha and kissed her, then Mei came and gave me a hug. Great, it was like I was going off to war, and they would never see me again, but that was partially my fault for my nd face.


    "Don''t worry girls, I got this," I said walking into the room.


    The doorway that I had just walked throughpletely smoothed over and I couldn''t hear any more sounds. The room was quiet, it was only me and the mirror. I walked up, shrinking my shield, the sound loud in the absence of any other.


    I stepped in front of the mirror and looked deep into it. At first, I only saw myself, and I was surprised that I didn''t look that bad in the dress! Then, the image shifted and it was me again, but in a ck dress this time, form-fitting and a ghostly train flowing behind me.


    Then my skin turned ck, and my teeth grew sharp, all of them. Finally, my ck hair turned blood red and it undted to look like flowing blood. The image stepped forward and then out of the mirror, causing it to shatter as the Blood Queen stepped free.


    This thing was hiding inside of me somewhere? I was part of this or it was part of me? Suddenly, it attacked without warning, but I had already strengthened and targeted the same spot the goddess was weak in, interesting.


    I smashed up with a one-handed right shield stick and then I drove a left blood-powered hook to the targeted area. The creature smashed into the wall, but came for me again, but extended the shield, and then turning it to the side and batting the creature away. I shrunk the shield and leapt at the creature that was trying to get up.


    As I brought the shield down, I activated the shield extending it with a crack just at the right moment to help shear the monster''s head off. I pulled all the blood into me immediately and gasped.


    It was freezing cold again! I had used almost all my blood in that short fight and I was lucky this thing even gave me blood. It was enough, for now, but I would need more, and I would have to be more mindful of how I used it.


    "Woah! Now that is a scary tank! You barely even moved that entire fight! No extra effort! Truly impressive! See, Corbit, that''s what a legend in the making looks like!" Tim said pping the open-mouthed Corbit on the back.


    If they only knew how much effort and blood went into each of those strikes, still there was a ck crystal left from that thing, so there was some gain, I would just have to conserve in the next room. So far things were going good, but anything could happen, and I was letting Tim and Gobby take care of the traps when Lesha came over to see me.


    "How are you feeling? You looked pretty white before you got that blood?"


    "The fight was tough, I didn''t want to hold back, but I used too much blood. I just need to be careful. I will just y a tank in the next room, I yed hero once today, that''s enough, hehe!"


    "You were pretty impressive, but that thing you faced, it was you, right?" Lesha asked.


    "Yeah, Drania says it''s called The Blood Queen, and it''s a part of me. I have to be careful and not let it out until I can control it or she will consume me."


    "That doesn''t sound very helpful? But if you were in trouble I could see why it would be good to have. Well, let me have some of the action this time, she has been itching to try her new spell out. Oh, and make sure you watch, she really wanted you to see it...and don''t forget to praise her!"


    "Yes, mother, I will tell our little girl how special she is!"


    "Hey! Someone has to remind you to be nice sometimes!" Lesha jokes.


    "That hurts my feeling!" I joked back, doing an impression of Gobby.


    Both of us started to giggle, and Mei came over to see what was up, but that was when Tim and Gobby called to us.


    "Halls clear, but I don''t think we should go any farther. There is a Boss Room up ahead!" Tim shouted down to me.


    The words Boss Room sent a chill down my spine.

 Chapter 38: Need A Kick Or Something

    Chapter 38: Need A Kick Or Something


    Boss Room already? This was only the third room,st time it had been in the sixth room that the group of lizard men and the huge leader type had appeared with them. I was starting to get chills thinking about what happened, and then the feeling intensified when I looked at Lesha and Mei.


    I took a deep breath in and walked forward down the hall, going to see wasn''t going to get the party killed. Maybe Tim was overestimating the monster''s power, but as the rest of us got closer to him and Gobby, I could see why he didn''t want to go on.


    Four two-headed dogs that could spit fire and acid surround and massive three-headed Cerberus. That was a Diamond-ranked monster that had Fire, Gas, and Ice breath, and a ridiculous amount of health. Suicide is what that would be, there was no way possible that we could defeat this.


    "We have to turn back and try to re-enter the dungeon to see if we can get more stuff," I said, waving everyone back.


    "Yeah, That''s going to be the best bet. Wow, one of those things! That''s crazy, and we are so close to a core! We just got to get these others whipped into shape! Let''s go before it starts getting too dark!" Tim cheered, jiggling in his ck outfit.


    For a man with only one eye showing, and covered in ck, he was awfully cheerful. You could never judge a book by its cover, but I still barely knew him, so I wasn''t about to pass judgment yet.


    We all headed back out the way we came in and exited the dungeon since it wasn''t that far of a walk. Once outside we waited, I don''t think anyone really knew how dungeons worked or how they changed every time we entered them, but we decided that five mins should be enough. Our group took hands and walked into the dungeon again, passing through the barrier, but we were met by a familiar sight.


    We were in the same room as the one we had just left. I sent Gobby to do a thorough search for traps, but there was nothing. I turned back to Tim, just he shrugged his shoulders.


    "To tell you the truth, I never wait toe back into the dungeons. I just turn back and re-enter and it''s a new dungeon, but I have never seen the same ce ever, maybe it just looks the same."


    He had a point, but I was pretty sure this was the same ce we had juste from. Our group slowly made our way down the hall with the same white stone. Once we got to the first room, I knew something was wrong.


    "Nope, never seen anything like this before. We should try going out and I will try going in myself. Something must be wrong with the dungeon," Tim said while looking around the empty first room.


    I was starting to get worried; what if the dungeon was stuck here for everyone?! I hurried back out with everyone and Tim turned back around and went in, but then came right back out. He was shaking his head and talking to himself, then he looked up at me.


    "I think we had better go back and talk to Healia about this. She is the only one that knows anything about this. I have never even heard of something like this ever happening, so we need to talk to the only person with a clue to what might be going on."


    "Do you think we broke it?" I asked, trying to sound calm.


    "I don''t know, all I do know is that we are stuck until we can beat something that our part stands no chance against, even with your blood super stuff. Even if you could do it for me and the boy, it still wouldn''t be close to defeating four Hell Beasts, the Cerberus is just a certified impossible stamp. It should go back by tomorrow, don''t worry yourself. Plus, you got that gold crystal, never seen one of those,e on."


    Tim was right, but I hated to rely on him for support when I was supposed to be the leader, but I was lost in the dark to what was going on. Lesha and Mei both came and grabbed my hands and pulled me along, back to town. Corbit walked ahead with Tim and they talked quietly, while I was left thinking about what happened.


    "This wasn''t your fault, K" Lesha tried to console me as we walked.


    "I know, I am just worried about what will happen for everyone else."


    "We will all figure it out, I am sure it''s no big deal and Healia will be able to fix everything no problem. The dungeon probably just needs a kick or something," Mei said, giving a mock kick as we walked.


    They were right and we were getting back into the city now, and it was starting to move into the twilight just as the sun was disappearing over the ridge. We walked past my old house, and it felt weird to be continuing on by. A new part of my life had started and I was not doing very good, but there was no point in beating myself up about something I was just learning, I would just have to move forward and work with Healia from now on.


    I walked past the bakery and then The Forge where Gastbo looked at me with a in face. I was surprised by that, everyone else smiled and greeted us as we passed with nods and waves. It was a bit to get used to, but I smiled at the people and the girls waved back with her free hands.


    Finally, we reached the Guild and opened the door to find Gram and Healia sitting at the single table. Healia had a nk look on her face, and Gram was unreadable as a ball of fur ever was. I walked in with the group and started to exin what happened but Healia put up a hand to stop me.


    "I can''t help you."

 Chapter 39: Chocolate Mint

    Chapter 39: Chocte Mint


    "What do you mean you can''t help me?"


    "The dungeon is stuck for your party, and you are at twenty-eight percent. What happened?!" Healia asked me, still sitting down.


    "I was trying to tell you. The third room was a Boss Room, and now the ce won''t reset. Even Tim tried to go in, but it was still the same for him. Do you know what''s going on?" I asked hopefully.


    "No idea, go to bed, there is a second room for Mei upstairs now. Lesha''s I left it for you on the nightstand, remember what I told you. Good night, we will figure this out in the morning."


    Then she left and I was left stunned. No idea? What did that mean? Tim''s voice cut into my thoughts.


    "Alright, I''m going to get some rest. Maybe I will see what''s in the kitchen, Gram! What''s Cooking?" Tim asked with his nose in the air.


    "Leana is in the kitchen with the boys getting food ready, go get clean ande back down. We will even get some more tables out here, hehe!" Gram said with a chuckle.


    I needed to rx, we had no idea what any of this meant and there was no point in getting worked up about it. I walked up the stairs with the girls and when we got to the top, the ce had changed. Half the firece and room were cut off by a brick wall and an open door.


    "Is that my room?!" Mei asked, barely able to hold in her excitement.


    "Yes, go see," Lesha said, patting Mei on the back.


    Both of us smiled as she slowly tip-toed over, gasping for air when she got to the door. I was worried something was wrong until she screamed and ran inside. I looked at Lesha with a bewildered expression, but she just smiled at me, and took my hand, leading me to the room.


    Mei was inside rolling around on a pink bed set, and as I looked around the room I noticed that everything was pink yellow, or light blue. The ce was almost hard on the eyes with the flickering firelight, but Mei loved it. That''s what mattered, and would keep her in her own bed.


    "I''ve never had a room like this! It''s a girl''s room!"


    "Well, girl, you need to go have a bath."


    "But I already had one today!" Meiined.


    "And you were in a dungeon, so go have a quick clean before we eat."


    Mei grumbled but went to have a quick bath. While she did, I walked over to sit down on the bed.


    "Don''t even think about it! Keep your dirty ass off the clean sheets!" Leshamanded, making me jump up.


    "Hey!"


    "Don''t you hey me! You need to go get clean, you are dirty. Once Mei is done we will send her downstairs and" Lesha''s voice was cut off by the sound of my father calling my name up.


    "KIADA!"


    Both of us ran out of the room, and down the stairs as fast as we could. When we reached the bottom a woman was holding a massive sword standing in the doorway, but nothing was going on.


    Then it hit me, Chocte Mint, that smell, what was a chocte mint? I knew the smell but I had never tried it before, but I loved it. I looked at the tall woman and she was of average build but held her greatswords like a toy. Red hair, but not bright, and her eyes were green, and they were ring at me.


    "Have you found her yet?! Or have you just been ying house with your little," The woman froze in the middle of her speech.


    Lesha had her sword, and I was already hovering over her neck, the vor was mine.


    I was thrown before I could sink my extended teeth into her neck. But I caught myself in the air and righted beforending in a crouch. She was fast and tough, and now she was ring at me and Lesha.


    I tried to take more blood from Lesha, but the woman seemed to see through what I was doing and she rushed me. I was about to use some of my stored blood when Mei yelled from the step, making the woman stopped dead in her tracks.


    "Stop!" Mei crieding down the stairs in only a towel. "Don''t hurt K and Miss Lesha!"


    I didn''t wait, I used some blood, and then streaked around the woman, sinking my teeth deep into her neck. It was like sweet electrified Milk but refreshing. It was like her blood left a cool feeling on my throat, and when I let go, she looked at me in confusion.


    [telet Service] Acquired!


    I had taken in some brief shes, and they were all of Mei, but older and with this woman. I could see the pain in her eyes as she looked at Mei, who was in the body of a child. This must have been hard for her to see the person special to them with something wrong.


    "Sorry for attacking you like that, I could smell your blood and that meant that you were one of my servants, but I look like you already partially knew that, right?" I asked the woman, but she wasn''t paying attention to me.


    "Who are you?" Mei asked the woman, and the woman grabbed her chest over the left side, squeezing her heart.


    "Gloria, and it is a pleasure to meet you," She said after taking a deep breath.


    "Time for supper, can you all help with the tables!" Leana asked, sticking her head out of the kitchen and shouting.


    "Come on Lesha, We can carry them!" I said, grabbing Leshas hand and dragging her with me.


    "Hey! Don''t you want to know what happens next?" Lesha asked with a big grin.


    "I Want to know what happens after our bath!" I said while dragging Lesha into the storage room.

 Chapter 40: Blocked

    Chapter 40: Blocked


    "Why did you need me!" Leshained as I dragged her into the back room.


    "Because I''m not carrying this table alone! Leave the girls, it has to be hard for both of them. Mei doesn''t recognize her, but she knows Mei. Could you imagine if only you could remember me, but I had no idea who you were?"


    Lesha let out a sigh and came to help me carry one of the tables out. The girls were sitting at the other table, but neither was talking or looking at the other one. This was going to be weird for a while, but the biggest problem was that I couldn''t give Gloria a ribbon.


    Though with the dungeon in its current state, that wasn''t an overly pressing concern, but it would be one in the future. We set the table down and I asked the girls toe and help me with the chairs. When Lesha and Mei each grabbed one, I stopped Gloria, asking her to wait while the others went.


    "How much do you remember? Do you know what is going on? Did you know me?"


    "Only Mei, and I have been looking for her for a very long time, but no matter where I looked I couldn''t find her. How did you find her? And no, I do not know you, but I do feel like I might have, but I don''t know what that means."


    "She came to me, I am the first Guild Leader, and others with Mana are drawn to me, and Healia."


    Gloria spat on the ground at the mention of Healia, and I looked at her with disgust. I bite into people''s necks and the girls could tear a man limb from limb, but we weren''t animals!


    "Hey! Don''t spit at the floor! This is a nice ce and you are" I tried to say, but Gloria dropped the table and started to go off on a tangent about god waving her hands around as she fumed.


    "Gods are the scourge on the world! I am sure that Mei was taken and hidden from me by one of them! All of them are traitor monsters that only seek to de-harmonize our world! I have seen what they are doing in Westoff right now, Randamodeus and Telporation are pitting their followers against each other, tearing the cities apart in the process! All gods are evil!" Gloria finished and picked up both her chair and the one in my hand in a huff and half dragged me out.


    "That wasn''t the gods, it was someone before they came that did this to her, so be mad at that person, the Game Master. The gods are bad, but Healia isn''t like them, and there might be others. Still, I do understand what you mean, we will find the person responsible for what was done to Mei, but you need to be here for her now, that''s what you can do!"


    We set the chairs down and Gloria came around and gave me a quick hug.


    "I know we know each other, and we were friends, I just don''t know how yet, but thank you for finding her."


    Gloria and everyone was getting ready to sit down, but I cleared my throat, and my brothers almost dropped the food they were carrying out. I signed and red at the girls.


    "How many people?"


    They all jumped up and ran to the storage room and by this time the other boys hade down so we ended up getting two more tables. Put together they made one nice long table, and with the food and tes set out we all sat down. Sixteen of us all sat down to eat, just missing Healia, but she didn''t seem to be a part of this, and I wasn''t about to force the matter.


    Everyone said thanks for the meal, and then started to dig in, passing food and tes around to everyone. Once everyone was eating, Lesha leaned in to talk to me.


    "Where are we going to put Gloria? We don''t have extra rooms, I checked before. Our rooms are up with your rooms, and it''s not like we can expect her and Mei to sleep together on the first night, right?" Lesha asked me, before taking a bite of sd and steak.


    "Who are they? They are fine, let them figure it out," I said while looking away from Lesha, filling my own mouth with steak, lettuce, and a slice of strawberry with an almond slice stuck to it.


    I knew what she was getting at and I was not liking what she was implying.


    "K, she is going to sleep in our bed tonight! We have a huge bed!"


    "But the thing, you know, the THING!"


    "This is your fault, the dungeon is no one''s fault, but you messed up with the points and now we have nowhere to put her! And you bit her, so now we are responsible for her!"


    "Alright! Don''t get so worked up, I see what you mean. I don''t like it, but I do understand, but I don''t like it," I said with a tone that dripped like acid.


    "You said that twice," Lesha said while rolling her eyes.


    "That''s because I don''t like it! I just wanted to enjoy the first night and such, but it''s fine, and your right. Still don''t like it!"


    "That''s good, I will make it up to you when we have a free night!"


    I went back to my food, trying not to give Gloria dirty looks. The steak sd was excellent that Leana had made for us with strawberries, almonds, and some kind of sweet vinegar dressing. After everyone was finished we cleaned up and said good night to everyone.


    "Can you all meet me down here in the morning before going out? I need to talk about some things that happened today, but I would like to wait and see what Healia figures out about it before talking about it, thank you."


    I waved everyone off and then headed up to my boring bedtime.

 Chapter 41: Is That Even Allowed?

    Chapter 41: Is That Even Allowed?


    The night was anything but boring, but not in a good way. Gloria was a fitful sleeper, and there wasn''t enough room on a bed four times as wide as a normal one for the three of us. I was ready to tie her down by the end of the night, but Lesha slept through it all like a babe.


    The morning came too soon, and I cursed the cement of the window as it showed directly into my eyes, making me hold up my hand''s hiss. Damn light! We would need to put up curtains, that would not do.


    That was when I realized Lesha was already out of bed, and I could hear her in the bathroom. I got out of bed trying to be quiet, I didn''t want to wake up Gloria who was sleeping face down, starfished, and head at the end of the bed. She needed more sleep after the marathon she ran in her sleepst night!


    I crept into the bathroom and found Lesha soaking in the bathtub. I slipped out of my blue sleeping gown, and Lesha smiled up at me. The look made breathing be a bit harder, but I moved forward, and then got into the other end of the tub, opposite from her. The water was warm and a slight sting of the hot water was traded for the feeling of Lesha''s legs between mine.


    "You look tired, K. Didn''t you get any sleep? Did I snore?" Lesha asked with a cute half-smile.


    "No, It wasn''t you, it was the wandering marauder. Gloria is a terror in her sleep, that woman needs to be chained down! Not ropes, she would get free; did you see how she was sleeping?"


    Lesha almost slipped under the water. She wasughing so hard, and my scowl just made it worse. When she finally got herself under control, she wiped the tears from her eyes and the water she had sshed up off her pretty face. I tried to be mad at herughs, but she was naked and in the same bath as me, so it was hard to stay angry.


    "I will sleep on the other side tonight," Lesha said, grinning at me.


    "Tonight? She is going in a box and I am locking it. We have things, remember? We can put the box in Mei''s room, see? Everyone wins! We get to know what, and Mei gets her first real sleepover, and Gloria gets to rest in a way where she doesn''t run a full marathon while ''sleeping''. See? Perfect n!"


    That just got me sshed andughed at. I was about to move over to the other side of the tub when the door opened and Gloria walked in like a zombie. She came in and took her underwear off and then the nightgown Lesha had given herpletely off, and taking a seat on the toilet. Then she started to pee, very loudly, like it was a crashing waterfall.


    I looked at Lesha and she was screwing up her face, trying not tough, while sinking under the water. After the torrential downpour stopped, with no less the three false finishes, I cleared my throat. The scream Gloria let out echoed around the bathroom as she fell off the toilet trying to cover herself, but she hit her head on the bathroom paper fixture.


    Both of us jumped out of the bathtub and rushed over to Gloria, and she had blooding from a small cut in her head, but she didn''t seem hurt badly. I still felt bad and I wish there was something I could do, and then I heard the words from deep inside of myself, and I spoke them out loud.


    "Heal{Laeh}!"


    I touched Gloria''s head with a glowing white hand and the cut disappeared and her hair grew back as it had never happened. The glow left my hand and Gloria sat up with both of us helping her. She looked at me in open mouth and wide-eyed amazement.


    "How can you drink blood, and heal? Isn''t that against the rules or something?" Gloria asked with a bewildered expression.


    "She can also summon demons and Undead monsters like me! Then she can stop you from dying so she can heal you! K is the best G! You will see!" Gobby said, walking into the room, wiggling his arms, and then going to hop into the bathtub with no concern to Gloria''s scream of a surprise to see a walking blood blob.


    Luckily we were both there holding her and preventing her from jumping around too much. This one was going to be a handful, just like Mei was when she first came to us. Gloria must have been through a lot, so we would just have to take it slow with her. We all got up after we both exined Gobby and his existence, and then we got dressed.


    Mei was waiting for us just outside of her room giving us all strange looks. I walked by and ruffled Mei''s hair and she fell in behind me. We all walked down to the main entrance hall of the Guild and the tables were now set two on each side of the room. Gram and Healia were sitting at the same one they always did, so I walked over to see what the goddess had figured out, but before I could say anything, Healia''s hand was already going up to stop me.


    "You have to go to Dyster and attempt the dungeon there, there is no other way. You have locked the dungeon for you and your party, but other guild members can still enter it, but the amount of experience you will need will take too long. It''s because you have already beat this dungeon so it is forcing you to finish, rather than letting you grind until you find an easy boss to defeat," Healia exined between sips of her tea


    We had to leave? I just got my new bed and I hadn''t even enjoyed it yet!

 Chapter 42: Leaving For The First Time

    Chapter 42: Leaving For The First Time


    "Why do we have to leave?" Tim asked when everyone had gathered.


    "Because I have already touched the Core, the dungeon has frozen for everyone in the party until we can beat the current boss. I don''t think there is a chance of it right now, but if we go to Dyster we can train in that dungeon where no one has touched the Core."


    "What about the guild? What is everyone else going to do? And what are we going to do in a new city without our guild and our Crests?" Corbit asked, looking around at my brothers and the other two soloists, Keedo, and Shatter Strike.


    "Gram and Healia will be staying here while we travel, along with my parents. Things will run as normal while we are gonna and we will be able to upgrade the Guild while we are gone. We will have to get it up to three levels and collect an artifact so we can create a Waystone. After that, Healia says we cane back here in the blink of an eye."


    This was something that would be necessary since it was already going to take us two and a half weeks just to get to Dyster. Then we had to get stronger and make friends with a local Guild. There was also the part about even getting there in one piece.


    I had never had reason to travel outside of town, but the stories were less than encouraging. The biggest problem was people that didn''t want to go in dungeons or had been kicked out of Guilds. They prayed on travelers and acted worse than the monsters in the dungeons; stories of **** and murder were not umon. Even merchants traveled with armed escorts, and that was the task I had got us to earn extra money on the trip along with buying our own wagon.


    Everyone looked concerned, but I wasn''t that worried. We had a strong group, and if the bandits were strong enough, they would go and farm the dungeons like everyone else. No, we would just have to watch out for traps and other things of that nature. I felt bad for having to drag everyone along, but they all signed up for this when they joined the Guild.


    "Ah, this won''t be so bad! Think of it as a holiday! Dyster is a port city, so there will be lots of exports from the floating cities! K, You ever had the smoked fish they bring in? That''s the stuff right there! Smoked fish chunks!" Tim said, drifting off into dreams of the food.


    I wasn''t sure what he was talking about for the smoked fish, but I did know about the floating cities. They were a massive number of green hollow wood floating tforms that stretched to cover a huge area where people lived in small huts scattered across them. There were fifteen of them that were known, but being from ind and surrounded by mountains my entire life, it was hard to say.


    There could be othernds, and I could have the chance to get closer and hear stories about it. The thought was exciting, and the fact that I would get to share all these things with Lesha made it just that much better. I looked over to her and she smiled back, having her with me to get through this was really good. I was feeling the crushing weight bore of responsibility for having to drag everyone along, but now I was trying to think of it more in the way Tim was, as an adventure.


    "Say your goodbye and get going, Gastbo isn''t going to like waiting. I talked to him, so please be nice to him, we will need his business in the future. I will be able to make specialty items, but he is going to buy some of the dungeon supplies," My father said, rushing me out the door.


    "How can I say them with you pushing me out the door!" Iplied as my father literally pushed me out of my Guild.


    Everyone along with Gastbo and two other men, Mark and Kevin, both known and trusted Ruby Ranked Adventures Gastbo had hired for the round trip. He could hire more to rece us in Dyster, but it was good to have a few that you knew for the entire trip, or you could get robbed on your way back by the one that was supposed to protect you. A sad ce where you always had to n for betrayal, but this was the world we were born into.


    "Are you finally ready to go? It''s going to beunched soon and we haven''t even left the city! We will be lucky if we reach the foot of the mountains today!" Gastboined, but Tim spoke up.


    "And that is a good thing, besides humans lurking around, there are things in the wild just as bad as the monsters in the dungeon. It would be good if we camped well before the mountains, and then got an early start. Getting through the mountains in a single day is impossible but we can make it up to the highest part of the trail, and there should be a cabin where we can stay if it''s not upied."


    Gastbo nodded with a knowing look and then nodded to his driver. After that, he turned back to my father and gave him a nod, then turned back and got into his carriage with his two guards. The girls were getting into our carriage, but Tim and Corbit had asked to sit with the driver, and he was more than fine to havepany.


    I turned back and gave my father a hug, this was my first time really being away from him for my entire life. I was twenty-two, but it still felt like I was a kid leaving home for the first time, but I held myself together and said my goodbye.


    "Go get them, K! Come back twice as strong! We will all be waiting!"

 Chapter 43: Gem Hearts

    Chapter 43: Gem Hearts


    The ride out of the city was slow but smooth. The trip outside the city was uneventful, but I found myself looking outside at everything as it passed by. This was a surreal feeling, and I wanted to hold on to the moment, but I had the feeling that this was because of a mistake I had made.


    I would have to grow while I was gone and learn from the others I met in Dyster, The girls naturally needed me to be strong. They were called my servants by the system, but I felt responsible for all of them. That meant I would need to be strong enough to defend and protect them.


    This trip was going to be a long trek across basically a new world for me. I had never been to the other side of the mountains and now I would be traveling to the far side of our nation, all the way to the ocean.


    "What do you think it''s going to be like in the new city?" Mei asked from her spot leaning against my shoulder.


    Gloria had asked that Lesha sit with her, and I was fine with it. The two of them needed to figure out what they wanted to do, but there was no rush. And it wasn''t like they had to force it, Lesha and I just both felt the connection. Still, I was rooting for Gloria, even if it was just to coax her out of my bed.


    "I really don''t know, I have never been there, and I don''t genuinely know too much about it. The Seafolk only trade with them and Telporation''s docks and they supply most of Te with fish, but that''s all I know."


    "Dyster is a primary hub for Gem Divers, there are many people that make a living from harvesting the gems," Gloria exined.


    "Can anyone do it? It sounds interesting," Lesha asked, turning to Gloria.


    "Anyone can, but the way the gem hearts are created is the problem. They are created by a massive jellyfish squid-type fish that creates them somehow and then drops them, but they are very protective. Not only do they watch them closely, but they stay inrge groups and are extremely hard to kill."


    "So, then how do they harvest the hearts?" I asked, I was fully interested, but Mei have fallen asleep and slid into myp.


    "I don''t know that much, but from what I have heard, there is no exact way. It''s extremely dangerous, but what they pay for the colored sslike pearl is quite high. The price was high before, but now people are using them in weapon and armor crafting, so the price has exploded," Gloria exined, looking longingly at Mei asleep on myp.


    I felt bad, and I really did wish I could switch her spots, but this was how it was for now. Mei would warm up to Gloria. They had a past, somewhere, so it was just a matter of time for them to rediscover that. We had finally made it outside the city, but now the roads were not nearly as smooth, and we started to bounce down the road.


    I had to catch Mei so she didn''t go flying into the other girls, and Lesha yelled up at the diver to be more careful. That got someughs, and then the covered eye and Crimson Legion mark face of Tim/The de Guy popped into one of the side windows.


    "Sorrydies! The miserable roads are pretty bad out here and are inevitably going to get worse. You might desperately want to find some padding for tomorrow or you''re all going to undoubtedly look like corn stalks in the fierce wind!" Tim said grimly before pulling his head back up.


    "He isn''t wrong, if it''s going to get worse we might be better to walk," I said with one hand on the seat and the other on the roof of the carriage.


    Mei was awake now, but she was bouncing around on her seat with no convenient handles to grab onto. Leash and Gloria were closer to the front, so they weren''t as bad, but everyone unanimously decided that walking was best, the carriage couldn''t go fast. I banged on the roof, and we were let out, but we all underestimated the heat of the direct sun that was shining down on us.


    There was a wind, but it had been a lot more refreshing and cool inside. It only took an hour of walking and sweating to get everyone back inside. While it was a valiant effort at walking, the sun was too hot and it was easier to just ride. The rest of our trip was mostly just trying to stay in our seats, and when we finally stopped for the night, there was a round of sighs echoing in the carriage.


    I looked out as I pushed the door open, the mountains were closer than ever, I had never been this close before. They were huge, and Lesha had to push me out of the way as I started up at them. Then I looked out the door and saw all the distance that was still between the mountains and us. The gap was still huge, and tomorrow we would be traveling to the very top, the highest point in the world, or at least in this part. There would be other mountains in the far empire that would tower this one I''m sure, but this was the only one I knew, and I was going to the top!


    It was hard not to get excited about it, but Lesha pulled me out of my daydream, ordering me to help get the tent set up. I red at her, and she changed the order to help her, which made me smile brightly at her. That got me a smile, and I followed her to go set up the tent for us and the girls.


    Couldn''t even get my own tent!

 Chapter 44: Red Coat

    Chapter 44: Red Coat


    The Men had no trouble setting up their tents, but we needed them toe to help us. Leash and Gloria were the only ones that had any idea what they were doing, and neither had ever set up a tent this big. Mei and Lesha had found it in one of the storerooms, and Gram had said we could use it, just not how to use it.


    I got a fire going to help and Mei carried over wood, but I backed off as Kevin came over. He was one of the other bodyguards, and he brought over a tripod and hung arge pot from it over the fire. Next, he pulled out a small bottle and that''s when I noticed the tter of raw meat strips, cut-up tubers, and vegetables.


    I watched him pour some oil in and then wait. After the oil heated he tossed in the meat cooking it for a bit then adding the greens and tubers with some water, then finally some spice cubes. After he was done, Kevin stirred it, then put the lid on, it was already giving off a smell that promised greatness.


    Mei grabbed my arm, pulling me out of my trance, and I turned to see what she was trying to get me to look at. The tent was up and it was big, maybe four paces across, and I got up with Mei to go take a look. I pulled the p back and there were nketsid out in a long row making me groan and then re at Lesha.


    "We are out on the road, so we should be sleeping together so we can tell if someone is trying to get close to one of us. You will have to get used to this for a while," Lesha said with a tired look that said she didn''t like it any more than I did.


    The stew that Kevin made was really good, and Lesha had fresh bread and butter that Leana had given us to go with it. The meal filled us all up, and after we were done we all went straight to bed, except for the guard, they were going to take shifts watching. I had offered to help, but they said it would be better if we were ready to go if something happened during the day.


    I couldn''t fault the logic, but I was still going to feel a bit out of it tonight. After saying going night to Tim and Corbit, the girls and I all got into bed, I kept my dress on. I was on edge about the men watching over us, and ended up staying up most of the night listening for sounds that would nevere.


    "K, did you not get any sleep again? Did Mei keep you up this time?" Lesha asked, looking at the bags under my eyes as we took down the tent.


    I really hoped the ce at the top of the mountain wasn''t upied. It would be nice to be inside for one night, or until we could get to Presab. That was one of two small towns along the way to Dyster, and we would have to stop and get supplies for us and the animals. There we could get a room for sure, just had tost one more night, and we would be there.


    We got started on the road and soon were we making our way up into the mountains. We were all looking out the window, watching the cliff on one side and then switching sides to look down at the sheer drop. The path we traveled was a zig-zag all the way up, so we could track the entire trip up.


    All but Gloria were darting back and forth, and I was no exception. Right now I was just one of the girls, and the rest of them treated me that way. This was an experience all on its own being raised with all boys, and always feeling like I had something to prove. Now I was heading out into the world with my own sisters.


    The rest of the trip was smooth and it was just hitting the twilight and we crested the teau of the mountaintop. The cabin was there as promised, and there were no lights on which meant that no one was there, perfect. A great way to end a long day of being cooped up in the carriage; I was hoping we wouldn''t need to set up the tent, the air was thicker up here, and I didn''t want to do any extra work.


    We all unloaded from the carriages and started heading to the cabin, then it happened. Mark and Kevin were in the lead, and I heard the arrows fly, but could do nothing about it.


    The first hit Kevin''s shoulder and the second was into Mark''s thigh, both non-vital strikes. I got the girls behind me and I watched silhouetted figures walk out from behind rocks. They were holding drawn bows, and I could feel Lesha pressing at my side for action, but we needed to wait.


    "Thank you for bringing me all this fine cargo and beautiful women! You merchants really are the best! Too bad you''re only useful for a one-time use!" A thin man in a red coat that was too big for him, and white pants too small, but this was what I was weighting for.


    "K! Help! They are going to kill me!" Gastbo cried.


    I drank deeply from each girl, strawberry, lemon, mint chocte, and I could feel the violence that was about to be done in the killing intent projected from each girl.


    "Kill the little fat man!" The leader yelled, but they were already dead and Gastbo was running over to me, they had knives sticking out of the eye sockets.


    "Attack the...gurgle," The leader tried to say but a de was sticking out of his throat.


    "Don''t worry, K, I got yeah back!" Tim called as the girls rushed past me.


    They picked the wrong group to mess with.

 Chapter 45: Silent Forest

    Chapter 45: Silent Forest


    There were twelve bandits in total, and after collecting the blood, I was at a full tank. I went over and pulled each arrow out and used the spell Heal. Both thanked me, and Kevin promised more good food along the trip. Gastbo was of two minds on the matter of me and our party, but there was no denying that we saved his life. He was thankful, but scared of me and the girls now, which was fine.


    We just had to keep our end of the deal up until we got to Dyster, and then he would be on his way back. For now, I just wanted sleep, the transfer of Mana when I healed had exhausted me, and I would have to be careful about how I used it in the future. Ideally, testing it would be the best route, but I would have to cut myself to heal something without asking another.


    Unless ambushes like this were a normal thing, and if that was the cause I might get more practice than I wanted. We moved the wagons close to the cabin and Mark and Kevin had already checked the cabin and it was deserted. I got everyone inside and Corbit offered to get the wood, then he came in to get the fire started.


    "Sorry I didn''t do anything. Tim told me just to stay hidden," Corbit exined as he struck some flint, getting the fire going the first time.


    "He was right, they had bows, and these ribbons only work in the dungeons. If you die out here, there is noing back. We are still all learning so you should y to your strengths and it''s best if you don''t try to fight rangedbat head-on unless I have their attention."


    Corbit didn''t say anything, but he had a smile on his face as he walked away. Lesha came over and stood behind me putting hands on my arms, and I leaned back into her arms. I was starting to feel drowsy, and that was the third time I had used the spell since learning it.


    Lesha guided me to a couch, and I sat down with her help. Now I knew how Mei had felt after using her magic so much the other day, the feeling was like a grow tired that was slowly trying to im me. I wasn''t able to stay awake for the food, instead, I drifted into sleep tucked into Lesha''s arms. Together we let the night gently drift away.


    The next morning it was Lesha in my arms, and I woke her up with a passionate kiss and some yful hip and breast grabbing. Soon, we could hear the sounds of men and the two of us sat up from the couch and straightened our clothes out. Corbit and Mark walked in from outside and smiled at us.


    "Did you two have a good sleep? You two make a good couple, nice to see, but Gastbo is ready to go, and everyone else is packed up," Mark said with a smile while scratching the back of his head.


    Both of us jumped up and headed out with the men, I didn''t think we had slept that long or I would have got up right away. It was almost embarrassing being thest ones up, but no one, not even Gastbo wasining about our slow start. The girls were waiting for us in the carriage, both had small but knowing smiles as we got in and started to travel down the hill.


    "Did you two have a good sleep?" Gloria asked me, raising an eyebrow at me, but I could see how Mei was lying against her, smiling.


    "Did you two have a good sleep? Didn''t you have the bedroom alone?" I asked, stretching to wrap my arms around Lesha and kissing her cheek.


    That made the two of them separate and look away from each other, and I raised my eyebrow, but my attention was drawn to the fog-covered forest that stretched out below us. I almost climbed over Lesha until she switched ces, swatting my backside as I passed, but I was glued to the scenery that we were descending into.


    "Pretty amazing, even from up here there is no end in sight for the sea of forest, but only because of the fog."


    I looked up to the front where Tim was looking out into the forest.


    "We will need to start paying attention now, there are things far worse than men in this forest. Keep everyone on alert, I am going to go upfront, maybe you shoulde and sit up here. We should make it through the Silent Forest today, but we need to expect trouble fromrge green panthers that blend into the environment. I have already seen some, and that means that they have seen us," Tim exined while getting the driver to stop.


    We were halfway down the mountain, and when we stopped Tim went upfront. I sent Corbit in, and Lesha joined me with our driver, Gerald. I was starting to feel tension building, and I was looking almost frantically for some sign of movement, but our driver''s voice calmed me down.


    "Don''t try to find them, just keep your eyes out. Your job is to stop them before they get to us, but we aren''t at the bottom yet. Let your mind get used to the dark greens, they are a lighter color," Gerald exined.


    "You know a lot about these things?" I asked, while still looking around.


    "Oh, you could say this isn''t my first trip down the mountain," Gerald said, pulling back one of his sleeves to reveal his forearm that had arge chunk of it missing, healed over, and scar tissue now.


    The part missing was massive, meaning the head would be three to four times the size of my own. My nerves were starting toe back, but I had to stay strong.


    "Okay, girls, and Corbit, let us know if you see movement, the more people watching, the more warning we will have!"

 Chapter 46: Get-Rich-Quick-Scheme

    Chapter 46: Get-Rich-Quick-Scheme


    The name Silent Forest was no understatement. There was barely even the sound of insects, besides some low humming. The only real sounds were the horses, the carriage, and the wagons. I was on high alert, and I was stretching my senses to the limit, but I wasn''t hearing or seeing anything.


    "They coulde at any time, but they will most likelye right before we leave the forest. They will try to turn us around and then pick us off one at a time," Gerald exined while he kept his eyes forward.


    "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked with a strained voice.


    "No, it''s to prepare you so you know what will be happening. We can''t get turned around, so it will be your job to keep the path clear or they will try to spook the horses. These things are smart, but If we know what they are going to try and do, then we can n and be smarter."


    That was true, and I felt a bit silly for challenging him when he was only trying to help me get a better understanding of the situation. This ce was starting to get to me, and I couldn''t wait to get out into the open country again. Not being able to see more than five meters to either side was starting to make me feel ustrophobic and only Lesha reaching over and putting a hand on my shoulder calmed me down.


    Then I happened, light green objects started to move and rush towards us. I called out and sucked in blood from all three girls, then using that same blood to create a blood armor shield-like red steel. The other girls also grew the red armor, but the telet Service was Gloria''s and she was covered in full te.


    The first two panthers had sharp spikes that drove up into them, then they disappeared in puffs of blue smoke, but the damage was done. Still, there were moreing, so I leapt from the top and rolled on the ground as Indeding back up into a full run to catch up with Gloria, who was at the head of the wagon already fighting two of the two meters tall green cats creatures.


    I used red blood to boost my leg strength and smashed into the side of one of the panthers that were trying to attack Gloria, and then Gobby jumped from me andtched onto the cat with a mouth that kept getting bigger until he swallowed the whole thing, then we let the carriage get by, but followed along the sides.


    Lesha had stayed back and protected Everyone else and did a great job. We still ran the wagon train out of the forest to show the panthers that going for another round wasn''t going to be good for them.


    When we finally made our way out of the forest, the break from the fog and poor light was like a massive breath of fresh air. The tension finally started to leave, but I was still looking around. It would be out kind of luck for another band of bandits to be waiting for us down here, but there wasn''t.


    We all got back into the wagon, but I still felt good, the fighting hadn''t taken that much out of me, and I was able to restore my blood reserve to full. So, no chills, or anything like that, but the road wasn''t smooth like the mountains path, now we were back to the rough riding. For healing them, Kevin and Mark had made us cushion from weaved grass and packed with more grass.


    They weren''t something that could be used for a long time, but they did the job they needed to for the length of a trip we were on. We had all thanked them, and now I was silently doing that again. The rough ride was made a lot better with some kind of cushion, and Lesha wasying on my shoulder as Mei was exining how she ''got the first two.


    We made it into Presab by nightfall, but it was worth pushing the extra distance to have a safe ce to sleep tonight. After the crazy ride through the Silent Forest, I was hoping there would be a bath or at least a ce to rise off.


    After finding a ce that would be stable and let Mark, Kevin, and Gastbo stay with the carriages. We entered the Inn a few buildings down called The Dawn''s Edge and got three rooms, but we all sat in themons room before going up to our rooms. We had only snacked on dried meats and some bread all day so now was time to get a real meal.


    Lesha asked me to try the bacon white sauce pasta dish the ce was famous for, and soon it was a unanimous choice around the table. Even the boys chose the same, so the waitress had an easy order, plus water all around for the working people. We could still get called to help at any time.


    After our orders were taken, there was some more talk about the Gem Heart diver and different ideas, but I was just enjoying the moment. Plus, I already had a get-rich-quick scheme figured out for the hearts. No, I just wanted to enjoy this moment of peace. We finally got our food brought out to us and everyone dug in.


    Weird sensual and just in wrong sounds came from our table as everyone enjoyed their food just a little too much! I was no exception, it was creamy cheesy but the salt and smoke of the bacon make the sauce less thick. I just really all worked together, and there was no doubt about the level of enjoyment at this table.


    Each of us went to lean back from our tes like stacking blocks, but then we all shot up as someone ran into the Inn and started to yell.


    "There has been another one killed with all the blood sucked out of the body!" The man cried.

 Chapter 47: Monsters

    Chapter 47: Monsters


    That made everyone at the table sit up straight and turn to the man that had just cried murder. All the blood drained from them? I looked at the men and made eye contact with Tim.


    "Go watch Gastbo with Corbit, we will go check it out. I want to know what this thing is that I can do what I can. I wille and find you when it''s done."


    Tim nodded and dragged a sulking Corbit who was also hoping to was up, but there was no rest for the wicked. I turned and nodded to the girls, and they all got up with me as I went to go see the person who was surrounded by other townspeople. I pushed through them as the man described the man as a dried husk that he had found.


    "I just saw Carl earlier today bringing in produce to trade, the poor guy must have stopped for a drink at Flea''s Bar before heading back home. His wagon is still parked just outside of town, and this is the second time this has happened!" The crierined.


    "Take us to where the body is, I deal with blood, and I would like to examine the body to find out what could that do to a body. Do you mind?"


    The man was not good-looking, a bit on the homely side, Still, when giving the chance to escort four beautiful women to a murder sight, the man could only nod.


    The rest of you please stay behind, I would like to try to catch whatever did this, but I won''t be able to do that if you are all following me, okay?" I asked the gathered crowd.


    There was some grumbling, but everyone agreed that it would be best if we could catch whatever it is that is killing the town''s folk while we were here. With that settled, our group was led by Fin, the Crier, and we walked about four roads over and ended up near the outside edge of town. The small building known as Flea''s bar had a back alley, and that was where the crime had taken ce, so I left Gloria and Mei in the front.


    Lesha came with me and this way if they were by some strange chance still in the Bar, we had both exits watched. Fin led us to the backne, and both Lesha and I put our hands to our faces.


    The smell of piss was rank, the day was still warm, even in the dark, and the urine was almost more than a person could handle. Lesha pulled out two rags and handed me one, but I gave her a look as I took it.


    "I thought the body might stink, there is a bit of perfume on it to help," Lesha said as she put her face into the cloth she was holding.


    "Sorry, the men around here just step out back for a piss. The body is over there," Fin said, pointing at something that looked like a lump of trash.


    "Thanks, you can go, be careful. Whatever did this is still out there somewhere, so warn people to stay together and not to go out at night."


    The man smiled and left the two of us to go investigate, but I looked around first. There were many low buildings, but there were a couple with second-story sections that had shadowed spots. They were hard to get a good look at, but my eyes were able to pierce the darkness, but I didn''t find anything.


    "Let''s go, if it''s still here, I can''t see it. Let''s go check the body, and confirm how it happened."


    Lesha nodded at me and the two of us walked over to the body, bending down to look at the dried-up man''s neck. The neck waspletely torn open, it was a bit but even the torn flesh was dried up. They must have ripped it to get the blood out faster, but what could do something like this that wasn''t me?


    ''A Vampire, the very same as the Blood Queen that lies deep inside of you. This thing is going to be trouble; what other monsters are in this world?'' -Drania.


    ''Vampire? Monsters? Those are things from the dungeons, we don''t have monsters. Unless you mean things like the Green Panthers?''


    ''No, If there are Vampires here then they were always here. Monsters can''t leave the dungeons, so there is no way that this couldn''t have been here...you need to prepare yourself! Vampires don''t tear throats like that! But Lycanthropes do!'' -Drania.


    That''s when I started to hear the low growl that rumbled my chest, it wasing from the end of the alley. I backed up and put a hand to Lesha to back her up slowly with me. The growling was getting close until a massive creature walked out on bent legs.


    "What is that?!" Lesha whispered harshly to me.


    ''Werewolf!'' -Drania.


    "Werewolf?"


    "K, and Lesha,e back to us, quick!" Gloria called.


    Both of us turned and ran, but it didn''t chase us. Still, we ran to get with the group, and we got ready for it toe, but it never did. As a group, we advanced on the alley, but there was nothing, and even when we looked at where we had seen the thinge from, there was nothing, not even tracks.


    We all headed back to the stables and exined to Tim and the others what had happened.


    "A Werewolf? This far down? They are normally in the north with all the other weird shit. Looks like we will have somepany for the next little while!" Tim said with a smile.


    "Company? It''s going to flow to us? Why are you smiling? The thing is massive and it drinks people''s blood!" I said with shock.


    "You drink blood and we think you''re alright. Plus, they are pretty much harmless, I bet the guy cheated him in cards! They only killed Vampires, and wildlife, like man''s best friend!" Tim said with another smile.


    Great, only doesn''t like vampires, great.

 Chapter 48: Harmless For The Most Part

    Chapter 48: Harmless For The Most Part


    I was restless, again, but this time my mind was filled with an image of that massive creature. It had been covered in fur and the creature did look simr to a wolf, but it stood like a man, with a wide chest.


    All four of us slept in the same room, and I didn''t mind this time. I was worked up about the Werewolf. From what Drania had said, I was a vampire, and that meant it was hunting me. That made me worry that I might try to target the girls, opening up another bag of rotten fruit in my mind.


    "K, you need to rx, there is nothing you can do about it. Comey down, you need to get some sleep," Lesha said from the bed, patting the sliver of the mattress I was expected to squeeze onto.


    She was right, and Iid down on the bed, somehow gaining enough room to be consideredfortable. I was worried it was going to take me forever to sleep, but in Lesha''s arms I was out like a candle in no time.


    Morning came, and I was surprised to be still on the bed, but I got up right away. I had got a decent sleep this time, and it was time to get on the road. The men would be waiting, so I got the girls all up and we said goodbyes to the Innkeeper as we left.


    The men had the carriages and wagon out and just hooking thest one back up. Corbit spotted use and gave a half-wave, and a forced smile. Last night''s sleep must not have been as good for him.


    For all of Tim''s bravado, they still slept out here with Mark, Kevin, and Gastbo. I was really surprised that Gastbo would choose to stay out here with the Werewolf around, but if something happened to his supplies, it could be his life in another way. This was a big trip for Gastbo, he only went twice a year, and when he went, he took all of the best items he had crafted at The Forge. So, for him to lose it could prevent him from paying the people working for him and material to make more things to sell.


    The whole system was hard for people like Gastbo, but he wasn''t the only one. It would be good to establish a way to do trade faster, but that was a problem for another day. It was time to go, so the four of us loaded back into the wagon.


    Today we would be camping outside at the river of Tarcord that came from Giyadel and then led out to the sea. The area was open, and there were armed guards at the bridge, making it a popr ce to camp, ording to Tim. He had popped his head down to let us know a bit about the next town, but I also had some more questions about the Werewolves and Vampires.


    "Greled is pretty small, but a bit bigger than the Persab, the town doesn''t have any special features, but they do have good honey, so we can get a jar or two, but they don''t have an Inn. The town is within a day''s ride from the city, so there was more trouble than it was worth to have even a bar in the town, but it isn''t dry. The town has just grown to be private, and that keeps Dysters riff-raff out," Tim exined from the floor of our carriage.


    He had the door open and both he and Corbit were sitting in the wide doorway. Tim had tied the door open, and the breeze that wasing inside was nice and refreshing. The day was warming up, but the breeze made it more than bearable.


    "As for the wolf, they are a tribe of people that are born with the ability to shift into monsters as you saw, but they are harmless for the most part. I do have to say that it is weird for one to kill twice in the same area. It''s highly unlikely that it was slighted and killed in the same twice, there must be something else going on."


    "We should have gone and found out more information about the other person killed!" Gloria said, clenching her fists.


    "K, might drink blood, but she isn''t a vampire, but now that she and Lesha have been seen, the creature might follow us. K, you might be setting off some kind of alert with it, I am sorry I didn''t take you more seriouslyst night. I will keep a watch up and I will watch for wolves, they can take the form of a normal wolf, but they are much bigger and easy to tell apart."


    I was d to hear my fears and worries hadn''t been unfounded, but we would be sleeping outside tonight, and that meant there would have to be watches posted all around the camp. I was starting to feel like a burden by attracting this monster to us, but we needed to know what it was.


    I could have never imagined that there were such things like this on the other side of my mountains. It felt like I had been living a sheltered life, and only now was I taking a step out into the great big world. I needed to get stronger, smarter, and push past my old limits, but there was so much to learn.


    "You''re not alone, you know that right? You don''t have to keep it bottled up inside. We all know this is new for you, and we are here to help. The wolf affects us all, something is attracting it to us, and maybe it is you, but we are a team and you are the Leader. We have your back," Lesha said squeezing my arm.


    The rest of the ride was quiet, and we reached The River of Tarcord just before sunset.

 Chapter 49: Thic Cream And Island Sugar

    Chapter 49: Thic Cream And Ind Sugar


    Everyone got the tents set up, but they were tight to the wagons. We had the horses posted up at either end of the row of three tents, and for some reason, Gastbo demanded that I put my tent in the middle. I was fine with it, but I still wondered why he would take a chance with being on the outside?


    "Why?"


    "Doesn''t matter! I said I would take you with me, but James would kill me slow if I let you get killed. So I will take the quick death from the Werewolf then what your father will do to me!" Gastbo told me, before turning and walking over to take a ce at the fire.


    I was left speechless, and it took Lesha grabbing my hand to shake me free of my shocked silence. I turned to her smile but stopped her from pulling me to the fire, I needed to find some tall grass or a tree. Lesha looked at me, and when I put my knees together and grabbed my wrist, she started to giggle.


    The other girls were at the fire with the men, so we went to the other side of the wagons, there was no one around. We were in arge clearing that was tight to the river and I could hear the sound of moving water as I looked into the line of trees. Lesha was behind me to give me a bit of privacy; whether or not that she had seen me naked, going to the bathroom was different! Outside at least, where you just wanted to get it done and over with.


    I pulled down my underwear and squatted down at the same time. I concentrated on the sound of the rushing water, trying to let ite, but then I concentrated on the line of trees about ten meters away. My eyes could pierce then night, and I could see far better than I ever could before, and there was no mistaking the yellow eyes, pointed furry ears, back, and tail.


    I was mid peep and it wasn''t rushing me yet, but the piss was non-stop like it was three days without relieving myself. The entire time, only the tail moved on the Wolf, it was not the same monster as before, but farrger than any wolf I had ever seen. I finally finished and pulled my underwear up, reaching back and touching Lesha.


    "It''s back," I said, but I tried to find it, and It was not where it was, but there had been smells like creamy fruit and something indy sweat, but the smells had been so faint. "Nevermind, it''s gone now."


    "Are you sure you are not just getting tired? Maybe you should turn in early tonight?" Lesha asked after taking my hands and then gave me a kiss.


    "Will you being with me? We haven''t really got much" I let my statement trail off, but she understood what I was trying to hint at.


    "I think we should wait until we have a safe ce in Dyster. I would hate to get something started and then have to stop, right?" Lesha asked me with a raised eyebrow.


    I wrapped my arms around her soft body with my legs bent, and pushed my face down into her soft breast, starting to kiss them. Lesha started tough and try to push me off.


    "I am willing to take the chance of some Werewolf interrupting us!" I said trying to sneak my hands up Lesha''s skirt.


    "Girls! Food is ready! Come get it!" Kevin called from the other side of the wagon.


    I was momentarily distracted and Lesha broke free and ran around the wagon. I went to follow, but instantly when I was on high alert, burning red blood and telets to make shields. I created the shield, just stopping a strike from something. Whatever had hit me was gone,pletely now, and I let my shield crumble out of my hand, and then put it to my cheek.


    Blood. A small cut, but whatever I had blocked had still managed to get me a little bit. The warning had been the smell, Tropical Ind, fresh, crisp, and sharp. Whatever it was, it was gone, but the other smell was still here the smooth, thick, and creamy smell. That had to be the wolf.


    ''Are they my servant?''


    ''Unfortunately, more than likely if you can smell them as a sweet smell that you enjoy because Werewolves smell like wet dogs, and Vampires have no smell, unless it is perfume. These two are going to be a constant thorn and will note quietly.'' -Drania.


    ''Well, that''s good, I was worried they were trying to kill me or something.''


    ''I never said they weren''t trying to kill you! Until you have them under your control, they are a danger to you and the people around you, but neither of them wille quietly. Once you take one of them the other is going to refuse toe near you, but you will need them both!'' -Drania.


    Great, I had two more servants, but they both wanted to kill me, and each other. I almost walked into Lesha on my way back to the fire, but she stopped me, grabbing my arms, and then putting a hand to my cheek where I had the small cut. Then she grabbed my head with both hands and licked my face.


    I struggled and pushed her off, but she was on me again, but not licking me with time.


    "What happened to you? Why were you taking so long? You were supposed to be right behind me! K!" Lesha shouted at me.


    "Hey! Something attacked me! Stop shouting at me!" I shouted back, Mei and Gloria were bothing over now to see what was going on.


    "What happened? Did the wolf attack you?" Gloria asked as she walked up with Mei beside her.


    "No the Werewolf is prowling around the camp. It was a vampire this time! Whatever that is, but both of them have smells like you girls, so there is that too."


    I looked over to Gloria who had gone silent, and she was white as a fresh bed sheet.

 Chapter 50: Black Root

    Chapter 50: ck Root


    "What''s wrong? You look like you''re going to be sick Gloria," Lesha said, leaving me and going to Gloria who looked scared.


    "There was a woman in ck following me, on my way to you, but she stopped when I went through the Silent Forest. K, she is deadly dangerous, and she left a trail of bodies behind me. More than once I was questioned concerning the murders, but they kept happening even when I was looked up, so they would have to let me go, but I would be asked to leave the town."


    "Did she ever attack you?" I asked walking up to Gloria.


    "No, but she would watch me. I had trouble sleeping, and there were times that I would chase after her when I would notice her, but she would just disappear in a ck mist," Gloria exined.


    "Well, we will all stay close, and keep guards. Did you see the wolf? Before this, I mean."


    "No, it was just the Lady in ck."


    "Can we eat?" Mei asked. "I''m starting to get hungry, and there aren''t any of the bad people here right now, so let''s eat!"


    Everyone had a short nervousugh and we went to sit at the fire. There was another stew tonight, and we had new bread supplies, so dinner was good, but I was constantly ncing back. They were both out there, hopefully not killing each other, but my encounter with the Lady in ck worried me.


    It was like I was attacked by the wind; I had been just able to get the blood shield up in time. Still, I had received a small cut, and I put my hand to my face, but the mark was gone. I was back in the tent with the girls; Lesha''s lick must have done something to the cut and healed it.


    I looked over to where Gloria was sitting behind Mei, brushing her long blonde hair. The pair looked cute, but I wish there was something I could do about Mei. Not only was she mentally a small girl, but she was underdeveloped. I was looking at the two of them and then I noticed something on the bottom of Mei''s foot.


    "Mei, do you have a splinter in your foot? How long has that been there?" I asked moving towards her, but then something happened with Mei.


    Mei''s normal rxed and calmposer was reced with a wicked smile and ring, and hate-filled eyes. I was close now, and I could see the ck circles with strange writing inside on them around the thorn. This was the thing that was doing it, and now he was here to try and do more damage.


    "HOLD HER DOWN! Make sure she can''t hurt herself! I COMMAND IT!" I shouted with tears stinging my eyes.


    Lesha and Gloria immediately pinned Mei down, and I went for my bag, grabbing my metal tweezers. I turned back and grabbed the foot, the ck thing was moving, but I grabbed onto it.


    "DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS ANYTHING? HAVE YOUR PET BACK, IF SHE SURVIVES! I WILL FIND YOU AND TAKE IT ALL AWAY. WATCH YOUR BACK, KIADA, I WILL BE COMING FOR YOU!" Mei roared out in a demonic and otherworldly voice.


    The thing I was pulling out of Mei was like a solid ck glossy weed root that never ended. After pulling half a meter of it out, Mei''s body went limp, and that''s when I pulled the blood from her and then girls. The vor bathed my tongue like silk, but I used all the gained blood on Eosinophil to target the root.


    A small pair of red spots appeared near the part that I had gripped in the tweezers, so I used my free hand to pinch the two dots together. Suddenly, the root pulled out Mei and she gasped as it shrunk into a five-centimeter dried-up root. Then Mei burst with light, blinding everyone that had gathered, which was the entire camp at this point.


    When the light cleared, the girls had let go of Mei, and that was good because there was a grown-up version of Meiying on the ground. I rushed to pull a nket over her and then turned to yell at the men, but only the tent p was still moving. I sighed and turned back, at least they had the decency to leave before I had to yell at them.


    Mei''s body had grown, but her cloth had not. Now she was taller with wider hips, and breast the same size as Gloria, just a size under Lesha. Mei still looked a bit confused, but then she looked up at Gloria.


    My breath caught, and I''m sure Gloria was having trouble breathing right now. Mei was staring into her eyes, deep in, and I was sure she was seeing the shes. A small smile started on her face as tears started toe, and then Mei leaned in and pressed her lips into Gloria''s.


    I was concerned for Gloria at this point, but then she pulled away and gasped in a deep breath of air. She attacked Mei and they were a fury of arms and legs, kissing, touching, and grabbing in ce that made both Lesha and I make hasty retreats. These two needed a bit of alone time, Gloria had been left at the edge of her seat wondering if her Mei would evere back.


    Still, I could help, but feel a bit of jealousy in the way they were just going at it like animals. Lesha and I...it was awkward, but I still enjoyed it, but the way those two just tear into each other was a bit of a turn-on. I wanted Lesha to want me that much; to want to tear my clothes off and take every part of me with her soft


    "We will get our time," Lesha said, kissing the back of my neck that sent shivers down my back, but made me warm up at the same time.


    She slipped her arms around my waist and put her head on my shoulder. I hoped that our time would be sooner thanter, but I was just happy that Mei was going to be whatever her normal was. Tomorrow was going to be a different day, just how different was yet to be determined.


    [If you would like to read what happens with Mei and Gloria, check out Kiada''s XXX chapters]

 Chapter 51: Eye Of Celaphite

    Chapter 51: Eye Of Cphite


    Mie hade and got us after, but the room had an odor of hot sex, and I had a hard time getting to sleep. Lesha let me cuddle her, but I felt like I was being cheated, and every time I tried to slide my hands somewhere they were just pushed unconsciously away by my softly snoring lover. I finally had to get up and go outside to get some air.


    Since I wasn''t going to sleep and Lesha was not having any part of my needs, but I couldn''t just go find a corner to masturbate like Mei. So, the next best thing was to get up and try to get my mind off it. I peeked out of the tent and saw Tim and Kevin sitting down at the fire. Both of them looked like they were almost asleep, but then they both shot up and I almost pissed myself as Gobby flew off my bootnding between me and the men.


    "Tada! Hey! Don''t point those sharp things at me! We are all friends here! Even...wait how did you get ahold of a Cetaphite eye? That''s one handy eyeball you got there! That means you even killed one! Holy cow! And you''re still...human?" Gobby asked, bouncing around Tim.


    Kevin almost fell over the log trying to back away from Tim. I was surprised to see him look that way just from the mention of it. What was a Cetaphite?


    "Awe you rotten little ball of blood! Why did you have to tell them? If you know about the Cetaphite, then you know what I had to do to get this damn cursed thing!" Tim snapped at Gobby, but that didn''t faze my little ball of blood.


    "Yeah, I know. You have to kill it and then eat about a pound of its slimy flesh raw. Then you have to tear your eye out of your head, and then force the eye that is three times bigger than you own into the socket. Oh, and this all has to be done within fifteen minutes of killing or it explodes like a bomb with a st radius of about a klick, give or take, right?" Gobby asked hopefully, and Tim sighed.


    "Yes, that is precisely how it had to be done, the only difference is that I had only one eye to start with when I set out to find this thing. Lost it in the war."


    Tim stopped there and then turned his head back to Kevin.


    "And, no it only works if the eye is open and the blind is off, so don''t worry. I won''t make you have boiling skin and your eyes bleed while shitting your guts out, you''re safe."


    "Oh, thanks I feel so much better, I am going to get Mark to trade shifts," Kevin said in a bit of a huff.


    "I will get him when I am ready for bed, I will sit up and keep watch. I was having trouble falling asleep anyways."


    Kevin thanked me, and then headed to his tent, checking the horses before turning in. I waited for him to leave, and then I turned to Tim, who rolled his one eye.


    "Fine, I will tell you now that your little friend let the cat out of the bag! What did you have to go and say that for? Kevin was a nice guy, and now he will never look at me again, just like everyone else that finds out. I would say I''m surprised to see you still looking at me, but you don''t know any better," Tim said with a sigh while using a stick to stir and push the unburnt pieces into the middle of the fire and then added more wood."


    "No, I know what it is now. Well, partially from the stories I have heard and your description line up, but I also have heard that we both have to make eye contact for it to work. Am I close?"


    "Woah, you are a different one, but if you know what I can do with these things, then why are you still looking at me?" Tim asked, now looking curious.


    "Really? Are you asking the woman that could turn you into a dried husk, or just go Vampire and kill everyone in a ten-kilometer area? I also can target weak points, make myself four times stronger, and create bone armor, while raising the dead and things like Gobby. Here is the real question, how can you all stand to be around me?"


    I wasn''t kidding either, I truly wondered what made someone like Tim, a person who was stronger than before I got my system, would want to be near me.


    "I can''t speak for others, but for myself, I follow you because you''re the first person to treat me as a person and not another cold-blooded killer. I didn''t know you had powers until we went to the dungeon, and to see that you are another, don''t mind me saying this, but, a monster like me," Tim said, staring into the fire, giving a dramatic pause. "That sealed it for me, and I hoped that when I did tell you that you would understand. You know, it''s nice to be right every once in a while!"


    I smiled at Tim and then stared into the fire as he did before. He was right, it was nice to have another monster with us, but in time there would be more. Those two were still out there somewhere, and I could still smell a hint of the thick sweet cream, so the wolf was still close, but there was no trace of the fruity ind breeze.


    "You should get some rest, K. Tomorrow the world is going to get a bit more dangerous. The path ahead is going to show you the rest of the world that has been hidden from you. Things in Healia have been pretty easy for you, but the rest of the world isn''t like that," Tim told me as he pulled out an apple and knife, starting to peel it.


    I left him there, and headed back to bed, waking up Mark to take my spot. I crawled back into bed and slid between Lesha and Gloria, who had Mei tucked into her chest. Iid down and was fast asleep right after my head hit the pillow.

 Chapter 52: The Fog

    Chapter 52: The Fog


    After the tents were loaded and the wagon and carriages were hooked to the horses, we headed back to the bridge. It was still very early in the morning, but the guards were out on the bridge already. Five men with white painted armor and green under clothing stood at attention holding long poleaxe halberds. There was one other man, a bit shorter and rounder, but he looked like a happy guy.


    "Good day to you all, and wee to the Tarcord Crossing, five gold per Carriage and ten for the wagon. That''s a fair price to sleep safely for one night in the wilderness, right?" The little man asked Gastbo.


    The bridge was wide enough to fit four wagons on so we had all lined up beside each other. I could hear Gerald muttering something about gouging, but then he horked-up spit, and I stopped listening. Lesha was sitting beside me and we had brought nkets and pillows, it was a bit cooler than normal and there was some fog out.


    Mei was curled up on the bench sleeping in Gloria''sp. She was slowly running her fingers through Mei''s hair while looking out the window. Gloria was smiling, and I knew it was more than because she had a good night. Mei was no longer a half-grown child, she was a woman, just the same as the rest of us, but she was still Mei for the most part.


    I heard Gastboin, but in the end, the guard captain was paid his twenty gold and we proceeded across the bridge. So far, this was my favorite part of the trip, the mountain would have taken first, but the bandits ruined it. No, the rushing water and the very smooth stone we traveled over were rxing, and I slowly drifted off.


    Suddenly, we stopped, I was asleep, ugh...what''s going on? I had put my arms out to the side, bracing them on the carriage, and I stopped both Lesha and me from toppling over. The fog was very thick, like rolling into the cabin thick.


    Gloria was already opening the door, but Mei was still rubbing her eyes.


    "What happened?" Lesha asked, rubbing her eyes as well.


    "I don''t know, stay with Mei, and I will go with Gloria," I told Lesha as I got up and followed Gloria before she disappeared into the fog.


    "Stay back here with everyone, I will go with Gloria," Tim said, disappearing into the fog.


    It was very quiet, and I wasn''t liking the zero visibility. Suddenly, Gloria and Tim were back, jogging and breathing heavy.


    "Is everything okay?"


    "Hmm, hard to say, there was a tree down on the road. Might have just been a fallen tree, but if there are more, we could have just walked into a trap," Tim said when they were close.


    "Do you think they will put the logs back to keep us from running and try to trap us? That makes sense, but is there another way for us to go? And is this ce always this foggy?" I asked, looking around, but then I could see off in the distance the sun starting to break, and sighed in relief.


    "There is your answers, I am going up front, but I think that Corbit should get in the back with Lesha and Mei."


    "I will ride up with you, K. I don''t know if seeing will make this better, I think the tree was something else, like a way to slow us down. This area has strange and dangerous things. These are swamps and there are giant crocodiles that like to eat horses, but they stay dormant in the fog," Gloria exined to me across Gerald and he just nodded along.


    That was when the sun started to really break free from the clouds and the fog was starting to get burned off.


    We had to stop again, another tree, and the fog was starting to clear, but that''s when I saw what was going on. There was a tree knocked down every twenty to thirty meters down the road.


    "This has to be the work of one of those girls, can''t we just kill them?" Gloria asked me with a raised eyebrow that made Gedugh.


    "No, we don''t know which one did it, and they are both pretty strong, so it isn''t like we can just go and do that. They might be acting crazy, but we know them somehow. Right now, I think we should focus on what''s important."


    There were four massive long gray scaled lizards with long broad mouths. They had long teeth poking out and looked very angry like something had woken them up, lucky us. I looked over and Gloria looked at me.


    "Cut the trees with your sword and we will have to run ahead. They will just have to keep up," I told Gloria and she reached back for her sword.


    We both ran forward and I drew in the chocte mint blood that left a cool and fresh taste in my throat. Gloria burst forward, running with her big sword towards the tree. A single strike split it and then she kicked one side before running ahead, and I kicked the other at a giant crocodile getting close.


    "Keep going! We will clear the way, protect the ones in the back!" I said as I ran forward and kicked another log out of the way, hitting another one.


    After almost an hour, we finally broke from the swamp and back out onto the open ins. I was really d that we wouldn''t have toe back this way, that was more than enough of an experience.


    The trip had taken most of the day, and it was already starting to get into the afternoon. Hopefully, we could make it to a town or something, but Gloria told me that we would be sleeping outside for the next three days, and I sighed. The trip the rest of the day was uneventful, but near the end of the day, we stopped at a ce that had a wagon and a man with a donkey.


    "Howdy strangers, can I interest you in some of my fine items?"

 Chapter 53: Vamos!

    Chapter 53: Vamos!


    ck hair tied back with a long brown coat, the merchant was leaning against his wagon with anguid smile. He wasn''t overly tall, just a bit taller than me, but when I looked closely at his coat, I could see that it was made from very fine material. I wonder what kind of merchant would be sitting on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere?


    "The kind looking to meet the right people!"


    I was startled and red at the man, but he put his hands up.


    "Calm down, you had the look, so I assumed that was what you were thinking! I don''t mean to get off on the wrong foot! I''m Dyse, nice to meet you!" Dyse said, giving us a bow.


    "What are you peddling?" Tim asked, walking up.


    Lesha and I hade over to talk to the man when he called, and so far he seemed harmless. The part about him guessing my thoughts was a bit disconcerting, but that could be exined by my transparent expression I was probably giving off while I thought.


    "Well, you look like the type of man that knows his way around a sharp point, so I think that I have just the thing for you! Check out these bad boys!" Dyse pulled out a heavy-looking roll of ck cloth about six centimeters wide.


    "Ooo, what''s that supposed to be?" Tim asked in an overly enthusiastic voice that I hadn''t heard from him before now.


    "Oh ho ho ho! This my friend is the Belt Knifer! Try one! See that tree over there!" Dyse handed Tim one of the ck rolls and pointed at arge tree about ten meters away. "Put the loop on your hand and whip it out at that tree!"


    Tim didn''t ask any questions but instead looked at the rolled cloth, examining it. After he slid it onto his wrist, Tim whipped the roll forward with an underhanded motion at the tree. I watched as it extended out, and with my good sight, I could see small pocket-like bumps running down the cloth.


    When it was fully extended, it made a quick snapping noise, and then eight small des flew out of the pockets. Every one of them thunked into the tree, and I thought poor Tim''s only good eye was going to fall out of his head. The whip snapped again and rolled back to its original shape of being curled up.


    "Pretty cool, huh? You can wear them as belts, and they will stay on, then you can just whip them out! Not ideal for closebat, but from the jinglesing from your coat there, I would say your close range is pretty good!"


    "What do I owe you for this?" Tim asked while staring at the strap rolled up in his hand with awe.


    "Let''s just wait about prices, I got more stuff! We can talk about deals and favors after you see what I got!"


    Dyse turned and dove into the back of his covered wagon and started to bang around looking for something. I looked over at Lesha, but she just shrugged at me.


    "I don''t know, he seems harmless, but something about him seems familiar. Not like I know him, but someone like him. It''s hard to exin."


    "No, I feel the same."


    Hm, that feeling was of a certain pervert, and now things were making sense about the name, but not why he was giving us stuff. This had to be the God Dyster, but what would he be doing all the way out here? Whatever it was, nothing good coulde from dealing with other gods, but I wanted to wait and see what he wanted for whatever else he was going to bring out.


    "Ha! Found it! Or It''s! And you figured me out! Good, no more charades!" The God of Disaster said, jumping out of his wagon with an armload full of small ten by ten-centimeter boxes. "Now, before you go turning me away just because big tittied Healia is your God! I''m not asking you toe and support me, but I would like you to help me get rid of a certain thorn in my backsidetely!"


    Corbit, Gloria, and Mei hade over now, and I looked over to Gloria to see what she thought. That was a waste of time, she looked like she was ready to go back and get her big sword. Mei was not even paying attention, and Corbit just looked lost.


    "What do you have in the boxes and who do you want us to get rid of?"


    "These? Leveling rings! Once you put these bad boys on you will be able to see how much experience you have and it will show you your skills! Isn''t that exciting?!" Dyster was jumping up and down now, nearly bursting with excitement.


    "Hey K! I heard of those rings! They go for five hundred gold each, and he isn''t kidding about the other stuff. The ring not only shows you your skill but makes it easier to use them. There are ten boxes there K!" Tim chirped at me, in almost the same excited tune as Dyster.


    Stupid men, that is why Dyster gave Tim the Belt Knifer''s first! Now he had one of our own cheating for him, but Tim wasn''t wrong. If the rings were that good, then I would be acting dumber than the men getting excited over sharp pointy things.


    "Okay, so we take the rings and such, then what? What is it that we have to do? Are you going to get us to kill someone?" I asked with suspicion.


    "You don''t have to kill them, but you might have to, it''s a bit of a pickle! Giyadel has sent followers to my city and they are causing trouble. So, I need them to Vamos, git, gone!" Dyster said, making a shooing motion with his hands.


    Oh, this was just asking for trouble.


    [Author here! Please vote if you like the book! helps me out more and I will release more chapters if we can get up there! Thank you in advance!]

 Chapter 54: Pecking Order

    Chapter 54: Pecking Order


    "I won''t kill them, but I will get them out if I have to hogtie them and send them off in the wagon, but do you know why they are bothering you? Are they even bothering you or is this just you not wanting them in your city?"


    "Ah, you see, they are trying to subvert my pretty patrons! Giayadel is a pig and a Lecherous beast. The men he sends are the most handsome that he can find and they are offered wonderful lives, but they are all lies. You know just as well as I do what a god can do to a moral, I can tell, mind-reading, annoying, I know right? Anyway, the moral of the story is, well I don''t have to say what he is doing to my people, but If I attack his followers, then he will go crying to the other gods, and they love to start shit," Dyster exined.


    "So, then If we do it is just an act of war for Healia against Giayadel?" I asked rhetorically.


    "Only if you kill them, and you said you wouldn''t. So, it doesn''t matter, look I gave you ten rings and knife boy the other Belt Knifer, so just try okay? I will talk to Granvel at the Ground Pounders Guild, you will like him and the boys! They are a good bunch, and I''ll let them know about your situation and they will know not to jest! Dyster said while tossing Tim the other roll and then handing us all the boxes.


    "What do you mean by our situation?" I asked, ring at him, forcing my eyes to glow red, but then I stepped back.


    "That you don''t like dick. Now, remember K, I am not Healia. Watch your mouth with me and don''t try to use your cheap party trick on me!" Dyster said in a deep and loud voice that did not match the body that it came from.


    I stepped back because both his eyes werepletely filled and spilling with a liquid green fire that rolled down his face.


    Suddenly tree''s started to fall, and the ground started to shake; what was going on? Gloria grabbed both Lesha and me and pulled us back from the angry God.


    Then it all stopped, and Dyster''s face was normal again.


    "Sorry, but I like to get the pecking order in line when ites to your type! I control disaster, remember that, but I have taken up enough of your time, you still have a couple days to travel! See you back in the city!"


    With that, Dyster pulled a t white stone with a blue circle on it. Dyster touched his wagon and then whispered something, and disappeared. It was almost like he had never even been here, except for the fallen trees.


    "That was stupid, K. Why did you ept those things! Now we have to stir up Trouble with Giayadel!" Gloriained as we got back in the wagon.


    "It will be fine, we aren''t killing them, but Giayadel is killing girls. Are you okay with that? We aren''t nearly strong enough to challenge any one of them right now, but if what he says is true, then I would have done it for free."


    That seemed to cool Gloria, but it got me fired up. What a pig of a god, he would be the first one I killed. Lesha put a hand on my arm, and I cooled a bit, but I was still bothered by what I had just heard from Dyster.


    It was just past midday and we ate some rations while talking about the new rings we had just got. I went and handed one out to each of the girls and I had given one to each of the boys. I had offered Mark and Kevin one each, but they had both declined and bowed their heads in respect to me.


    "No, that wouldn''t be right, we should be the ones giving you the rings, hehe. You all have been the ones protecting us, we are only the cooks and night watch! Thank you for the offer, but you should keep them, your Guild will growrge soon. Plus you have those rings so you can get experience for your ss outside of the dungeon," Kevin exined.


    I wanted to ask him another question, but I was too embarrassed, so I went to Tim instead. He already knew that I was pretty new to most things, so I didn''t mind asking him.


    "What is experience, like what it means for our sses. I mean I know that I am a tank and I''m supposed to draw the attacks of who we are fighting, right? But, then you said there were skills, and" I was going to keep asking, but Tim put his hand up to stop meughing.


    "Hold on there! One at a time! Okay, experience is what you gain from fighting monsters. At low levels, it has no effect on you, but after you get into emerald, your Guild Leader should help you get one. Since you skipped a couple steps, I will exin."


    "Can youe inside and exin it to everyone?" I asked, and he nodded.


    Soon even Corbit was in the back with us as we all piled in. The wagon was moving and the two men sat in the back and the four of us sat in the front, almost. Mei wasying across the three of us, sleeping again, with Gloria ying with her hair.


    "Okay, so most of this is pretty straightforward, and K, since you have already used the Guild System, this won''te as much of a surprise to you. For the rest of you, when you put the ring on there will be a blue border that surrounds your vision, don''t worry this is normal. Let''s just start by putting the rings on," Tim exined to us.


    I opened my box and poked Mei in the side to wake her up. Once I had the top of the box off, I pulled the small silver ring band. There was nothing descriptive or notable about them, they were just in silver bands.


    I slid mine on my finger.

 Chapter 55: Skills and Stuff

    Chapter 55: Skills and Stuff


    A blue border appeared around my vision, and it was distracting at first, but after looking around the color faded into the background. I looked down at my ring and there was a small bar above it.


    [Ruby 28%]


    Not overly descriptive, but it said what it needed to. Now, I wanted to know what skills I had, but the second I wanted to see my skills, a menu popped up with a list of five skills.


    [Shield Bash] Level 1


    Dash forward up to 2 meters and if you hit a creature that is one size bigger than you or smaller you will stun them temporarily for 3 seconds.


    [Battle Cry] Level 2


    Enemy creatures within 5 meters must focus all attacks on you for 20 seconds.


    [Rally] Level 1


    Allies within 3 meters from you gain increased Physical Damage and Physical Resistance. This effectsts for 30 seconds.


    [Physical Resistance](Passive) Level 1


    Gain an increased resistance to Physical Damage: 20% Damage reduction.


    [Magical Resistance](Passive) Level 1


    Gain an increased resistance to Magical Damage: 20% Damage reduction.


    "How do I close my skills?" I asked Tim.


    "Just will it closed. Good to see you already figured it out, how are the rest of you doing?"


    Gloria was sitting patiently exining to Mei, she must have figured it out already. Mei was looking side to side, but I could tell she was paying attention, she was just being Mei purely to frustrate Gloria. They were a cute couple, but then I got a whisper into my ear that tickled and almost made meugh out.


    "How do I do it?" Lesha whispered far too close to my ear.


    "Shh, not so close love, that tickles! Just think that you want to see your skills and they will appear," I told her as she looked forward and started to concentrate hard, but then she jumped back in surprise.


    She was so cute that I had to slide my hand into hers and kiss her cheek as she looked at her menu. I put my head on her shoulder and then she leaned hers into mine. It was nice to just rx like this, but I knew it couldn''tst, but I would take in every minute or second I could spend with her.


    "So, now you all know your skills, they should all be at level one, unless you have used them before. That won''t be very likely, but not impossible. Sometimes the intent is enough for the skill to work; just knowing what you want to do can also activate the skill," Tim exined.


    "I guess that I have used Battle Cry before because it''s at level two already."


    "Good, that is a very useful skill and can save lives. To use these skills you can do one of three things or all at the same time, it doesn''t matter. Say it, think it, or mean it, but if you n on using intent, I would still get in the habit of thinking it while you do it just to make sure the skill goes off. Nothing worse than going to use a skill at a crucial part and have it not work, that''s how people die."


    That was true, and I would get used to calling the skills out in my head. Calling the names of the skill out loud seemed a bit embarrassing. I could see some men doing it, and even maybe some women, like Mei might want to call out their spells out loud.


    "What about magic? How do we see our spells?" Corbit asked, looking at his ring trying to concentrate.


    "Magic is a bit different, and you can''t see your spells with this ring. I don''t know very much about it since I have no magic. The knowledge that I have is all learned from other people, but I think you have the spells stored inside of you and it ispletely different. From what I have heard, magic and sses don''t have anything to do with each other, and the only way to increase your power is to increase your devotion to your God, Healia."


    "Devotion? What? Do we have to pray to her more or bring her gifts? Tch, typical God," Gloria said as she was ideally braiding Mei''s hair.


    "No, you will have to talk to Healia about it when we get to Dyster in three more days. Maybe more depending on how things go in the next town. If we didn''t need supplies I would say that we should avoid the ce, but I can''t be helped," Tim said with a sigh.


    "What''s so bad about the town Greled?" Lesha asked.


    "The people of the town don''t have taverns or ces to stay because they don''t like travelers. It has gotten pretty bad since the dungeons appeared. Even before that the people treated travelers impolitely, now it has got to the point where it is almost not safe to go there anymore," Tim exined.


    "How far are we from there?" I asked.


    "Two days, but we will be okay, only you and I will go into town and get what we need. We will have to walk in, and the girls will have to watch the caravan while we are gone. Some real depraved people will do anything to make some quick coins. Best we can do is just get in and out and on our way."


    "Is there anything on the way? Like between here and Greled?"


    "I thought you would never ask! We can go and visit my parents tomorrow night, we will be very close to them!" Corbit said with excitement.


    I hadn''t been talking to him, but he seemed so excited that I could hardly tell him that I wasn''t speaking to him. I didn''t know that Corbit was from over here, but I had never asked him. I looked at Tim, and he nodded his head.


    "Sounds like a n, but what is the n for tonight?" I asked.


    "Not a lot of sleep, we will have to rest in shifts. This is bandit country."

 Chapter 56: Orange Armored Bug Monster!

    Chapter 56: Orange Armored Bug Monster!


    We started to get closer to the coast and I could smell a slight smell in the air. Tim had told me that it would smell salty as we got closer to the water, and I was interested to see it. Our carriage took a turn around some trees and then I was hit with a blinding light.


    The sun was going down and the reflection from the endless rolling water was burning into my eyes. I put my hand up and got a better angle to see and the view was breathtaking. For a person that had only ever seenkes and rivers, it was hard to describe what it was like being able to look out across the water and not see the other side.


    I turned myself and let Leshay back against my chest, and I wrapped my right arm around her waist. She put her head back beside me and pressed her cheek into mine. Then taking my other hand in hers and wrapping it around her waist. This was nice, and the two of us stayed like that until the road reached the water.


    From here, we would travel for a day along the coast, then head back ind to stop at Corbit''s parent''s farm. The boys had gotten back up top, and Gloria and Mei were both sleeping, Mei was cuddled into Gloria''s chest, using her breasts as pillows.


    I heard a tape from up top and I kissed Lesha before getting her up, then I shook Gloria''s knee to wake her. The girls had got about three hours of sleep, so they would be on the first watch with Mark and Kevin. After Lesha, Tim, and I would take the second watch and sleep in the carriage tomorrow, well we would.


    Tim hardly ever seemed to sleep, but maybe it had something to do with his eye. Now that I thought about it, I don''t think I had ever seen him sleep. Maybe I would ask Corbitter, but for now, we had to get out to help get camp set up.


    We had chosen an open ce not that far from the water but far enough off the main road that we wouldn''t be spotted if we kept the fire small and shielded. Tim told me it wouldn''t matter, there were already people watching us. He had told me not to look around for them, but I found it hard not to look. Still, even with my enhanced eyes, I couldn''t find anyone.


    "They are gone now, they will be backter when it''s our shift. Don''t worry about it, as I said before, anyone who is in this trade isn''t very good at their job. The best we can hope for is that they see the size of our party and decide to leave us be, but fat chance," Tim said, helping Gloria and me with our tent.


    "Or the Werewolf eats them, that would be okay as well. Maybe then she would be full for a while," Gloria said as she drove thest stake into the ground.


    "Do werewolves normally drink blood?" I asked, genuinely interested.


    "Not normally, but they do it to recharge their bodies if they are seriously injured, but most of the time they just eat meat or the same as us. Vampires, on the other hand, must drink human blood, animals won''t work, but I don''t know if they can drink humanoid monsters'' blood. I have never heard of a vampire going into a dungeon but that doesn''t mean it hasn''t happened," Tim exined.


    "Maybe the two have been fighting? I need to get them both reigned in before one kills the other. Plus I have two monsters I have never heard of before hunting me and that isn''t what I would call appealing."


    "Hey, they both are women, could be worse, am I right, haha!" Tim joked but I leveled a look at him that made him stopughing, but not smiling as he turned back to the fire Kevin was at preparing a stew.


    Kevin gave Tim a look, but didn''t say anything or try to get away. I wonder what made him change his mind?


    Lesha came over to me with Mei, and grabbed both Gloria and me, dragging us to the shore. Waves were rolling and crashing onto the sand that was covered with strange shells and smooth rocks. Lesha let go of Gloria and Mei took the lead, dragging Gloria with her up to the water.


    "Isn''t it nice? You have never been to open water like this, right?" Lesha asked standing beside me, holding my hand.


    I didn''t answer right away, I held onto the moment. There was a light breezeing from the water, and the smell of salt was a lot stronger here. The sun was gone now, and the twilight was fading.


    "No, I haven''t, but I am really d that I can be here with you. Thank you for finding me."


    "Finding you? You saved me, K. I wouldn''t be here if it wasn''t for you either! I am really happy to spend this and more with you," Lesha said as we turn to each other.


    The light had finally faded and now the night was setting in. I pulled Lesha into a kiss, feeling the wind pulling and tangling our hair. After the kiss, I put my forehead to hers and brushed my hand on her cheek.


    I was about to go in for another kiss, but then Mei yelped out a loud, OwO, and both of us turned quickly. Gloria was trying to get a weird-looking big orange bug that had an armored body off Mei''s finger. It had grabbed her with one of its armored ws; was that a monster outside of a dungeon?


    Gloria finally got it off and threw the beast in the water, and the two of us ran over. Mei''s finger was just red and a little scratched, but Gloria wouldn''t let me heal it.


    "What? Why not? That little monster could have some kind of poison or something! I have never seen something like that!" I said with concern.


    All three girls looked at me, even Mei, and started tough.

 Chapter 57: Laughing Ravens

    Chapter 57: Laughing Ravens


    "What''s so funny?" I was confused and the others were stillughing at me.


    Lesha came and pulled me down the beach until we found another of the little armored demons.


    "That is a crab and not a monster. They have a hard shell and then can pinch, but I am sure that Gloria had repeatedly told Mei to leave it alone. Mei needs to learn her lessons and Gloria will make sure of it. We just need to worry about us, okay?"


    I rolled my eyes, but Lesha grabbed me and kissed me, almost knocking me over in the process. Then I was led by the hand back to where Kevin already had food ready and waiting. I noticed that Gloria hade back with a moving bag, but when I asked her what she had, she grinned.


    I pulled back in revulsion when Gloria tried to shove the bag of crabs in my face. I pushed her away and scowled.


    "Why do you have a bag full of those little monsters?!" I asked while ring at Gloria, circling the fire.


    "Because the little demons taste good! Oh,e on, K! You can''t be scared of a little crab!" Gloria shouted while chasing me around the fire.


    The witch had one in each hand now, she had abandoned the bag beside Kevin who wasughing at the two of us. I finally got Lesha between the two of us, but she started to scream and kicked Gloria between the legs.


    "Oof!" Gloria uttered as she dropped the crabs and her eyes bulged, grabbing her crotch in pain and falling over.


    Lesha had got her good with the toes of her boot and now she was on the ground trying to see if Gloria was okay. Mei, Tim, Kevin, and Mark were all roaring withughter. Gloria got back up, holding her stomach, and then turned her death beam gaze on Mei and the men, who all shut up and found somewhere else to look.


    "I had thating, but wow, I have never been kicked there before. Wow, not something I want to try again! No amount of bracing can stop that gut-dropping feeling; I can kind of imagine how much it must hurt for a man to get his kicked with all that hanging around!" Gloria said as she was finally able to stand back up.


    After we gathered around the fire and ate some stew together. We talked, evenughing about Gloria and my little chase, and then Lesha''s shoe in for the victory. After we finished Lesha and I went to the tent and crawled into the bed we hand made.


    I was tired from the day, and It didn''t take long for me to fall asleep with Lesha''s warm back pressing into my chest.


    ------


    Mie woke me up by crawling on me and sticking her tongue in my ear. That made me freak out and I almost knocked Mei out with a solid elbow to the side of her head, sending her rolling off me.


    I sat up and wiped Mei''s slobber out of my ear, and gently woke Lesha up. Mei popped back up with a smile and looking fine. I rolled my eyes at her, but that just made the grin split her face more.


    "Get some sleep, and no fooling around with Gloria! We are expecting trouble tonight, so we might need both your help," I told Mei as Lesha and I pulled our boots on.


    "K! We only did it once! Don''t be so heartless! You know I have needs!" Meiined, and Lesha left the ten, so I went over to Mei and got up in her face.


    "I have needed to! I have done it the same amount of times as you have and yours sounded far more exciting sounding than mine!"


    Mei patted my arm to console me and smiled up.


    "Okay, I will keep my hand out of her pants, but those are the only promises I''m making. I told you I have needs," Mei said, giving me a serious look.


    I shook my head with a smile and kissed the little pervert on the forehead, then I headed back out to the fire where Gloria was justing from.


    "Goodnight, I don''t think I have to tell you not to screw around, but just don''t let Mei take advantage of you!" I joked to Gloria, and she smiled back at me, squeezing my arm as she passed.


    "Goodnight, K."


    Kevin and Mark were just saying goodnight to Lesha when I got to the fire, and the men said goodnight to me before leaving. Tim was justing out of his tent, but that''s when it happened.


    The forests on the other side of the fire started moving, and men started to walk out, a lot of them. Not only were there a lot of them, but they were big and looked strong.


    "Lesha,e!" I called and Lesha came back to me.


    Tim was just walking up beside me, and the others wereing out of the tents. Only Gastbo and Corbit remained in the tents. This was bad.


    "This isn''t good, they all have the same tattoo of a raven, Guild of The Laughing Ravens. They are assassins and bandits posing as a real Guild. The problem is that they are a real Guild and they can throw their status around to get away with murder on the daily from what I have heard. We need to be careful of these men," But I cut Tim off.


    Stay behind me," is all I said to him.


    I was full of blood and ready to use. If this group wanted to y, then my girls and I would teach these impotent fools a lesson on attacking from the dark. I waited until the biggest one stepped forward.


    "My name is Kal, I am not the Leader of The Laughing Ravens, but I am his second. Jester wishes to offer you a ce to work from while you stay in Dyster."


    "What?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

 Chapter 58: Against Gods

    Chapter 58: Against Gods


    "Why would you want to help us?" I asked with suspicion.


    "Can we sit down? Look, we will drop our weapons over here," Kal pointed to a spot on the ground where the men started to put their weapons down in piles. "We don''t want trouble, the exact opposite. Since you have already had a visit with Dyster it was important for us to talk with you before you got to the city."


    "Fine, but I am sending the girls back to bed, but I don''t need them to kill you all," I said, gesturing to the logs we had rolled up.


    "Hey, you don''t have to tell us twice, we already know about you. Red Legion Guild is big talk in Healia so we naturally heard about you, and youpleting the first dungeon! Very impressive, and not long before Jesterpleted the one here and earned his item," Kal exined.


    There were three logs rolled in a triangle around the fire, so Lesha, Tim, and I were the ones that put our back to the tent. Tim still straddled the log to watch the tents just in case.


    "Item?" I asked curiously.


    "I will let him tell you about that, he doesn''t share information freely, but that doesn''t mean he is a bad guy. We all get a bad name because we do the jobs that no one else will, but we don''t kill without purpose. Jester wants to give you a ce while you''re in the city, but he has his reasons. He wants to kill Dyster, and all the rest of the Gods by extension," Kal exined as we all sat around the fire.


    Now that was interesting, and it also lined up with what I was nning to do at some point anyway. This Jester sounded experienced, but was he just a crime boss that wanted to overthrow the Gods because it was inconvenient, or was it something else?


    "What reason would Jester have for wanting to kill Dyster besides making his life easier as a crime boss?" I asked, but then all the men started tough, except for Kal, and then they all soon quieted.


    "Jester is no crime boss, hell he doesn''t even like killing and we don''t do anything that doesn''t need to be done because of him. Jester was a normal adventure that was a soldier before that, a good and solid man, never did wrong. One day, he had gone to the dungeon after kissing his pregnant wife goodbye. Dyster was having a bad day and one of his natural disasters caused the house that Jester''s wife was in and five others on the block to copse. Jester returned home to find his wife and unborn child dead."


    Lesha gripped my hand tight as Kal told the story, and I could feel her start to shake at the end. I slipped my arm around her, but he wasn''t finished.


    "Jester spent the rest of his time from that point forward; onlying out to buy food rations with the spoils he earned. It took him three months of grinding until he was finally able to push through and im the core for himself. After that he came to our guild and killed the current master, not a big loss, Teim was a cold-blooded killer that would kill anyone if he was paid. The rest is history, or at least thest 2 months," Kal finished and leaned back on the log.


    "What about Giayadel''s followers, and the women?" I asked.


    I would hunt them down in my spare time if I had to. After hearing yet another story of callus Gods, I was starting to feel less reserved about killing them. I already had a sense of what Dyster was like with the way his temper had spiked when I challenged him, so the story was not hard to believe.


    "Jester will still help you deal with them, we know about it and we have been slowly making them disappear, but Giaydel just sends more. The men we kill are all wearing some type of mask that makes them look handsome when they are just hired thugs with silver tongues. Jester is working on ns to deal with them, but they are still in the works, for now, we need more information."


    "So then what do we do with the rings and Belt Knifer? How do we give them back?" I asked.


    This was a far better deal than what Dyster had offered, but then Dyster wasn''t that likely to help with a n for his own execution. Losing the rings would be unfortunate, but we could get more in the city, we would just have to get some more gold


    "Here, Jester told me to give these to me if you asked. He said that meant you understood what he was trying to do and would be willing to listen. I will take the rings back and then Jester will deliver them back to Dyster because he will not be happy that you refused him. Plus, Jester loves to take any chance to get under Dyster''s skin," Kal said with augh and walked over to hand me a handful of rings.


    "What about my Knifer?" Tim asked a bit reluctantly, but Kal was already pulling a small rectangr box with wrist straps.


    Tim''s eyes lit up and he looked at Kal with big eyes.


    "Jester knows about you too, and the Belt Knifer is good, and we can get you some, but this is what you need. This is the" Kal tried to say, but Tim cut him off.


    "Air Knife, are you serious? Isn''t this a tool only allowed to be used by members of your Guild?" Tim asked, not grabbing for the weapon yet.


    "Yes it is, but Jester has decided that since we will be working together it would be fine for you to borrow one for now, but I''ll need the pair of Belt Knifers you got on. Dyster tends to get a bit upset when he gets stood up on a deal," Kal said with a smile.


    Tim took his belts off and handed them over, trading for the Air Knife. This was not how I had expected this meeting to go, but I was relieved. And now I was more on track with my main goal, ridding the world of the invading Gods!

 Chapter 59: Platinum And Waystones

    Chapter 59: tinum And Waystones


    Kal and the rest of the men sat around the fire with us and told us some about Dyster and how to find them when we got into town. Kal pointed to a man with an eye patch on the same side as Tim.


    "This is Hershal, he will meet you at the edge of the city, but since we will be here for a couple hours still, Tim you should go for a walk with him to the beach. We already took care of the group that was set to jump you at night. Just to make sure no one else tries to have fun with you, we will hang around," Kal said.


    "K? You alright here?" Tim asked.


    "Of course, go ahead."


    Tim got up and walked to the beach with Hershal.


    "I am sure the boys will have a lot to talk about, I know Tim, and about the eye. Herschel did the same, but Hershal had a master who helped him kill the beast and then trained to hone the eye. Tim hasn''t, and killed it all, so, when you get to the city, I hope you don''t mind Hershal tagging along every once in and awhile."


    "I don''t think it would be that bad, but how will that work with my guild experience? Also, I won''tmit to anything until I have spoken to Jester. From what you have told me he sounds like a good person working with what he has, but these are just words."


    "Fair enough, but if things go well sounds like you won''t mind. Be good for the boy to have a mentor, and it won''t affect your experience," Kal said.


    "Boy? Are you talking about Corbit?" I was confused.


    "You haven''t asked him, have you? Tim''s only seventeen. Two years ago he killed the Cphite and then joined the war. The eye can give you deadly power but like all power in this world, Ites with a price. You lose about fifteen to twenty years of your life."


    "What would make someone want to do that?" Lesha asked with a worried look.


    "That miss is none of my business, and only yours if he wants it to be. I can tell you as much as I did because I could have been talking about Hershal. Well, except for that age, that was just me putting my nose where it doesn''t belong, haha, but you should know. I knew his parents, but that''s another one of those not my stories to tell," Kal said, going quiet.


    Lesha squeezed my hand, but I was still shocked. It didn''t matter, he was a member, just like Corbit. On the plus side, Mei had grown up, kind of. The Red Legion was starting to look more like an orphanage with each new day.


    Though, maybe that is what a guild was, or should be. Maybe not an orphanage, but a ce that the adventuring outcast and even the ones that had homes coulde. They could know that they had the support of their friends and peers.


    The ribbons were a big part of the appeal now, but having people going in without experience wasn''t good. The same thing was true of a party that has no concern for them will just end up getting them killed anyway. If they can''t work for a week then the guild has to pay for that, and most would just kick them out.


    "Thank you for letting me know, and yes, if everything goes well, I will have no problem with Hershal tagging along."


    "That''s good to hear," came a raspy voice from the shore.


    I turn to see Tim and Hershaling back from the water. I wonder just how old he was, he looked to be in his forties but sounded like he was nearly sixty. I turned back and the men were all getting up and going over to pick up their weapons.


    "Pleasure meeting you K. Jester and I look forward to seeing you when you get back."


    Kal smiled at me and then pulled a medallion out, identical to Dyster''s. Healia had said something about it.


    "What is that?" I asked Kal as his men were gathering around.


    "As much as we don''t like to admit it, we have sworn devotion to Dyster for this and this reason alone. The Waystone is one of the most useful tools for an adventure, but you have to be pledged to a god to use one. Once you''re in the city I will help you get one if you have the cash. They aren''t cheap, so you might have to dig up some Gem Hearts or go grind the dungeon to afford one."


    "How much would it cost? I did bring some gold" I was cut off with a number that made me choke on my words.


    "Eighty-Five tinum, haha. Now if you had eighty-five thousand gold pieces with you that would be pretty crazy. Plus, being in Healia your whole life, you have probably only heard of them."


    Kal dug into his pocket and pulled out a coin that was a t silver color and it didn''t really shine. He flipped the coins to me, and I caught it easily, making him smile.


    "Keep it. Consider it a pre partnership bonus or something. Nice catch by the way, when you get to the city I will show you some tricks about being a tank," Kal said with a smile.


    "Wait, you''re a tank? Where is your shield?" I asked as thest of the men gathered around Kal.


    "Ha, girl! Not all tanks like shields!"


    And with that, Kal whispered something and winked out of existence, along with the rest of the men. I turned to Lesha, she was starting to look sleepy, but the dawn was starting to lighten the sky. It would be time to go soon.


    "What do you think?" I asked her.


    "Just like you said, they seem good, but most people try to put on a show. Though, if it was a show, they are pretty good actors, but they are killers. Who knows until we talk with Jester. I am just d that we don''t have to be indebted to Dyster, and so will Gloria."


    That was true and she would also be excited about the n to kill Dyster. It was now time to get everyone up and back on the road.

 Chapter 60: Art Expert

    Chapter 60: Art Expert


    Lesha and I curled up in the front seat inside the carriage and slept well into the afternoon, and only just got woken up as the wagons stopped.


    I woke up with a bit of drool hanging out that I quickly cleaned up with the back of my hand. Lesha was stretching and turning to me with a sleepy smile.


    I smiled and leaned in for a kiss, and she met me halfway. This was a nice way to wake up, but where were we?


    I heard a knockinging from above and then the boys hopped down on either side of the carriage. Then, I noticed a small farmhouse with a small red one-story building that must have doubled as a barn, but it led out and then down into the water, disappearing.


    "Corbit, is this your parent''s farm?" I asked as I helped Lesha get off me.


    "Yup, but don''t ask me what they are, it''s just a waste of my breath, they will tell you all about it! I don''t bring friends here, cause we lived in the middle of nowhere. I only met kids that traveled with the merchant parents. Then I left home three months ago for Healia, and then the magic happened, but my parents don''t know yet," Corbit said, holding the door for the girls and me.


    "Do you want me to keep quiet about it?" I asked.


    "No, honestly, if you could tell them, that would be great. I just feel like iting from you as the leader and all might sound better. I don''t know, I just said I was going to make something better for myself than a lonely farmer, so you know"


    I did know, and I understood.


    "Yes, I can exin it to them, but then it''s your job to apologize as the idiot son that insulted the way of life that allowed you to live the way you did. I don''t mind helping exin things, but it''s your job to learn from your mistakes and correct them."


    "Yes Ma''am, my mother is going to like you, you kind of remind me of her. Head to the house, I already waived and they saw me. They should being out by the time you get over there. I am just going to show the men where the wagon, and carriages go," Corbit said, running off.


    "Wow, just throws you to his parents and runs away," Gloria said whileughing, and stepping out of the carriage.


    "Wee!" A cheery man''s voice came from the direction of the house.


    I looked from Gloria over in that direction and found a short man, but not out of shape. This Must be his father; the man seems nice enough.


    The four of us walked over to the house where the man was standing with gray shorts on, and a bright blue vest and sandy brown hair. I reached out my hand to offer a handshake, But The short man opened his arms wide.


    "Any friend of my sons is family, and we," the man was cut off as the door was opened and a woman darted out quickly and hit him in the head with a soup pot.


    The man was knocked out cold and hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.


    "Sorry about my husband, we don''t see visitors often and well you all are quite the group of beautiful women. He''s an idiot, but he will wake up and apologize for being a buffoon or take another pot-nap, before checking the Oysters. Come inside girls, Corbit will help his father inside when he is done. My name is Celia, and This is Norbert."


    Celia waved us inside, and we stepped over Norbert, following her. It was a cute little house with wooden nked walls. There were many different paintings on the walls, but none of them went together. It was like they were all from different ces and done in different styles of art.


    "Traderse and bring Norbert all these God-awful paintings, so he insists to hang them all up. The traders alwayse in for tea, so now it is a game for them I think to see who can bring the weirdest art," Ce said while rolling her eyes.


    "I actually think this is really amazing," Gloria said walking around the room, looking at each picture. "They are from all over the world! Look, K! This one with the man, and all the paint blurring from the side? That is from Kren, in Westoff. The one over there, with thedy in the dark blue and the sunset? See the way the colors bleed together? I saw an artist in New Geth that did work like that!"


    "Wow, I didn''t know you liked art," I said, looking impressed.


    "There is a lot you don''t learn from not talking, hehe," Gloria saidughing.


    "Fair enough," I said, and it was true.


    We had mostly just talked about the trip, Dyster, and thebat things we were learning. Maybe I should try to get to know my friends better before we got to the city.


    Mei was now asking Gloria about every painting on the wall. Gloria was doing her best to try and guess where they might have originated from, but Mei was like a non-stop stream of questions.


    It got to the point where Gloria had to grab Mei by the face and smother her in a kiss to get her to shut up for two seconds. Lesha slipped her hand into mine and squeezed, making me turn and kissing her on the cheek.


    "Oh? Really? Are you girls...couples?" Corbit''s mother asked, sounding a bit confused.


    The four of us turned and looked at her smiling, I think that we all had almost forgotten that she was even there.


    "Yes, we are couples. My name is Kiada, Leader of the Red Legion Guild from Healia, and this is my life partner, Lesha. The art expert is Gloria and the one that won''t stop talking is Mei, her partner."


    "And here I thought I was going to have to keep my husband out cold the entire time you were here, but if you swing that way this will just be funny, hehe," Ce saidughing.


    "What will be funny? And why does it feel like I got hit by a wagon, but only in the head?" Norbert said walking into the room rubbing his head.


    All five of us burst outughing.

 Chapter 61: Food Shortage?

    Chapter 61: Food Shortage?


    Norbert was looking at Gloria''s point-out paintings, but then almost fell over when Gloria smacked Mei''s wandering hands from her chest.


    Norbert turned to look at Lesha and me, who were holding hands, and then back to Mei and Gloria. Mei was wrapped around Gloria and kissing her, well doing something to her face. It looked like it might hurt, and I was pretty sure I could hear her teeth clicking.


    I looked back to a sweating Norbert, who was now only looking at his wife like she was the only real thing in the room. Celia was keeping a poker face and letting him think about whatever was going through his mind. This was obviously not a thing that the man encountered, ever.


    "Where are we?! Is this our house? What is she doing to that poor woman''s face?!" Norbert was clearly stressed out at this point, thinking he had just lost his marbles; I could also agree that what Mei was doing was quite questionable.


    Finally, Ce started tough, and the mood broke. Norbert was shocked, but then looked back at me.


    "Lesha and I are a couple and so are those too, but I really don''t know what they were doing."


    I looked over at Mei climbing off Gloria and wiping her face on her robe. Poor Gloria looked disgusted and her face was gross.


    I think Mei just licked her entire face the whole time she attacked Gloria.


    Gloria turned to Mei and grabbed the front of her robe to wipe her face off. I couldn''t take these wild animals anywhere.


    "Would you like to try some fresh oysters?" Norbert asked, after clearing his throat. "I can take you down to the farmhouse!"


    I turned to him, and he seemed to be looking a bit better, but he looked like he could use some air. I nodded, then Lesha and I grabbed the other two and went back out of the house ahead of Norbert.


    Celia said she would get some m chowder ready for when we got back as we left. I still wasn''t sure what an oyster was, but I really hoped it wasn''t like a crab.


    Tim and Corbit were just walking towards the house but turned to the long red building dipped into the water. Getting closer now, I could see that the roof opened up just before it hit the water, and there were some small boats pulled up onshore.


    Corbit and Tim waited outside of the building where there was a sliding door.


    "So, what did you think of my parents? Weird right?" Corbit asked with a smile.


    "I am more worried about what they think of us, the girls weren''t behaving inside and your father looked like he had walked into a dungeon when he came inside! Your mother let him think he was too, it was quite the experience."


    "That''s good! He normally talks endlessly about how shucking good it is to be a shucking oyster farmer!" Corbitined, but then straightened up.


    "That''s ''cause I''m shucking good at it boy! You would be too if you tried!"


    Norbert came walking down from the house. He seemed in a lot better spirits now, and he didn''t sound mad, just talking.


    "Dad, I hear you had quite the time inside, not used to the girls liking each other, hmmm?" Corbit said with a smile to his dad.


    "Bit of a culture shock, that''s all my boy! Now, you and the other get in there and start pedaling. Since Ma is cooking you some of her famous m chowders, you better get two lengths before supper! BWAHAHA!" Norbertughed as he pped the boy''s shoulders walking by them.


    Peddling? Oysters? I feel like I am the one who has stepped in a dungeon, and what was shucking, was it like an Oyster curse?


    Norbert pulled open the door and I was even more confused. Inside on the right side were weird seats with ces to put your feet, and there was a weird metal rope wrapped around a wheel. The rope led to a set of gear that had the metal ropes going around to a big rope that went out into the water.


    "This is my little oyster farm, not much but you will see once these boys get into gear!" Norbert yelled at the boys who both jumped and then ran over to the seats.


    The two started to...peddle? I guess that made sense, and as they did the metal ropes started to spin.


    "Those boys will pedal now and you can see that the chain, that thing moving there, moves the big line, but it moves slowly. There is a lot to move so we use multiple gears and chains to make it easier to peddle, but it takes a while. So, while they are doing that we will grab thes, you girls okay with getting your hands dirty?"


    "These aren''t like crabs, are they?" I asked, I was getting shbacks of Gloria chasing me with the little demons.


    "Crabs? No, there are just shells, but they are damn good to eat raw!" Norbert said as a strange-looking basket came out of the water.


    The baskets were filled with dark gray and silver ringed shells that had things attached to them. Norbert unhooked the basket and passed it to Gloria, who gratefully epted and took it to a big metal tub on the left side near the front.


    I turned back to see Norbert reach in a barrel of disgusting green water and pull out another basket, but this one only had little chips of shell in it. It wasn''t like the one Gloria was emptying out.


    Mei was over ying with the ugly things, not caring the least bit what they looked like. Gloria reached over to the shelf and grabbed a stubby-looking knife.


    "Here,e and you can try one," Gloria said, waving me over and picking up one of the shells that were half the size of my hand.


    She shoved the knife in the back of it where it was thick and there was a crack. After a bit of wiggling, she turned the knife and the shell opened a bit, revealing a white inside.


    I moved closer, now interested, and watched Gloria wiggle the knife around, scraping at the top of the shell. When she popped the top off, I stepped back.


    Uck, what was that! It looked like organs! I really thought I was going to be sick, but I couldn''t stop watching her as she scraped the bottom of the shell, loosening the mini pile of guts.


    "Bottoms up!" Gloria said as she put the shell to her mouth and let the things fall in.


    I ran outside to get some air, what the hell was wrong with these people? Was there a shortage of food that I didn''t know about?

 Chapter 62: On Fire

    Chapter 62: On Fire


    Lesha ran out to me, but I held my arm out to hold her back. I was trying to get my stomach under control, but saliva was starting to fill my mouth.


    What the hell was wrong with her? Gloria just cracked the thing open and sucked out the inside like some kind of monster! It looked so slimy...here ites again!


    I just kept walking back up the hill to the house, I just needed air, and to get away from the weirdos. This is why people needed to have proper families, so they didn''t just go around eating food off the floor!


    "K, are you okay?" Lesha asked, still following me.


    "Do you eat them like those two?! I almost used her.


    I looked back to the shed and almost gagged again seeing Mei double fist two shells, dumping them into her mouth.


    "I like them cooked, but I have eaten them raw, and K, they aren''t that bad!"


    "Did you see what they look like? Lesha, they are nothing more than a pile of slimy guts in a shell!"


    "K, stop being so dramatic and try some! What if I told you that, since tonight we will be staying inside" Lesha let her words trail off suggestively.


    "Oh,e on! You can''t hold that over me like that to get me to eat disgusting food!"


    "Oh, I can and I will! Did you also know that they can increase your sex drive?" Lesha asked me, sliding her hands around my waist, and pulling me close to her.


    "Fine! But Lesha, they are disgusting!"


    "Fine, but you have to at least try them cooked, it would be rude for you not to at least try the food," Lesha said, kissing my neck and making it hard to concentrate.


    While the other four helped, Lesha and I went inside the house to see if there was anything we could help with. I wanted no part of the oyster''s, but I did promise Lesha I would try some soup.


    The house smelled creamy, and I could smell a hint of pepper. The creaminess smelled sharp, and this time my mouth started to water, but in hunger.


    "Celia, do you need any help?" Lesha asked after we walked into the kitchen.


    "Hm? Already bored with changing the cages?" Celia asked looking back from arge pot she was stirring.


    "No, Kiada here hasn''t ever been outside of Healia, so she has never seen the ocean or the things thate out of it," Lesha said going over to stand by Celia.


    I decided to take a seat at therge table that sat in front of a door that led off to the back deck that I had noticed when walking to the barn thing. There were oysters on the counter still in shells, so I decided to stay away.


    I wasn''t stupid, I knew they wouldn''t bite me, and I had seen them before, but I had just thought that they were just rocks, not...food? I was still worried about the soup, but I was also not going to go back on my word.


    I was a woman, and it would be cooked in soup and I wouldn''t even notice that they were


    "Oh? Never been outside your mountain range? Well, they can''t ept you to take everything just as people tell you, right? I do have to agree, I don''t like them raw either; it''s not that they don''t taste good, I just don''t like the texture of the slimy boogers!" Celia said with augh, and I was able to rx.


    "Thank you, I was getting to the point where I was worried I was just being a wimp," I said with a sigh.


    "Oh no, you''re still a wimp, girl. Here, let me show you how to eat it so it won''t bother you as much," Celia said, going into a cupboard and pulling out a red jar of what looked like some kind of tomato sauce, but it was dark.


    "Oh K! This stuff is so good! You won''t even know what you''re eating!" Lesha said with a big smile.


    "Yes, this is red piper sauce. We have a trader that always brings us more when hees to pick up his order. This will help, look," Celia exined to me as she picked up an oyster and another one of the short knives.


    I was very hesitant, but after being called a wimp by Corbit''s mother, I felt like I had something to prove. I stood up and watched as Celia pried open the back of the shell, sliding the knife around.


    I turned away, I couldn''t see it or I wouldn''t be able to do it. I waited until Lesha came over and tapped my arm.


    "Here, don''tin, or look at it, just open your mouth and eat it," Lesha told me while holding my shoulder a lot harder than she needed to.


    "I am not going to," but my words were cut off by the shell that was shoved almostpletely inside my mouth.


    "Chew three times and then swallow!" Lesha barked at me now holding both my shoulders, far harder than she needed to.


    It was everything I imagined it to be, slimy, rubbery, slimy...but it wasn''t horrible...wait


    "What is wrong with my mouth?" I asked, breaking Lesha''s death grip on my shoulders.


    I had swallowed it, and there was nothing left in my mouth, but it was like there was a fire inside of it!


    "What''s going on?! What did you do to my mouth?" I asked with hot tears running down my face and no way to stop them.


    I was starting to sweat, this was like that green nt my bother Mort had given me one time as a joke, but this was so much worse. I could hearughinging from both girls, and I turned on both of them.


    "You two did this on purpose!" I scowled at them fiercely, but then stopped when they both shut right up.


    "K, it was just a joke, I''m sorry," Lesha said, looking at me with concern, and Celia looked actually scared of me and what I had to assume were my glowing red eyes.

 Chapter 63: I Love you

    Chapter 63: I Love you


    I took a deep breath in as I tried to cool myself down, but my mouth was still on fire. It was a harmless joke that I had overreacted to, and now Celia was looking at me like I was a monster.


    I didn''t have a lot of experience with this feeling, and when I tried to step forward, Celia stepped back in fear. I had my hand up, but I let it drop, turning to walk out of the house. I could hear Lesha trying to exin, but I just needed to get outside.


    I left the house, turning to the right this time where there was just some open grass for five meters, then there was a tree line that led down to the ocean. I walked down, trying to slow my racing mind and the torrents of emotion I was feeling.


    I didn''t mean to scare her, but I had let my emotions get away from me. I didn''t ask for this power, to drink blood, to hold a monster inside me.


    ''Those worthy of power rarely ept it, and will always struggle with it, but that''s what makes you the right choice. There is nothing wrong with questioning the power and its uses, but you were picked for this because you are the right choice. You just need to get a better hold on that anger of yours. Rx, breathe in the salty air, Lesha will be here soon.'' -Drania.


    The sun wasing down now, the burnt orange was rippling across the water. I watched the sun catch the tips of the wave, making small sparkles of diamond light. I breathed in deeply, and closed my eyes, sinking into my own thoughts. I pulled my knees and put my head down to block the light that was still burning my closed eyes.


    I was so lost in trying to get lost in my thoughts, that I didn''t hear Lesha until I felt her legs slide alongside mine. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she pulled in close to me, kissing the back of my neck.


    She rested her head on my back, but I didn''t know what to say, so we just sat like that for a while. The sounds of the water rolling in on the sand and Lesha''s tight hold let some of everything building up inside leak out of me, letting me rx a bit more.


    "I talked to Celia and exined everything to her about you, and Corbit. They have never even seen a dungeon, only heard stories. It was just a bit much for her, but she is okay and told me to say that she was sorry. We shouldn''t be toying with you like this, it''s not your fault you haven''t been anywhere else," Lesha said, then she leaned into me and kissed my cheek, making me tip my head into hers.


    "I need to get a better hold of my anger, I knew you were just trying to have fun with me. I just get worked up because I am so out of the loop, and then I feel like I have been tricked. I should know that you love me and wouldn''t try to do something mean to me; it just wasn''t that long ago that I had brothers that would use my naivety against me. I would beat them in a fight, but then they would trick me to get back at me."


    We sat for a bit longer until Celia came out onto the back of the house to call us in for supper. The two of us stood, and I turned, now looking eye to eye with Lesha.


    The incline of the hill we stood on made it easy for me to lean in and take Lesha''s soft cheeks in my hands. I pulled her gently into a slow kiss that let me take a step outside of the real world for a brief moment.


    The soft press of her lips on mine made my heart yearn to make the kiss deeper, but I slowly pulled away. I still held her face in my hand, staring into her eyes, smelling the strawberry sweetnessing from her.


    "I love you, and I will try to do better," I said slowly, the words feeling heavy, each one of them holding the weight of my true feelings and determination.


    "I love you, forever and always. You really mean so much to me, so let''s go back inside,e."


    She kissed me, but then pulled my hands from her face and pulled me along with her. We walked together up the hill, after the words were spoken, my heart was in less turmoil.


    I felt like this would be a memory that I would hold onto, so I really tried to let it all soak in. I squeezed Lesha''s hand just before we went back inside, and we stopped to share another short kiss.


    The chowder was surprisingly good, and I ended up having a second bowl. There were no more jokes at my expense, but there were a couple made at Corbit''s.


    None of the jokes were bad, and they were more funny than mean. Each time Norbert would make a jab at him with one of his shucking jokes, Corbit would fire his own back.


    By the time supper was done, everyone was in good spirits, but we were all starting to get tired. Last night had been a long night and trying to sleep in a moving vehicle never really left you fully rested.


    Corbit showed Mei and Gloria to a room, and then directed Lesha, and me to the room we would be sleeping in. We both said goodnight to the two girls, but Mei winked at me, and I winked back, smiling.


    Gloria rolled her eyes, and when I turned back to Lesha she was just grinning. She pulled me into the room, and I closed the door behind us.


    I wasn''t about to stand and watch her this time, I had heard how excited the other girls gotst time. I wanted that kind of excitement, and I wanted Lesha to feel it too.


    [chapter 63.5 can be found in the book Kiada''s XXX Chapters]

 Chapter 64: Things That Could Go Wrong

    Chapter 64: Things That Could Go Wrong


    That morning when we all came down to say goodbye, Celia looked bright and cheerful. Norbert on the other hand, looked like he had been up all night and he was staying away from us.


    I was happy to say goodbye, and get out of there after that. Corbit and Tim were both being closed-mouthed and keeping their smiles to themselves, so I let them keep their smiles. This was our own fault, and it seems that now Norbert thinks we are monsters because of Mei''s howlingst night.


    Gloria wouldn''t look at me, and she had a smile like a little perma grin stuck on her face as she stared out the window. Whatever they were doing, it must have been good for her to look like that.


    Not that I wasining, I wasn''t trying topete. Last night was exactly what I needed and my head felt clear like I could really focus, but then Lesha''s hand started to slide up my leg.


    I caught her hand in mine before she made me make some horrible noise. I looked at her, trying my best not to scowl, but I was sure I was failing miserably.


    Lesha pursed her lips together trying not tough, and giving me a raised eyebrow. I sighed and leaned forward to get a kiss from her, and she obliged me, leaning in to meet me halfway.


    We only had half a day''s journey before we would be stopping. Then from that point, only Tim and I would be going ahead to get supplies with a horse each. Everyone else would be staying behind to protect the wagons.


    I tried to argue that one of us should be staying back, but both of us needed to go. Tim was the only one that had any real experience dealing with the people. I had to be there to show my Guilds System tattoos on my wrist as the leader, or they wouldn''t deal with us at all.


    The Girls told me they could take care of themselves, but that alone made me worry more. I didn''t want any of them getting hurt when I wasn''t there to be able to do anything.


    The ride was fairly smooth, and before we knew it, it was lunchtime. We found a good ce that was out of the way and out of sight to set up a camp. This would be where we stayed tonight if everything went well.


    Once everything was unhooked, Tim and I saddled the horses and said our goodbyes. We didn''t want to waste time, there was ground to cover if we wanted to get back by nightfall.


    I hugged and kissed Lesha, telling her that I loved her before hopping up on the horse and following Tim. We had brought extra saddlebags, and a third horse to carry extra supplies. We needed to get feed and some other supplies, including food.


    "Are they going to be okay? I asked after about fifteen minutes of riding.


    "We just need to focus on getting there, getting what we need, and getting back. I can''t guarantee anything around here. The girls are strong, you just need to have faith that they can fight without you if they have to. You need to focus on what we are doing when we get there," Tim yelled to me as we rode.


    That was right, Tim hade into the cabin before we stopped and exined what we were going to do and what to say.


    "Yes, We are going to the Red Merchant and asking for Dalphonse, and ordering what we need with hoods up and only showing the guild tattoo once no matter who asks. That person has to be Grena, Leader of the Red Merchant, right?" I called over asking.


    "Good, all we can do is follow everything exactly to the n and we should be out of there with everything we need. Then, we can get back to everyone that was waiting there for us. For now, you just have to trust that your girls can take care of themselves."


    I wasn''t worried about them, it was the other two shit disturbers I was worried about. The werewolf and vampire, a pair of thorns in my side that I was going to have to get ahold of before I got to the city.


    I needed to get my mind off things, so I turned and called over to Tim.


    "Are you excited to be working with Hershal? What about that Air Knife thing? You seem pretty happy about that one, what is it? Or can you tell me?" I called over.


    Thendscape was starting to roll and get hilly, but I could see far ahead, there was the small town. The ce didn''t look very big, but it was hard to tell from this distance.


    "It will be nice, he knows a lot, and you should listen to Kal, he is a Diamond Rank Tank. so he can teach you skills, but you will have to do tasks to earn the skills. They can''t teach you high-rank skills but they can help you learn important things, but you have to help them. Once you get to Diamond or higher, people will being to you in your Guild to learn these skills just like this," Tim called over.


    "Remember, it''s our Guild, I just run the ce, and I''m not doing a very good job yet, but we will get there!" I Called back, but Tim pointed forward.


    We wereing up to the town, and the ce looked very quiet, and no people were walking on the dirt roads. The ce almost looked deserted, but I still pulled my cloak up and over my head and we slowed down.


    I just had to keep my head down and walk my horse by Tim who was doing the same. If we did this we were fine, ording to Tim, so I had to trust that he was right as we rode into the ghost town of Greled.

 Chapter 65: A Black Cat

    Chapter 65: A ck Cat


    No windows were facing the road that we rode down, but I was mostly just focusing on the road ahead of me. The two of us kept a steady pace, and no one came out to talk to us or even look at us.


    It was an eerie feeling though, I could feel eyes on me from everywhere. Thankfully it didn''t take very long to get to the only building in the two with any color that wasn''t off white or grey.


    The Red Merchant was a dusty red squared building with a single low sloped roof. As we dismounted I was able to briefly notice. There was a window on the top floor, but I only saw the bottom of it, and I dared not look higher.


    We tied up the horses in silence and then I followed Tim up a small flight of steps up to a brown wooden door without any detail. Tim opened the door, and we walked inside and there was a counter, but there were no goods disyed.


    The entire ce was very nd with nothing on the walls and a wooden counter that had a door behind it. We both stood silently waiting, but soon the door opened, and a very in looking man with very little in the way of distinguishing features, or characteristics walked out.


    He was a bald head man with an orange housecoat on. The man was wearing a nk expression, almost looking at us stupidly, but I waited to see what was going to happen.


    "What chu want? Chu inside naw, chu can look up here at me!" The man said talking in a weird and drawn way.


    Both of us stood up straight and took our hoods off, and the man waved us forward. The man smiled when he looked at Tim.


    "Woah, it''s chu, chu dat nif guy, right? Chu been here before, but who dis?" The man asked, pointing at me.


    "Dalphonse, this is Kiada, Guild Leader of The Red Legion, and my leader as well. We need to get some supplies, and then we will be on our way, just like always. Can you help us?" Tim asked Dalphonse.


    "She got da seal?" He asked.


    "Yes," Tim said.


    "Can I," But I cut the weirdo off.


    "No, I would like to buy the needed supplies and then I will speak to your master to seal the deal and pay. Please take our order and we can be on our way."


    I spoke firmly, and there was a pause, and the man looked at me for a moment, thinking about something, maybe breakfast. Then, Dalphonse nodded and extended a hand, and Tim handed him a list of everything that we would need.


    Gastbo had written it out for us before we left to make things quicker, and so nothing was forgotten. Dalphonse nodded after looking at the list and told us that the master would be out shortly as he got the order ready.


    I turned away from the counter after the man left back through the door. I took a deep breath in and let it out. We just had to get through this and we could leave. So far the people just seemed weird, but I had only just met one.


    I wonder if they all walked around in housecoats like that? I would have to ask Tim after we left. I didn''t want to talk, Tim had seemed pretty paranoid, and that usually meant trouble, so I kept tight-lipped the entire time.


    After about an hour, an older woman in a purple housecoat came out, squinting at me. She didn''t even nce at Tim, he was on the other side of the room.


    "Are you the Guild Leader, Kiada?" The old woman croaked.


    "Yes, Are you Leader of the Red Merchant, Grena?" I replied with my own question to get confirmation so I didn''t mess it up.


    "Yes, eight hundred gold pieces, and proof that you are the Leader, and our business is done here," The old woman croaked.


    She had ck hair in a big loose bun that shook as she talked until a ck cat crawled out and made itself morefortable. She paid it no mind and extended her hand across the wooden countertop.


    I stepped forward and showed her my left arm, where all the ck bars were tattooed. she nodded and pulled back while I pulled out the single tinum coin, and handed it over.


    "You know we can make no change?" Grena said in confusion.


    "It''s okay, I would just like to get going without any problems. If this will help ensure this, then we will take our goods and leave your peaceful small vige," I said with a smile, and Grena gave me the barest of smiles, but it was better than nothing.


    Dalphonse was already outside and loading the supplies into our saddlebags quietly without talking. We got on our horses, we had already put our hoods back on and we just waited until Dalphonse was down, and then turned and headed out of town.


    Once we were about ten minutes outside of the town, we started to pick up the pace. I wanted to ask about the strange way the people talked and a bunch of other things, but it was already starting to get dark.


    I needed to keep my eyes focused on the road ahead, we needed to get back to the camp now that this was over.


    We were lucky, the sun stayed up with us for most of the ride back, and we came up to the bend but no lights wereing from up ahead. Panic hit me like wildfire, and I looked over at Tim, but his face was filled with concern.


    We raced over to where we had helped set up camp, and they were gone. Everything was gone, there wasn''t a trace of them other than the fire pit and the marks where we had parked.


    They were gone.

 Chapter 66: Hell To Pay

    Chapter 66: Hell To Pay


    "What happened to them! Why aren''t they here?!"


    "K, calm down, getting upset isn''t going to help find anyone. Whatever happens, we will figure it out, but we need to keep our heads on straight," Tim said, trying to calm me down.


    How could have this happened? Everyone was gone, and there was no tore up ground or anything out of ce. Did they just leave and go somewhere else?


    "What do you think happened then," I asked while looking down at the tracks where the wagon and carriages were, but I couldn''t tell what wasing or going.


    "I think the vampire might have taken them, but that''s a lot for one. No, it''s really hard to say at this point. It looks like they went peacefully, but one of them could have got caught and been used as a hostage. As I said, I have no idea what to say, and I don''t want to put ideas into your head about this," Tim told me as he bent over the tracks and followed him.


    "Then what do we do? I am not tired, and I can see in the dark. Can we lead the horses and track through the night?" I asked Tim as I walked up to him.


    "Yeah, but I will have to take my blindfold off, but don''t worry, it won''t hurt you unless I want it to, so you can look at it. It isn''t as bad as Kevin made it out to be," Tim said, putting a hand on the ck cloth that was covering most of his face.


    "Sure, if it will help you see, then yes, take the blind off," I said.


    I wasn''t sure what I was going to see, but it was probably just going to be like a green glowing eye or something.


    "I just need to warn you, and I know we are in a hurry, but you need to listen to me. This thing looks bad, so don''t pass out when I take this off, okay?" Tim told me with a serious look.


    I gave him a look that said for him to just get on with it. Tim sighed and pulled off the ck cloth covering his face.


    I gasped and took an involuntary step backward, Lesha and the girls momentarily forgot. Tim''s eye was massive, over five times asrge as his other one, and it was a soft glowing sickly green-yellow color.


    "See? Ain''t that pretty, but I can see better than you can with your eyes. I have seen the way you can study things from far away, just like a vampire''s telescopic vision. Anyways, I found the trail,e on. I will assume that they went around the way we would have gone tomorrow to go back and avoid the town," Tim said while turning away and grabbing the reins of his horse, who didn''t seem to mind the eye.


    That eye was like a massive lizard''s eye pped on his face, but If it helped get the girls back then I didn''t care what it did. I grabbed my horse''s reins and followed Tim. It was already starting to get dark so it would just be best to walk and hope that they would have to stop.


    We had two of the horses, so unless they had brought horses of their own, they would have to take a break or run the horses into the ground. We had to hope for the future, and soon we hit the fork in the road.


    I hadn''t really paid it any mind the other two times I had been past this ce. Now that I was on my feet, I walked constantly looking for signs, but there were more than just on the roads, and I had a hard time telling one wagon track from another.


    Thankfully Tim kept us on track, I would have been already lost, but we were still not getting any closer. I just had to hope that whoever took them didn''t want to hurt them, or I wouldn''t be held responsible for what would happen to everyone around me.


    These people that took them were already dried husks, and If it did turn out to be one of the other girls that did this, there would be some serious hell to pay. I just couldn''t figure out who could get the jump on them like this, and I didn''t want to keep asking Tim the same thing on repeat.


    Tim had said that the people out here wouldn''t be skilled and that any skilled adventurer would be earning a living in the dungeons. That made sense, so I just didn''t get it.


    That''s when the hackles on the back of my neck started to rise, and a wave of thirst hit me like fire. Ice Cream and Tropical Punch, the vors were both close, and it was like an energy in the air, a palpable heart thud reaching out to me.


    "K, I see light up ahead," Tim said quietly.


    "Wait!" I hissed. "The other two are close, but they areing from different directions!"


    "Like the werewolf and vampire? Right now?" Tim asked in confusion, and I agreed, this was horrible timing.


    If that was the girls up ahead, and these two were trying to y a game I was going to be very harsh with both of them. I turned to the Ice Cream, the closest scent, and I burned Red Blood, a lot.


    There would be plenty to refill after when I was done. I dashed at the smell, flying through the trees and barely making a noise.


    Then, I was in a clearing, and she was there, a massive wolf that stood on two feet. I rushed at her, filled with rage, and the wolf tried to p me away. I burned more blood, using Eosinophil to target a weak point and multiple showed up as I backhand the p away.


    I sent a hard jab just below the rib cage on the right side, making her howl out, but I was already around her. I leapt to her back and sank my teeth deep into her furry neck.

 Chapter 67: You Bit Me!

    Chapter 67: You Bit Me!


    I was so angry that I couldn''t even enjoy the vor of the blood, and a darker dark than I should have as the now blonde girl gasped out. I finally let go and the girl fell down panting and putting a hand to her neck.


    [Basophils] Service Acquired!


    "You bit me!" The girlined.


    I grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet, letting go and then turning her around. She didn''t cry out when I did, and she had an annoyed look on her face when I got her turned around.


    "You know, for someone who just lost all their girls you sure know how it waits. Don''t hit me, wild women, we came to warn you about the people that took the other one,"


    "You mean the vampire? Did I think you two hated each other? Didn''t she attack you? What am I missing and what do you know about the people that took Lesha and the other two?" I demanded.


    "Come, let''s go and you can talk with Candace. Hopefully, she is snacking on the one with the ugly eye. Also, we don''t hate each other, it''s more of a forbidden type then, but with more teeth and ws, but let''s go save the girls, and not talk about me," The wolf girl said with a smile.


    "Fine, keep up," I said, as I turned to start running, but there was a weird noise that came from behind me.


    "No, get on me, it will be faster. Plus, it will make Candace jealous!"


    I turned to fund the wolf girl who was now therge wolf I had seen before when we were camping at Tarcord River. I was hesitant only for a second, then I hopped on the gray wolf''s back and grabbed onto her fur tightly.


    "Ooo, I like it rough like that! Hold on tight," She said, and she bolted forward, moving at incredible speeds. "My name is Trinity, but you can just can me T! That''s Candi''s nickname for me so that will also help get the dust pumping in her veins!"


    I was a bit impressed with the way Trinity was able to hold a conversation and move at such blinding speeds. Soon, we burst from the trees and I could see Tim standing with a woman with ck hair and dress, and pale ghostly skin, but she didn''t look to be hurting him.


    When we got closer, I locked eyes with Candi, and she was ring at me. Oh, you want to re?


    I was already off T''s back and stalking forward with my eyes glowing. Tim backed away slowly as I got closer, but I wasn''t staring at him.


    Candi looked unsure and then put her hand up.


    "Wait, I don''t want to get bit!" She pleaded to me, but I was already pissed, and it was all just an act anyways.


    The second I got close, she erupted into mist,ughing.


    "Let''s talk about this after we deal with the people that took your girls. I don''t want you sinking your teeth into me just yet. You and I need to have a little talk first, but we can do thatte YOU BITCH!"


    [Lymphocyte] Service Acquired!


    I hand-tracked the blood mist, and I used some of the new service, Basophils to try out the limit break adrenaline rush. I let her talk for a bit, but the second she blinked her eyes in a self-satisfied way, I activated it.


    It was like time slowed down and I rushed forward at what felt like a normal speed, but everyone else was barely even moving. The second my teeth sank into her cold neck, time pulled back into ce.


    Candi then proceeded to call me every name in the book, but when I was done, I spun her around and burned Red Blood. I picked her up off the ground and pulled her close to my face.


    "Who has the girl?" I asked in a menacing voice.


    "The idiots that you were supposed to join! Now unhand me, you violent woman!" Candi said to me while trying to pry my hand off her dress cor.


    "What idiots?" I questioned.


    "The Ass Pounder Guild or whatever it''s called! The one that you were supposed to join for Dyster. Now, are you done with me amazon!" Candiined more.


    Great, the guild that was supposed to be helping us turned coat pretty quick when they found out that we didn''t want to join. I still find it hard to build that they would try something like this.


    I put down Candi, there was no point in trying to shake more answers out of her. I turned to Tim, and he wanted to look at me with a worried expression.


    "What are you going to do?" Tim asked, looking worried.


    I want you three to stay here while I go deal with them. After it is silent, then you cane, but do not try to touch me, or even talk to me. I don''t know what I will be like," I said turning and walking away.


    No one tried to stop me, and I saw a red light shining on the ground. The light wasing from my eyes, and I didn''t rush over there at first. There were some questions I needed to ask.


    ''Just use all the extra blood you have into Basophils, so you don''t die. When ites, you won''t be yourself anymore, you will be her, Lishtani, The Blood Queen. She won''t hear your friends, but it will be a lot to take in. Lishtani is very old and doesn''t like to be cooped up inside of you, so she will be extremely violent.'' -Drania.


    I didn''t care, these people had touched the things that I held dear to my head and the woman I loved. There wasn''t anything that these men didn''t deserve. That''s the feeling I tried to hold onto as I burned thest of the blood, feeling the colde for me.


    ''I have been waiting.'' -Lishtani.

 Chapter 68: Lishtani [Graphic Violence]

    Chapter 68: Lishtani [Graphic Violence]


    I could only watch, and I was no longer myself. The voice in my head had takenplete control of my body, and I could feel what I did. The bloodthirst she had and the need for violence was something I wasn''t sure about, but I had asked for this.


    "Yes you did, and now these monsters will pay for even thinking about touching my servants. Now, K, I am going to shut you out, but you still have to watch. This will be you one day, but for now, I will do the fun stuff."


    --------------


    [Listina''s View]


    I could smell the two new fresh ones behind me and the marked boy, but I couldn''t touch him. No, he and some other men needed to survive, but the others were my ythings.


    It had been so long trapped inside of this girl, but now I could finallye out and y. I burst into mist and floated forward, and then into the camp that was filled with all these big strong men, but I would be back for them.


    I passed them all and found a tent that looked less grubby than the rest and floated inside. The entire group of girls and men were all bound up together, well it was good to see I would have to look for them.


    I reformed, and then pulled blood from the girls, but I took their Frenzy as well. That old witch talks about me like I am some unstoppable killing machine, but when that girl remembers, she will understand, just like she always does.


    I turned to walk out of the tent and slid my fingers up the side of each of the big tall guards, and then I stabbed my hand inside the two of them, grabbing for guts and pulling them out.


    Both guards could only stare at the pile of entrails beside each of them. I hadmanded them to stand quietly and stare at what I had just done to them. Mesmerizing Presence was best used on weak-minded fools like this, so I would have some fun with this.


    The girl only needed a couple bodies'' worth of blood, so for the rest, I would burn the evidence. I walked around the camp, and as soon as I was seen the men started to gather wood, the fire was no good.


    Once the wood had been stacked on an impressive fire, I got them all to line up, even the two dragging their entrails. I let those two go at the front of the line because they were starting to look a little pale.


    After that was done, I left them to go and get the others out of here. I might be sick and twisted, but only Kand I need to be in on this little show.


    I collected the people, but I put them and then girls under my control and told them to go where the others were and to wait until I got back. Then once they were gone, I let the men start climbing onto the fire.


    I made one of them stand close enough to receive severe burns, but not die.


    That one would be a reminder to any that thought to catch more problems in the future, right K? We don''t want something like this toe back and bite us do we?


    The men didn''t cry out, even in death I would not let them ruin the quiet of the night. Soon, all the men we all but the final one that was severely burned and shaking from the pain.


    I made this one leave and walk until she returned to his master and told him of everything that had happened to her. Only then would he be allowed to die, even if it pushed him into the afterlife to deliver it.


    I watched as the bodies burned down, and I knew my time was short, but I had got to have a little bit of fun, and I killed three of the group normally to restock the girl''s blood. It was a good run, and now she could use me more freely.


    -----------


    [Kiada''s View]


    I felt the hold leave and then I was back to being myself again. I had really expected it to be a lot worse. Yes, burning people alive was bad, and tearing people''s guts out, but, I don''t know, I just felt like I had seen worse, but I didn''t know where.


    The whole thing left me feeling very off, and confused. I hadn''t disliked punishing those men at all, in fact, I was more impressed about the way she dealt with everything. That mind control thing was pretty scary but extremely effective on weaker people.


    I wanted to ask Lishtani some questions, but she was gone as soon as I got back, leaving an almost empty feeling. That didn''t really matter, I just needed to get back to see her.


    I had been going all night and the ride from the day before, and the stress. It was all just starting to pile up, but I pushed forwards and started to jog back to where I could feel everyone.


    I jogged for a bit and then I slowed down. I was getting very tired, very fast.


    ''Try to get as far as you can, I will get the girls to find you if you pass out before that. Letting her take over like that will drain a lot of your energy. Now you will be asleep for a few days while your body recharges.'' -Drania.


    No, I would keep pushing, I wasn''t going to stop until I could hold her in my arms. I didn''t go far and watch all that not to see her safe.


    I pushed forward, walking forward blindly until I heard my name being cried out.


    I looked up to see Lesha rushing over to me with the girls all behind her. She rushed to me and grabbed me tight in her arms, and I let go, letting the darkness swallow me whole.

 Chapter 69: Trimmings

    Chapter 69: Trimmings


    I could smell the salty breeze of the ocean, and there was a warm body beside me. I opened my eyes to look directly into Lesha''s sky blue eyes, and she had a smile on her face.


    I leaned in and pressed my lips into hers, the feeling was like pure bliss. It felt like I had been sleeping forever, and now Lesha''s kisses were bringing me back to life.


    I held her in my arms, and I didn''t want to let her go, ever. The fact that someone had taken her from me and there was nothing I could do until I found her. I didn''t want to go through that again, and from now on the girls would be staying close to me.


    I pulled away from her and looked into her eyes again. I just wanted to keep on kissing her, but I needed to know what happened after I passed out.


    "What happened?" I asked, brushing the blonde hair out of her eyes, and then running my hand down the side of her face.


    "You passed out and the men went back and got the wagon and carriages, and we all slept in the wagons. The next two days we spent on the road with you asleep. No one bothered us after that either, but now that you are awake, Kal and Jester will want to talk to you." Lesha said leaning in for another kiss while sliding her hand down my stomach.


    "K! Are you awake? I hear you in there!" Called who I was pretty sure was Candi.


    Lesha pulled her hand back and I groaned.


    "Yes, I am"


    *Bang*


    The door mmed open, and all the girls came rushing in, except Gloria, because she wasn''t a savage. The other three leaped on me like wolves pouncing on prey.


    "Oof! Hey! What were you doing kicking you little monsters!" I growled at the ball of girls.


    They were all short, so they looked like a bunch of children climbing on top of me. Mei I could understand her acting like this, but the other two were supposed to be a werewolf and vampire.


    I wasn''t sure exactly what those things were, but the vampire in me and the massive beast I had seen Trinity turn into, did not match these two. Then again, the description I had got about Lishtani was way off as well, so I will be having a talk about that with you real soon.


    "I am not a monster, I am a princess of the night! This mutt of mine is the real monster with that smell!" Candi said while turning up her nose at Trinity.


    In response, Trinity tried to crawl under the sheets with me, but I held them down. So, instead, she just cuddled into my arm while looking up at a ring Candi.


    "K thinks I smell like ice cream, and I don''t know what it is, but she likes it! Maybe I''ll just stay close to her from now on since I''m such a stink mutt!" Trinity said while sticking her tongue out.


    "Alright, enough of this, everyone, but the person that belongs in my bed out! Mei, it is nice to see you, but I will be out when I am dressed, okay?"


    No one moved.


    "NOW!" I said forcing my eyes to light up, and that made the girls scurry and m the door behind them.


    Lesha was giggling, so I grabbed her side and started to tickle her more, until she made cute little noises, asking me to stop. She wasying under me and neither of us had any cloth on, and I leaned down and softly kissed her before getting up and out of bed.


    I immediately put my hand out and Lesha caught me and leaned my head on her shoulder. I was spinning and it took a moment before I could even see straight.


    "Are you okay?" Lesha asked with a worried tone.


    "I think using the ability took a lot more out of me than I thought," I said while lifting my head off her shoulder.


    "No, you need toy back down, I will tell them to wait," Lesha said, trying to pull me back to bed, but I was already up.


    "No, I need to get up and move around, and maybe get some food into me. Then we can go see Jester, I need to talk to him about the Ground Pounders Guild, and what I or Lishtani did. I think I started a fight that is far from over, but I need help getting dressed. No dress today, I want some pants, and if I try to put on my underwear, I think I might just tip right over," I said with a weak smile.


    "Only if you''re sure. I will help you get dressed, andter we can take a nice long bath. I will help you get cleaned up, everywhere," Lesha said with a devilish smile.


    "What do you mean get cleaned up everywhere? I wash down there! You are not saying that I don''t taste" I tried to protest, but Lesha cut me offughing.


    "No, it''s not that. I don''t really know what it''s supposed to be like, but I don''t think it''s bad. You just need a haircut," Lesha said while not looking at me and trying to help me with my pants.


    My face heated and I almost put my hand between my legs to feel as I pulled my pants up. This was beyond embarrassing, I had never thought about cutting it! And I hadn''t really been paying attention to it, gods, I didn''t have words to say, I was just stunned silent.


    "Oh, don''t be like that! Later I will help you, but for now, just get going and get you something to eat!" Lesha said, trying to cate me after telling me that I was growing a beard in my pants.


    She helped me up and I got my shit on and we headed for the door. When Lesha opened it, the three girls fell into the room. Then the three stood back up, trying to look as innocent as possible, but then Candi broke the silence.


    "K, don''t you know how to shave your bush?"


    I almost threw her out of the room.

 Chapter 70: Thanks From Dean

    Chapter 70: Thanks From Dean


    I was led down a wooden hall that was filled with doors. These must be the Guild member''s rooms, so I wonder whose room I got put into and where they were.


    Lesha slipped her hand into mine and I turned to smile at her. Our group headed down a twisting set of stairs to the bottom level where there were a bunch of people sitting around talking and eating.


    I was pulled over to the bar that wasn''t a lot different than the one back home. Lesha ordered us both omelets, but I just leaned into her the entire time.


    I was already starting to feel tired and regretting not taking Lesha up on the off to rest more. After she was done ordering, we went and found arge empty table, and sat down.


    "You look awful, K," Lesha said sitting down beside me.


    "Thank you, I think you look beautiful," I said sarcastically,ying my head down on the table. "I just need to get some food into me and I will feel a lot better, I hope."


    I really did hope the food made me feel better. This felt like I had drunk a whole bottle of sweet wine to myself. I heard a cup clunk down on the wooden table, and the sound made my head pound.


    I lifted my head, about to give one of the girls shit, but a man was sitting there that I had never met before. He looked to be in about his mid-thirties, and a lean rouge type. The thing that I noticed the most was the long scars that ran horizontally under each of his eyes.


    "Hey! A pleasure to meet you, Miss K, my name is Dean, and I am just another one of the ruffians in this fine establishment," Dean paused, and got augh out of the close men. "Anyways, I can tell you look rough from a hangover or something close to it, so here."


    Dean reached his hand out and handed me a small mesh pouch. I took it, unsure of what else to do.


    Why was this person so keen to help me? Had Jester told them to suck up to me? That wasn''t going to win favor with me, but the man seemed to read my expression and exined himself.


    "Aye, I just wanted to do it as thanks for getting rid of half the Ground Pounders! Those bastards cause a lot of trouble, and the city covers for anything they do. People want to call us a despicable Guild just because we kill people, but at least we do it for a purpose. I just wanted to tip my hat to you, Miss, for doing something I couldn''t."


    Dean stood up and then exined what to do with the package he just gave me. It was a tea bag, and it would taste bad, but with a bit of honey and holding my nose I would be feeling better in no time.


    His words, not mine, and just knowing that he thought it was going to be disgusting made me wonder if it was worth it. Maybe I should just stick with the gross and run-over feeling.


    There was a call from the bar and Lesha got up and went to get our food, taking Mei with her. She came back with our food, and Mei brought over a hot mug of water and some biscuit that the bartender had given them.


    I thanked Mei for the watch and biscuits, then she went back and sat down with Gloria. T and Candi were digging into a veryrge stack of pancakes that had been stacked six high, but we''re almost done.


    The two seemed to be in a better mood now that they had some food in them. It was strange to see them so close right off the hope, but Trinity had said something about forbidden love or something like that.


    I would have to talk to them about itter, for now, I had a beautiful omelet with cheese, mushrooms, onions, and some red peppers. Before I started eating Lesha stopped me and told me to steep my tea and let it sit while I ate.


    I grumbled, but did as I was told, but then scolded Lesha when she pulled open my omelet and started to pull the peppers out.


    "Hey! I like peppers! The sweetness goes good with the rest!" Iined, momentarily distracted from the horror that was leaking into my cup from the bag I was given.


    "These are spicy peppers babe, like the sauce that we made you eat. You don''t want to eat these," Lesha said, continuing to pick them off.


    I loved this woman, but I don''t know if picking things out of my food for me in front of a bunch of tough killer types was really sending the right message. Still, it was cute to see her do it and she gave me a kiss after, going back to her meal like nothing had happened.


    "Awe," Said so many voices that it felt like I was hearing from everything direction.


    When I looked up, everyone was concentrating on their food or whatever else they were doing. They all looked to be concentrating a bit too hard, and I could see some barely hidden smiles, but I didn''t care that my girlfriend was cute.


    I leaned over and kissed her cheek and thanked her for that and started to dig into my food. The other girls had finished eating, and the two monsters were cuddled together with their eyes closed.


    Soon, I finished eating and I finally got to the dread cup of not tea. I pulled it over and almost gagged, pushing it away.


    "Nope, that looks like someone took a shit in it, I am not putting that in my mouth!" Iined, but Lesha''s hand started to crawl up the inside of my leg, but she didn''t even bother to learn close or be cute.


    Instead, she turned and looked at me.


    "Remember, we have nster, and if you fall asleep on me," Lesha let my imagination finish the sentence, and I grabbed the cup and held it at arm''s length.


    I took a deep breath and downed the contents.

 Chapter 71: The Guarding Watch Light

    Chapter 71: The Guarding Watch Light


    It was every bit as bad as it looked, and only Lesha tipping the cup up made me finish, but I scowled at her after. There were no immediate changes to me, but it was a cup of sewage, I didn''t hold many expectations.


    After I finished, we headed to the back of the hall to a set of stairs that led down. Even as I started to walk, I could feel the difference, and it was like a wave of relief washed most of the fatigue away.


    The hall we all walked down into was made of stones and mortar, and there were five doors. Two on each side and one at the end, and that was the one that Lesha knocked on.


    "Come in," called a rough male voice.


    Lesha opened the door and we all walked inside. The ce was a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be; there were wooden walls with pictures on them, but they were of only one person.


    I turned away from them and looked at the man standing at the end of the room. He was sitting in front of a firece in afy-looking red chair, and there were two other couches. There was also another chair simr to the one he sat on beside him, with a simple wooden end table between them.


    There was a bed in the corner, and that was where the heaviest concentration of pictures was. We walked forward to join the man, and then I noticed that there was antern that was like the ones used to signal other ships at sea.


    This was one of the few things I did know about; my father had gotten one from a man for fixing some weapons. It had a cover and you could use it to direct light or open and close it for signals.


    It was like using the Calling Drums, but at short range. Still, I wasn''t sure why it was on the table, but it did look ornamental and nice, so I wasn''t sure what to make of it.


    "It''s good to see that you have finally woken up, it has only been a day, but the sooner you are up and going the better. My name is Jester for all Guild things, but you can call me Milo while we are here. Please, sit down, you must still be tired," Milo said, gesturing to the couches.


    I turned to Lesha and gave her a kiss before going to sit down in the vacant red chair beside Milo. My party took the whole ce up, but then that made me think about the boys.


    "Where is Tim, and Corbit?" I asked turning to Lesha, but Milo was the one that answered.


    "I have them working with Hersal and another member, Braum. Those two will help get them into better fighting shape. I know you are probably wondering, why?" Milo said with a smile as I turned back to him.


    "Yes, that is a very good question, but I expect that you already have the answer for me. So, Milo, Leader of The Laughing Ravens Guild, what can I do for you that would make you want to help me so much?"


    "Unlike you, I haven''t been bestowed a great power, more of a great item. Not useless, but by no means does it increase my physical or even magical aptitudes. I have one purpose left while I remain in this world. I will see Dyster pay for the people he took from me and so many others with his games and powers. We fought wars, and people died, but it was always one nation trying to climb to the top to rule. These Gods don''t care about us or the world, we are just toys in their rise to the top."


    Only the crackle of the burning logs on the fire filled the room until I broke the silence.


    "So, you think that I can kill him? A god that can level an entire city block, just by being there?" I asked with incredulity.


    "Not yet, but all the reports of youing from my trusted sources can''t be wrong. You are more than just a person that got something from the Dungeon Core. The level of Mind Control you used on so many men is astounding, even if it puts you in bed for three days! Kal said that all the men had just crawled onto the fire and only two of them were wounded," Milo praised me.


    I didn''t know if that was something I wanted to be praised for, but they had crossed a line, and I would do it again if anyone touched the girls again. I still didn''t understand what he meant by more; was he talking about Lishtani?


    "So, you think that I can be strong enough to kill a god?" I asked.


    "I believe with the right training and enough experience, you would definitely have a fighting chance, but that brings me to the next topic. What you did to the Ground Pounders is sung with praise, but I am sure that you know just as well as I do that Granvel isn''t going to just leave you alone after wiping out half his guild, and the members are hot for your blood," Milo exined.


    "Yes, I figured as much, but they will get another round of cleaning if they interfere with what I havee to do. You do know why I am here don''t you?" I asked.


    "Yes, I don''t like the gods, but Healia, doesn''t sound that bad, and she is the one that told me toe to get you. I have a Waystone that you can use tomunicate with her, but it is upstairs. It isn''t like the small amulets you have seen, but we will go thereafter. I have a few questions I would like to ask you with this," Milo said pointing to the Lantern.


    "You''re going to ask me questions with that?" I asked in confusion, looking at thentern again thinking I had missed something.


    "This is the Item I got from the Dungeon Core, The Guarding Watch Light."

 Chapter 72: Contracts

    Chapter 72: Contracts


    "This is the Item that you got from the Dungeon Core? I thought it gave items of great power and such?" I asked, a bit puzzled.


    I hadn''t expected thismp to be the magical item Kal had been talking about. It did look nice, but nothing about it said magical item of great power.


    Milo let out augh, and then picked up thentern.


    "Believe me, after all the time I spent inside of the dungeon to get to the final prize, and this is what the glowing red crystal gives me! At first, I didn''t even know how to use it. Then one night I wasing back from the dungeon after getting the item. I was using it for a light and I passed a shady-looking man, and when the light from thentern hit him, something happened to his shadow. It was red and orange, not ck, and something told me that this person was anticipating to be aggressive," Milo exined.


    "So thentern can tell feelings? I guess that''s useful, but as you said, hardly powerful. I am pretty sure some people specialize in reading other emotions, so this is veryckluster," I said, but I knew there had to be more to the story.


    "It gave me more than just the mental emotions, I could sense his pains and aches. I knew that he had been recently stabbed in the shoulder and that the wound was still fresh, so I jabbed two fingers into it, making the man drop his knife, and then I knew that he would try to grab it so I caught his face with a knee and then I slit his throat. Thest thing I knew was that he killed three women, brutally."


    This was a lot to take in; thisntern could let you know a person''s everything just from shining a light on them. This was far more powerful than I could have imagined, but there was a catch. No matter how much skill you have, in a battle with something like a god it would be useless without an equal or greater power.


    Knowing that the god was about to wipe you clean from the face of thend would not help you if you couldn''t stop it. Now I understood what he meant about the item, but I was unsure if I wanted to give Milo that kind of power over me.


    "Why do you want to use that on me, and why would I let you? I am sure you are exceptional, and above your ss, but if you were to use that on me or any of my girls, we would leave you a dried husk to be used as fire kindling," I said tly and without threat.


    I wasn''t trying to pick a fight, but I didn''t like what the thing could do. I already had someone in my head that I couldn''t control, but as far as I knew, Drania couldn''t affect me in this world. Milo, on the other hand, could cause me serious harm or the girls.


    "Hmm, I can see your point, but I need to have some kind of assurance to know that you are faithful to my cause. The next information I tell you could not only put myself at risk but all the people in this Guild, so you can understand why I might need some kind of guarantee," Milo exined.


    "K can since a contract just like any other vampire using her blood. That should be worth more than even your fancy candle holders," Candi said speaking up.


    "You are a vampire? I thought that you were just something like one?"


    This time it was Milo''s turn to y the confused one.


    "Yes, there is a vampire inside of me, so I guess that would make the contract valid, whatever that means," I said, looking over to Candi for confirmation.


    "You will be able to tell once you sign it, look," Candi said as she got up and came over to me. "Look in my eye, do you see the one light in my iris? Each time you sign a contract, you get a small light in your eye. I just have the one contract, but some have glittering eyes."


    "What would make you want to sign a contract?" I asked, still looking into Candi''s eyes, they were red like mine.


    "It gets lonely at the top, and sometimes we want to be around people, it just the urges sometimes are hard to control, no matter how long you have been cursed. The only way to be eager to live around people is to sign a contract saying that you won''t hurt them unless they hurt you. The problem is that the curse requires you to sign to each family house that is of different bloodlines, so, if a vampire wanted to live in arge city, they must do mountains of paperwork first," Candi exined and then went back to sit with Lesha and Trinity.


    I looked over and found Mie cuddled into Gloria as she stroked her hair while looking into the fire. I could see why they wouldn''t want to be alone. After spending so many years with no one by my side, it was hard to even think about life without her now.


    "I will sign the document if that will be okay, but I refuse to have thentern used by me or any of my party, including Corbit and Tim. All the members of my arty are sworn to me, so if you have my word, then you have theirs as well."


    "I can live with that, I will call up for some coffee and snacks, we still have a bit more to talk about," Milo said and then got up and left the room.


    "He seems honest, and I think we should listen to what he has to say. This sounds like he wants the same things as us," Lesha said whileing over to sit on myp.


    "I hope so, but everyone always has some sort of deviation. All we can do is hope that it''s not too dramatic," I said while wrapping my arms around Lesha and pulling her into my chest.

 Chapter 73: Another Thing To Add To The List

    Chapter 73: Another Thing To Add To The List


    Milo came back with a contract that said I and my party would not talk about what was said inside of this room outside it. It was simple enough, but then Milo asked if Candi would need to sign contracts.


    ''You can control her if she gets out of control, but now that you have bit her both her and Trinity will be less wild.'' -Drania.


    "She will be fine, the one that''s cuddled into her is a werewolf, so I think she will be fine, neither of them is very good at being monsters," I exined to Milo after Lesha got off myp.


    "Sure, mind if I ask something? You don''t have to answer, your business is your own, but, are you all couples? I don''t mean to pry, but I have never really heard of such a thing, and I found it hard to believe that there was a group of women like you."


    I took a pin that Lesha handed me from I am not sure where, and I poked my finger with it. A small drop of blood formed and I pressed my finger to the page.


    There was a brief sh in my left eye, but then it was gone. I felt no different, but then why would I. I should only feel something if I break the contract if I would even be allowed.


    "Yes, we are all couples. This is Lesha, my partner. Over beside her are Candi and Trinity, the vampire and werewolf. Thest two over there are Mei, who uses growth magic, and Gloria who loves her big sword," I exined, pointing to each of the girls.


    "Interesting, I am d that you have such a tight-knit group, you will need that as you slowly work your way up in the ranks. Now, let''s talk about the real reason we are all sitting in this room."


    I nodded for Milo to go on, and he continued.


    "As you know from Kal, I wasn''t always this person. I once had a person that I cared deeply for, and I still miss her every day. Nothing will bring her or my child back, but what I can do is prevent this from happening again. I want you to help me kill Dyster," Milo said, leaning forward into his chair.


    I already knew this, and that was fine, but if I was going to help I had my own job while I was here. Not only did I need to train and get stronger so I could level up the guild, but I also need to start forming alliances. If that didn''t work, then taking over the ones that couldn''t be a part of what I was trying to do would be the next option.


    "If I help you, then I will need something in return, more like a series of favors, but I won''t ask you anything outside of what your Guild can do. For now, just giving us a ce to stay and helping us will be more than enough, but I n on bringing all the guilds, including yours, under my banner," I said without a shred of doubt in my voice.


    I was fully confident that with time I would be able to slowly take our world back from these gods. It may not have been perfect before, but if I can get everyone working in the same direction, maybe things could be different than they were.


    "That is a pretty bold im, but my sources say that you might not be dreaming too big. I can agree to your terms if you''re fine with mine. I look forward to seeing what the future is going to be like with you around," Milo said with a chuckle.


    "First thing that we need to deal with, this Granvel, and his Guild," I said, looking directly at Milo.


    He has sandy blonde hair and gray eyes that looked far older than the body they were in. For a moment, I thought I saw something in the back of them, but then Milo turned away.


    "Don''t worry about them yet. They are mad, but you also sent them a pretty clear warning not to mess around with you. We have eyes on them, and we will know if they start trying to move people around. First, you need to go up to the Waystone on the fourth floor. The girls have had a tour, so you should be eager to find your way. After, Hershal and Braum will be taking you out to grab a couple Gem Hearts if you can get them," Milo exined as he stood up.


    We all shook his hand and then headed out of the room. So far everything has been in order, and things were in motion now.


    The girls and I headed from the room and back through the now emptymons room.


    "Jester seems like a nice person, so this should be good. I am really excited to see these Gem Hearts we have been talking about!" Lesha said with excitement as we started back up the stairs to where the room we were staying was.


    "Yes, it will be nice to be out on the open sea in a boat," Gloria said with a smile as we passed the room and headed up another flight of twisting stairs.


    "A boat? Like that little thing, we saw on the shore? I have ridden in those before and they aren''t very safe! And what do you mean, open sea? Just how far will we be going out?" I asked with some trepidation.


    I wasn''t really overly thrilled about this idea. The only water I had ever been in was up to my neck when I stood in the deepest parts. We only had ponds and small streams, most of the water was pumped out of the ground.


    "It will be fine, they use big boats, and the ce we will be going to is only about ten meters deep so we can just swim down," Gloria said like it was something that everyone should just be able to do.


    "Oh, um, hmm, well okay, that is a bit deeper than my neck, so I might be in trouble. We didn''t have a lot of deep water, so, ya, I don''t know how to swim," I said in a very small voice.


    I had learned to swing a sword, fight with boys, ride horses...but I didn''t know how to swim. For some reason, the way the girl looked at me with pity made me feel like I had made a mistake somewhere along the way.


    I sighed, but Lesha squeezed my hand and kissed my cheek.


    "You will learn, and we will teach you. You can be the only one that can help out, right?" Lesha asked with a smile that made me feel a little bit lighter.


    Maybe swimming wouldn''t be that bad, I mean I was an adult. How hard could it actually be? We continued on up the spiral staircase past the third floor until we reached a single room, with a big white stone with blue marking. It was just like the stone that Kal and Dyster had, but this one was a meter long.


    Time to see what kind of trouble Healia had been getting into while I was gone.

 Chapter 74: Checking On Home

    Chapter 74: Checking On Home


    "How do we do it?" I asked once I was standing inside the small room with the girls.


    "You don''t need to do anything but be near the stone" Called the familiar voice of Healia.


    I was surprised, I thought that I would have had to do something like touch the stone and say some words.


    "How is everything back there?" I asked, a bit worried about what I might get back for a rey.


    "Things are good, but your brother Mort died, so there is that," Healia said casually, but that made me rush up to the stone.


    "What? How? Wait, did the tree work? Is he alive?" I asked into the stone like it would help if it said the words closer to the stone.


    "Yes, he is fine, mostly, but he has to stay in for the week with a third arm attached to his forehead. It''s quite theical sight, and your brother keeps trying to think up different handshakes. So, it''s not all bad, and now Mort is helping your father with making things to sell," Healia exined and the tension left me.


    The witch did that on purpose, she knew that it would get me worked up! I took a deep breath in and started to exin everything that happened.


    Healia stayed quiet the entire time until I got to the part about the Ground Pounders and what I did to them.


    "Good girl, men like that don''t deserve to continue breathing, but what does this mean for you in the city? Dyster won''t like that you hurt his prized guild."


    "Jester has people watching them, for now, we just need to get stronger, but I wanted to ask you something. Is it okay for me to start a fight with Giyadel? He is killing human women by turning them into his bed with promises of riches and lives of luxury."


    "You do what you want, but just know that Giyadel will bring the fight to us if you start interfering in his business. Still, I agree that the monster needs to be stopped, just use your discretion. You are still weak in the eyes of the gods, so I suggest you work on your own power before hopping into bed with a lion," Healia exined to me.


    "I know that, but it is hard to sit by ideally when I know this is happening!"


    "But going and getting yourself or the girls killed because you can''t control yourself is not the answer to this problem. From what I have heard so far, this Jester is the real deal. So, try and work with him and get stronger. You need power first before you can challenge others," Healia told me, and I stepped back from the rock.


    She was right and getting the girls hurt or worse was not my n. I would just need to get stronger so I could protect everyone, but I would also need to help the girls get stronger.


    "Thank you, I hope I can be finished here so I can get back home. I already miss my father, and even my brothers a little bit," I said straightening back up, and Lesha came and slipped her hand into mine.


    "Don''t rush K, this is your first time being outside in the world, you need to explore and try new things! There is no rush right now, your brothers are doing good, and once you get a Waystone, you can start to send the new member back."


    "When I get the stone, can''t I juste back and Visit with it?" I asked.


    "No, the Waystones are from returning only. If youe back you would have to make the same trip all over again. Like I said, K, take your time, explore the world. The more you learn now the more you will prepare for the things that willeter. Learn how other people live their lives and see the different ways that people do things. Use this trip to expand your understanding of the world, and when ites a time, you will be able to help people better."


    Then she was gone, not even a goodbye, but this woman wasn''t my mother. Still, I was d to hear her voice and to hear her reassurances.


    I turned back to Lesha who was still holding my hand.


    "Okay, let''s go and see these Gem Hearts. Hopefully, I can get Gobby to go in the water and get them," I said kissing her cheek and following the girls back down the stairs.


    "I will teach you, don''t worry. It''s not that big of a deal, you never needed to swim so why would you have learned? We all will show you how," Lesha said kissing my shoulder and rubbing my arm.


    I would need to learn, but I didn''t want to look like an idiot in front of them.


    ''Don''t worry about it too much, I think you will be fine.'' Drania.


    ''Hey! You! Why did you tell me that Lishtani was some wild bloodthirsty beast?''


    [She is just jealous that she has to stay inside of your head and has freedom. Unlike me, I get toe and take control of your body. Isn''t that right, snookums?]


    ''Huh? What? Drania? Are you...like me? Do you like girls as well?''


    [Oh, she likes girls, but something is wrong with her. She normally wouldn''t talk about me so meanly, but I suspect it is just another part.]


    ''I can''t control everything that I say, but Lishtani is not an angel! Yes, I like her, but that doesn''t change how reckless she can be...can''t tell you what no, it''s useless for me to even try. Whatever has been done to me is still there from before, but now I know that it''s there, I just can''t do anything about it. You need to get stronger, but until then, heed my words, but know that not everything I say can''t always be trusted.'' -Drania.

 Chapter 75: Not Fair

    Chapter 75: Not Fair


    Know that I couldn''t always trust the things Drania said that were disturbing. I had to wonder what other lies that she had told me.


    We had got back down to the mess hall and Corbit, and Tim was down there waiting for us. Corbit can over and gave me a quick hug, but then backed away quickly.


    "Sorry Guild Leader! I am just d to see you''re okay!" Corbit said with a bit of embarrassment.


    "I hope you don''t think I am going to give you a hug too," Tim said with a smile.


    "No, not this time, but it is nice to know that I was missed. How have things been going with your training? It has only been one day, but it looks like you two have been doing something," I said looking the two over them up and down while brushing some dirt from the yellow shirt I was wearing.


    "Yes, something like that, we didn''t do much in the way of weapons training. Hershal and Braum think that we need to get into better shape before we start any kind of weapons training. I argued at first, but after the first time we ran their course, I could agree that I might need to work out a bit more," Tim said with a weak smile.


    "So, they are making the scrawny little boys beef up? Don''t worry Tim, one day you can have arms like mine," Gloria teased while flexing one of her biceps.


    "Laugh at us all you want, but I think Kal and Jester have a course nned for you all tomorrow. Braum said that ours was the beginner''s course and that you would be doing the intermediate. Honestly, I didn''t really think I could get much worse after that," Corbit said with a grin to Gloria, but it was Mei that spoke up.


    "Wah?! Wait, why do I have to do it?! I don''t need to run to fight and I won''t be using a weapon!" Meiined pulling on Gloria''s sleeve, but she had her fist up and clenched tight with fire in her eyes.


    "Oh? They think that they have a course that is more challenging than the gauntlet from my hometown! I will ept the challenge!" Gloria announced to no one.


    "Who are you talking to?" I asked.


    "No, one...I umm, hmm. Don''t we have a boat to catch?" Gloria said a bit peevishly, turning red-faced and walking out the door, dragging Mei along with her.


    Too cute, Gloria never got excited about things. This must be one of her things, she likespetition, but so did I. Part of me wished we could be just going there now, and not down to the open water.


    Stepping outside was weird, but magically beautiful at the same time. The entire city was built on a hill and we walked out to face down the hill. Ahead was what felt like miles of stone and wooden buildings, but the scene below with all the boats and water was magical and terrifying all at the same time.


    We were fairly high up, but the ocean still swallowed the horizon. Only blue water met the blue sea, and while it was beautiful to look at, the thought of traveling out to a point where there was nond in sight terrified me.


    I almost took an involuntary step back, but Lesha was there, as usual, to ground me with a hand on my arm.


    "The ocean can be a big scary ce, but you will get used to it. Don''t worry, we will be staying close tond today. The Gem Hearts grow in a reef, so we won''t be that far off the shore. We have met, but I will introduce myself again. I am Hershal, and this is Braum, and today we are going to take you out to show you how Gem Heart collecting works," Herschel said pointing to arge and muscled man with short ck hair and a chest-length beard.


    "Alright, let''s get going then before I change my mind and go back to bed," I said, shaking my head.


    "Ah, don''t worryss! The water be good for yer soul. Plus, you get to see the silly fockers that are going to grow to be the most profitable pain in the ass you ever did have, and that''s the God''s be damned truth of it!" Braum said with a big smile.


    He had a funny way of talking, but he seemed like a nice guy. I also liked those curses he was using; I would have to stick close for when he stubbed a toe, I could learn all new things to call Healia when I got back!


    I took Lesha by the hand and kissed her cheek, and she gave me a cute smile back, but then we had to jog to catch up. The trip to the ocean was nice and we stopped to get some dried and smoked fish to eat on the way.


    When we got almost to the dock area, I remembered something and turned to Lesha as we continued to walk.


    "What are we going to do in the water? I don''t want to walk around in wet clothes all day waiting to dry."


    "Don''t worry, I picked you out of a swimsuit yesterday. Once we got into the city and got you settled down, Gastbo paid us, and Kal told us what we would be doing today. So, I went and got you some new clothes and a swimsuit," Lesha said with a dreamy look in her eyes that made me feel ufortable.


    "You had better not got something inappropriate!" I growled at her.


    "Me? Do something like that? No baby, I got you something cute that you will look good in, I promise," Lesha said while leaning over to kiss my cheek, and squeezing my hand.


    When she called me that, it sent shivers down my back, and made me melt like butter inside. It really wasn''t fair.

 Chapter 76: Much Worse

    Chapter 76: Much Worse


    I walked with the girls down onto the docks, and the smell of the salt was stronger here, along with various other smells. Why did the whole area smell like...no, I wasn''t going to think about it.


    The boat was starting to sound like a good idea rather than stay around all these invasive smells. I looked at the other girls, and everyone but Gloria and Lesha had their noses scrunched up.


    "The Dead Right be up ahead, once onboard, head to the front of the boat so yer doesn''t get in the way of the deckhands, or old Captain Nobby will give ya the left side of his tongue!" Braum said with augh.


    "That''s not a very good name for a ship," Trinity said, tilting her head at Braum.


    "Oh,e now, little miss, this is a great name for her! She''s a Flexil Fish hunter, so she is dead to rights if we get caught by the Flexil," Braum said in a more serious tone, losing some of his jovial ent.


    "What are the Flexil Fish?" Lesha asked.


    "We will talk about them more after we cast off. First, let''s get everyone aboard so they can pull up the gangnk," Hershal said, waving us all forward.


    The Dead Right was the biggest boat there, and I had only seen some paintings like this. It was hard to put into words how amazing it was. The ship had to have been at least thirty meters long. I didn''t even bother trying to guess the height of the two sails that hung from wooden poles.


    We were rushed up onto the deck and then herded up a half-meter set of small stairs at the front of the boat. There was plenty of room and some wooden boxes to sit down on, so we made ourselvesfortable.


    I turned to see people rushing around, untying thick ropes and pulling up the ramp we had walked upon. Candi and Trinity came up to me and stood to either side of me, but neither of them looked very good.


    We had just started to move and there was a feeling of constantly moving, but it seemed to be bothering the girls. Both were almost a head shorter than me, and the little girls looked like they were going to be sick.


    "K, the waves, the boat, my stomach, ugh," Candi growled out as she grabbed my arm as the boat dipped a bit.


    "Ya, Miss K, I don''t feel so good, and everything stinks, do we have to do this?" Trinityined, grabbing my other arm as the boat came back up.


    I didn''t know what I was supposed to do, and I turned to Gloria. She was the only one that seemed to have any idea about what we were going to do.


    "Gloria, what can I do for these two? They don''t look so good," I said, but then I noticed that she was helping Meiy down, and letting hery with her head curled into Gloria''sp.


    "They just need toy down and keep their heads still, they will get used to it, hopefully. If not, then next time we will get crackers and some Air Juice. Just let them put their heads in yourps for now," Gloria said while running hands through Mei''s hair.


    Both girls were looking like zombies from the dungeon, so I went and put my back against one of the crates and crossed my legs. I waved the girls over and one came to each side, but then Lesha came andid down in front of me.


    "Are you not feeling good either?" I asked with concern, but she looked fine.


    "No, I''m fine, I just didn''t want to sit alone, and you havefy legs," Lesha said with a cute smile while looking up at me.


    We all sat there and rxed for almost an hour before Braum came to talk to us. Trinity and Candi were both sleeping and Lesha handed my arm and was running her fingers around it gently. It was a nice feeling that I had never felt before, and it let me rx to the point that I almost fell asleep.


    "I hope your girls there are feeling better when they wake up. The sea can be hard on some, but I just take time for most. So, we are going to being up on the Reef soon, so I want to run over some important details. So, wake the girls up as well, Corbit and Tim are already getting changed, and Hershal and I have already gone over the basics with them," Braum exined to us.


    Lesha sat up and I woke the girls up. The two of them sat up and stretched, both looked a lot better, so I stood up and stretched.


    I turned to look over at Gloria who was trying to get Mei up. Poor girl still looked like she was going green, but she would just have to push through.


    We all gathered around Braum, Hershal must be with the boys because he was nowhere in sight.


    "All right, sorry for making you wait so long about the exnation, but I was helping out with the crew. See, I now head out with these here boys cause this is my boat. I just let old Nobby there captain the thing cause I got other Guild business outside of just Gem Heart hunting. So, Flexil, they look like a pile of floating snot, but not to be taken lightly," Braum said, shaking a finger at each to make sure we were paying attention.


    "If they are floating boogers, then what makes them so dangerous?" Trinity asked.


    "They eat through anything, the jelly melts holes through anything. So, If they touch the ship of you, it''s all over for us. So, we have spotters, but the biggest thing is for the divers to get in and out without being noticed. Most people die on their way back from getting the Gem Heart."


    Well, this just made things seem that much worse.

 Chapter 77: The Length Of Her Body

    Chapter 77: The Length Of Her Body


    Braum finished exining the rest of the process, but the part where you retrieved the Gem Heart was a bit hazy. There were different ways to do it, but there was a general principle that everyone followed.


    The Flexil stayed inert until one of their gems were taken, and after that, it was a race back to the ship. Each group had its own way of doing it, but the general consensus is that tying a rope on yourself was the best route.


    That was fine, but the average depth was fifteen meters, and that was a long distance to hold your breath. On top of that, the ship had to be anchored in a ce that could get away safely, so it was a long trip, and this is where people start to get creative.


    The same people that made the Air Juice Gloria had mentioned also somehow figured out how to bottle air into small canisters. These could then be used for more air, but the containers wererge like oversized wine bottles.


    Not only were theyrge, but the price made it so you could only use one per heart. Each bottle contained three breaths of air, and they cost one tinum coin per bottle.


    The gem hearts were worth five but two-fifths of every gem heart was given to the boat and crew. Then you needed to get the Gem cleaned, another two hundred gold, and then you had to rent equipment.


    In the end, you could make about fifteen hundred gold, which was good, but if anything got damaged, broken, or lost, you paid for it. The repairs weren''t cheap, and it didn''t matter whose fault it was. As Braum said to us, this was risky business, but if everyone got one that went in then you could have a good payday.


    But then that led to the next problem, everyone had to get one. For each person that didn''t get one, they would have to pay one tinum for the air tank and the cost of the tools rental, plus repairs.


    So if only two people went down, and only one came back with one, then the profits could end up being zero. Not only that, if someone died, the party was reasonable to pay for recing the lost equipment. That alone could put a person in debt, and that was not a position that a person wanted to find themselves in, ording to Braum.


    After we finished listening to Braum, the six of us were shown to a room to change. Lesha was all smiles the entire walk from the front of the boat, and I started to get nervous. Just what had she picked out that had her almost splitting her face with that smile.


    The deckhand, Wocky, these people all had weird names, but he showed us to our room to change and then left us. I was forcibly pushed into the room and stubbled a bit.


    "What is your problem woman? I am feeling very uneasy with the way you have that goofy grin stered on your face!" I said squinting my eyes.


    Instead of replying, Lesha reached into the bag she had brought and pulled out two pieces of red cloth. I looked at her tly, but I still took the clothes, and that made her smile even brighter.


    I sighed, there was no getting away from this now. This damn woman! When I was single, I would have just tied the bottom of my shirt to keep it from riding up and a pair of cut-off shorts.


    "Lesha, this is a pair of underwear with a see-through skirt with white flowers somehow dyed into it. You can expect me to wear this?" Iin trying to figure how the top even went on.


    Lesha gave me a dark expression.


    "If you are worried about the boys looking, Gloria already said she would smash in the head of the first person that learned any of us. I picked it out and I want to see you in it, so don''t be your growly self and just try it on!" Lesha said growling at me.


    I sighed and looked over to see that the other girls had already changed in the time that I had beenining. I started to undress, but it was a bit weird and I had to turn around.


    Women or not, these ones liked girls, and for me, it was almost like they were men. I slipped the bottoms on and the skirt was not as transparent as I had first thought, but this top half of the suit was a mystery to me.


    "Here, let me help you," Lesha said, sliding her hand around the sides of my ribs to cup my breasts and squeezed yfully.


    I breathed in sharply at the feeling of her cold hands and the sensations of her gentle ying. I quickly nced back, but the girls were gone, they must have snuck out. I leaned back and closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of Lesha''s hands, but they have pulled away too soon.


    Lesha took the red cloth from my hands and started to turn it around so the lighter side was facing me. She still had her arms under my own, and she pressed the cloth to my breasts and then pulled back from me. She pulled the two strings at the bottom of the cloth around my back and I felt her tie them, but my breast fell out of the cloth, giving a little jiggle.


    I pulled the cloth back up to cover myself while Lesha reached over my shoulder to grab thest string and tired it behind my neck. When she was done, I looked down to find most of my chest actually covered.


    "See? It''s not that bad, right? I know you wouldn''t want to like what I am wearing, so I got you this because I thought you would look cute in it. I was right," Lesha said as I turned around to find her in a soft blue bikini that showed a lot more skin than mine did.


    "Do we have to go out right now?" I asked hopefully as I ran my eyes over the length of her body.

 Chapter 78: Gray Whale

    Chapter 78: Gray Whale


    "They are waiting for us, you can wait till tonight," Lesha said while flipping her hair over her shoulder.


    "This is your fault that I am this riled up!" Iined as the two of us left the room.


    "I know, but you listen better when I make your brain melt out your ears. Sometimes you''re almost as bad as a man!" Lesha said to tease me.


    "You are evil, and I will figure some way to tease you!" I said, grabbing her sides and pulling her into a kiss before we left the hall and back out onto the ship''s deck.


    The other girls were waiting with Tim and Corbit, and we went over to them. Both Tim and Corbit looked away from us and back to the other girls who all somehow had fully covered suits, but the four of them still looked cute.


    "So, who wants toe in for the first attempt?" Gloria asked as she tied a belt around her waist that had a long rope that ran from a winch that was now installed on the deck.


    There were four of them, but they hadn''t been there before. I turned and found Braum who was carrying five oversized wine bottles that had fluted tips.


    "Why weren''t those things on the deck before? I guess they would get in the way, but it seems like a lot of work to have to drag this out each time."


    "The hands take good care of the equipment. There are just some things I would pay for, andziness is one of them. This boat is out here almost every day and in most storms, unless it''s a round of water, but then that is the best time to be out!" Braum said with a cheerful smile.


    "Where is the other one-eyed guy?" Trinity asked, putting a finger to her bottom lip.


    "Stays inside most times if he evenes out, but we don''te out that often. We are specialists, and Jester has us do other Guild-rted work, but we still make our rounds and make sure that everything is in good shape. Can''t have things break on us or no one makes any money, and these boys all got families to feed," Braum exined.


    That made sense, and it must be expensive to pay the workers and keep a ship like this going. Still, I wasn''t sure if I should be going in the water, this was a lot of money to waste if I wasn''t able to do it.


    "I think it would be best to sit this one out until...I figure out how to swim," I said, looking away from Braum.


    "I heard you were a mountain girl from over there Tiagelia, no, sorry, Healia. Hard to think this was just over half a year ago. Now, all of the nine great cities'' names have all changed to these God''s names. Strange times, but don''t worry, you can sit this one out, but I''ll ask that you run my winch. It has a gear-down system to make it easier to crank, and since I am so big, I need someone to pull me up with some strength," Braum said.


    "I will take that as apliment," I said with a smile.


    "You should, you''re a tank, so you need to be able to be strong, but you will be a beast after Jester and Kal get a hold of you! BWAHAHA!" Braumughed out as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the side, revealing arge and impressive chest, and Braum noticed me looking. "Oh? Seeing a real man be enough to change your view? Hehe!"


    "More like she was sizing you up to her if she could take you in a fight," Lesha said,ing up and taking my hand, pressing upon my shoulder with her chest.


    Oh? Was she getting jealous? Now that was something, but she was right, and I wasn''t sure if I could beat him. There aren''t many men that I won''t at least try fighting first before making this assumption, but this guy was more than just muscle.


    "Woahdy, don''t worry. I am not trying to hit on you woman, I am just used to the stars, so I thought I would make a little joke. Plus, Your leader needs to put some meat on those bones," Braum said with a smile, walking past the two of us.


    I turned to Lesha who was now looking down and slightly blushing. She had let go of my hand and now she was fidgeting with her fingers. She looked adorable and I wanted to go somewhere else and justy in the sun with her pressed into my chest.


    "K?"


    I napped back to the present moment, and I concentrated back on Lesha who was now grinding, her slight gone.


    "What were you thinking about that gave you such a dreamy look?" Lesha asked me, but I took her by the hand, taking her over to the edge of the boat by the railing.


    "I was thinking of finding a sunny spot and spending the rest of the day there with you," I said, giving Lesha a quick hug and a kiss before turning to lean out over the railing, and then I saw them.


    Like a gigantic pile of mucus that was clear floating far from the shore. I leaned out to get a better look, but then someone yelled a warning out, but I have no idea what it meant.


    "GRAY WHALE COMING IN FAST STARBOARD!" Someone I couldn''t see called.


    "K! Get back from the edge," Lesha tried to cry out, but everything happened so fast that I couldn''t react.


    The boat was hit on the opposite side from where I was leaning over, making the whole ship tip to the side and the right itself, but I was hanging over the edge. The dip made me lean forward more, and then when the boat was righted, I flipped over the edge, smashing my head on the side of the boat.

 Chapter 79: Water Meister

    Chapter 79: Water Meister


    shes passed through my vision as I fell endlessly into a bottomless void. I couldn''t open my eyes because I didn''t have eyes to open, but that didn''t stop the shes of memories.


    I couldn''t focus on any single one, but I slowly started to get a feeling of understanding. It was like a gate was opened that blocked knowledge that was stored somewhere deep inside of me.


    Water. The ocean. The Creatures. Swimming, I somehow understood it all. Crabs, I still didn''t like them or most of the other things, but a gray whale had just hit the ship I was thrown overboard, and I had hit my head was I dead?


    "Breathe."


    I could hear a voice telling me to breathe, but how did I breathe without a body?


    Suddenly, I was back on the ship, soaked and on my side choking up water. I gasped for air and drew in a sweat breath, and then let it back out. I coughed a couple more times, but then blue cover breast smothered me, making it hard to breathe again.


    "DON''T DO THAT!" Lesha cried out as she smothered me, and only after Gloria pried her off was I able to breathe again.


    My head hurt something fierce. When I put my hand to the side where the pain wasing from, there was arge lump.


    "I didn''t mean to do that? I just could remember what a whale was, but why would ite at us so fast? Oh, I know how to swim, let me try," I said, but I was grappled by the five girls.


    "Are your brains scrambled woman?" Gloria growled at me. "You just told us before"


    "That pole over there? A mast. This side of the ship? Port. The sponge-looking nts of different colors? A coral reef. To stay above water, I pretend I am riding a bike and spreading sand, right? The tide is in right now, right Braum?" I could have kept going, but I need some air.


    All this water-based knowledge, but nothing else. It was like an injection of knowledge, but it was all my own past experiences. The memories and references were of me doing them, or showing, and teaching the knowledge to others.


    "Baby, are you alright? You hit your head pretty hard, maybe you shoulde toy down...why is your face getting red? Are you okay?" Lesha asked with panic, but I let out the breath of air.


    Barely three minutes, so I would need the air after all, but I would be able to do better in the future. I really needed to hit my head more often. I wonder if the same would happen with a shield


    "Kiada!"


    I jumped, there were too many new, but old concepts and ideas that were running through my head. I focused back on Lesha.


    "I don''t know what happened, but when I hit my head, something unlocked inside of me. Now, I know things about running a ship, the ocean, and the creatures in it. Many things that I am sure that not a single person here knows, but I am not trying to start a debate," I said staring into the depths of Lesha''s sparkling blue eyes, and put my hand on her cheek. "I have memories of doing and learning all these things, and almost every one of them is with you."


    I leaned forward and kissed her trembling lips softly, feeling a tear rolled down to our lips. I slowly pulled away and smiled at her, taking a hand away to wipe my own eye before it rolled down. She smiled back, and we both turned to the others who were all studiously looking for something else to look at and examine.


    "So, Lesha, I would like you to stay here and do the winching if you don''t mind, please. I have a better understanding of it all and I understand what needs to be done. The Flexil look very simr to the Man-O-War jellyfish, but the Flexil have no tentacles, and they look a lot denser. So they must be able to move fairly quickly if they have control of their amorphous body, meaning they can jet like a squid. Right Braum?" I asked, turning from Lesha to look at him.


    Braum just stared at me open-mouthed, but he wasn''t the only one. Both Tim and Gloria had the same expressions. I pped my hands twice and snapped my fingers twice, holding my hand up for them to see.


    "Hey! Wake up! We don''t have all day. Can''t you feel the slight drop in the temperature? Let''s get belted, and bottled up, and get down there!" I shouted, and everyone started moving.


    Gloria helped me into the belt that was about six centimetres wide and it should be easy enough to pull us back safely. The position of the rope should be fine without causing too much strain on our bodies having the ropes from the back.


    "Are you sure about this K? You hit your head pretty hard," Candi saiding over to me. "I have seen things like this before. The person seems fine and they act better than ever, and go back to what they are doing, and then die."


    "I Will argue that that might be the case, but I am okay. You have to remember, because of your Service, Lymphocyte, I can heal. The lump that I had is already healed, and my head doesn''t even hurt anymore. I just need you girls to do your jobs up here you two are in charge of Gloria''s winch and Corbit will take mine" I told the girls to pacify them.


    Lesha came over to me, still looking worried. I wanted to tell her that I was fine, but that would be useless, I could tell she just wanted to fuss. So, when she started, I pulled her in for a kiss to cut her off.


    "Okay, time to go, don''t let us get eaten by boogers, and I love you!" I said as I pulled away and ran for the railing on the port side.


    There was a storming.

 Chapter 80: Snot Wads

    Chapter 80: Snot Wads


    I jumped over the rail and dove into the water with the white nylon-like rope trailing behind me. I pierced the water, but the air made swimming a bit awkward, but I would be okay. I could see the wrecks of ships everywhere, this was really a graveyard for the ones that didn''t get away.


    I swam back up to the surface and grabbed fresh air and then dropped down to catch up with the other three that were already swimming down. I would be interested to go take a look at them one day, who knows what could have been left behind!


    I caught up to Gloria and we swam to the glowing coral reef. The reef itself wasn''t glowing, and as we got closer I could see that it was bell-shaped crystals that were glowing different colors.


    I had never seen gems so beautiful. The way the gems were shaped like bells made them look like crystallized roses. Time for my n, hopefully, these would be the same as the crystals that we found in the dungeon.


    ''Gobby, can you hear me?''


    "Yeah, K, I''m here. The saltwater has me all wrinkled like a raisin and I look worse than normal so I have been staying hidden! But hurrah on getting some of the memories back! You can swim! Again! Woo!" Gobby said from my arm as a smaller version of his eye rolled down it.


    Gobby and walked back up my arm and then up to my back, but he looked wrinkled like a raisin and he was a light muddy red. His feet were sticking to me and the water current didn''t seem to bother him.


    ''How many of those gems do you think you can fit in you?''


    "Nope, they are just crystallized booger spit with phosphorescent bugs trapped inside. They are just like really fancy pearls, so if I eat it, it will just be a snack," Gobby said from behind me. "But, I can eat one of the snot wads, or they might eat me. Either way, I will prove to be some sort of distraction!"


    That was something, but we didn''t want to kill the Flexil or there would be fewer Gems Hearts created. I had to wonder what the uses there were for them, but we were getting close now so I needed to concentrate on the task at hand.


    I unhooked my air bottle and took in a deep breath of air, but it was gross. I would have to figure out something in the future for the others, but this would work for now.


    The Flexil Fish above all float on the top of the water above, and I could see that some had Gem Hearts growing slowly inside of them. I looked over at the other three and they all nodded and we all quickly went and found some.


    They were spaced out so it wasn''t wise to grab more than one, but I had been putting my eyes to work while thinking. I had found a group of three and there was the size of a tropical grapefruit that was one of the ingredients to the vor of Candi''s blood.


    I grabbed the three and hugged them in and took another stale breath of air. I shook the line and looked up to see the Flexil was already descending on me and the others, but they were already being pulled back.


    I felt the jerk and leaned back to reach my free hand up and grabbed the line. That helped me stay straight and I started to pick up speed. We all were keeping ahead of them and now we were slowly pulling away.


    Suddenly, some of the Flexil Fish started to streak at Tim, but he threw two daggers into the closest one. The daggers were more like thrown rock and they only disintegrated, but they did slow the speed and that was what mattered.


    I looked up and I could see the boat getting closer, but I could also see that the sky was starting to get very dark and we had to sail straight into it. Tim had thrown a couple more knives to stop the ones that were getting too close, but they had mostly given up.


    I could no longer see the ocean floor and the water was getting very dark as we were finally pulled up and out of the water. There was a rope that was dropped off the side and once the four of us grabbed on, another winch could be heard clicking as we were finally pulled up onto the deck.


    Lesha was the first over to me, taking the gem from me and running them over to arge tub. I got up and walked over as I felt the rain only just start, but it was not ying around.


    The tub was filled with a thick green jelly-like substance, and I watched Lesha gently drop the crystals in. Then there to the ones the other brought over and came to stand by me, but she was looking on my back.


    "K, there is something gross on your back!" Lesha eximed poking Gobby''s wrinkled body that was stuck to my back.


    "No that is just Gobby," I said.


    "Yeah, it is!" Gobby shouted out, and I felt him lifting from my back.


    *Smack!*


    "Sorry!" Lesha said from behind me.


    I could no longer feel him on my back and I turned to find Lesha staring at her now bloody hand. I looked around, but Gooby was gone, just what happened?


    "I am sorry K, he jumped out as my and I pped him off the boat!" Lesha said with tears in her eyes, but I smiled at her.


    "Probably for the best, I will summon him again when we need him. Cheer up love, if he gets too far from me he will auto unsummon. Then I can just call him back whenever we want, but he can have a break right now or whatever it is he does when he isn''t here."

 Chapter 81: Storm Caller

    Chapter 81: Storm Caller


    The storm was starting to pick up as we sailed back but we still had to travel two hours to get back, and it was already lunch. Lesha was standing with me at the bow of the ship, as we stared out into the open sea with the storm assaulting us.


    "Can we go inside now? We don''t need to be out here, and the waves are starting to swell. Don''t you think it would be safer inside?" Lesha pulled the treated canvas coat closer around us.


    "I saw something out there, and I want to see if I can see it again. When the lightning shed, I saw a tall figure that almost reached the clouds. It looked like a person, but it was far too big," I said while staring out, trying to pierce the darkness with my eyes, but the rain made my eyes not really much better than anyone else''s.


    "That the Storm Caller! Come on inside and I will tell you about it!" Braum called to us from the lower deck.


    I turned with Lesha and then slipped out of the coat, letting the rain buffet me. I went down the stairs, giving Lesha my hand as she stepped down, but I had to catch her as the ship dipped.


    "Thank you," Lesha said with a cute smile as I helped her stand up straight.


    We both followed Braum inside the cabin hall and headed back to the room we had changed in. Braum let us go inside first and then pulled the boys out so we could get changed, but once we were done I called them back inside.


    "So, I have a couple of questions. I have knowledge of the sea and such things to do with it, but I have never seen that green jello you put the Gem Hearts into, what is it?" I asked as I sat down on one of the three wooden benches with Lesha.


    "Sure, I will help you where I can, but I thought after your big speech there was nothing that we could tell you that you didn''t already know, haha!" Braum joked with augh, taking a seat on the bench that the boys sat on.


    The four other girls were sitting on thest bench, but they were all just cuddling up for warmth. The drop in temperature wasn''t horrible, but mixed with the wind and rain, it was getting a bit chilly.


    "As I said, I know about the water and the things in it, but I don''t know things that are specific...to this world? I don''t know how to exin it, but none of the past experiences that I can remember have anything to do with this world we are in," I said, but the part about the worlds had juste out, and I didn''t really understand what it meant.


    Where were the other worlds? ces like this? Entire worlds filled withpletely different people? The thought was almost staggering.


    "Worlds? Hmm, that is strange. The way you talk reminds me of the gods, but you were born here, right? Over in that far mountain range, right?" Braum asked, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me.


    "Yes, I have lived there my entire life, so I don''t know where these memories are from. Regardless, I want to know what the Storm Caller is. That thing only appeared in a lightning strike."


    "Yes, but first the jelly, we got a bit side-tracked, and to tell you the truth, I still have many questions for you. The Acrid Gel is an acid-based gel that cures and hardens the Gem Hearts. I can guess that you have never seen one before this so you wouldn''t know. After they are cleaned the bell falls off of them, and they are a heart shape and then get a cloudy coating that has to be buffed off," Braum exined.


    "So, that''s why we have to pay to get them cleaned," Lesha said in realization.


    "Yeah, and without the Acrid Gel, the Gem Hearts would break very easily. If one breaks, nothing short of dirt or moisture will stop the gel thates out. The Flexil Gel is more corrosive than the actual fish, so you need to be very careful when handling them, and NOT touch them together," Braum said, looking directly at me, and I looked away with a small smile, but the point was not lost on me.


    I could have broken one of them and done serious damage to myself or even death. I looked back up at Braum and gave him a nod that said I understood my mistake.


    "Good. Now, the Storm Caller is a myth, and most just think it''s an illusion. Still, some believe that it is real. I personally believe it has to be real because it only showed up when the gods did. The biggest problem is that when it''s spotted, it''s never in the same ce, and those that try to find it, nevere back," Braum said with finality.


    "Well, that will just have to be put on the to-do list. Do you think that we will have trouble getting back in this storm? It doesn''t seem that bad, but I don''t know what your crew is like."


    "Don''t worry, these boys will get us back to port! Fifteen years on this old bird and she hasn''t touched bottom yet! Do worry, we are staying close as we can to the coast and there are no cliffs around here so the water is so good to get us back. I just might take us a bit longer than usual," Braum exined as he stood back up and walked to the door, but then he turned back to Corbit. "Come on boy, let''s go do some training."


    "Training? I asked looking at Corbit, who was starting to look green.


    "Yes, to use this Mana stuff. I still don''t really get it, but I have figured out ways to improve it. Why? You and the little one want toe and learn? I can smell that sweet berry smelling from the two of you, so if you want toe and join us!" Braum said, motioning for Mei and me to follow.

 Chapter 82: La Khomtep

    Chapter 82: La Khomtep


    "Where are we going to train?" I asked standing up and pulling my hand from Lesha''s.


    "Over on the deck, don''t worry you can wear a coat to keep the rain off you, but this way I don''t need to throw things at you, the waves and rain will be more than enough," Braum said with a big face splitting grin that made me feel very ufortable.


    "Are youing with me?" I asked Lesha looking down at her.


    "No, I am starting to get a headache so I think I will goy down. Plus, it''s miserable out there, I don''t even know why you are going. You shoulde take a nap with me!" Lesha said with a suggestive smile, but for once I had to be the tease.


    "No, I have had plenty of rest over thest few days, and learning how to control my Mana will be important for everyone in the future. Plus, you said before that we will be hometer so...AWK!"


    The witch grabbed the sides of my waist and dug her fingers into me, making my left that horrible squawking noise. So much for trying to y the tease, and I tried to round on her, but she was already out the door.


    I looked over at the men, and they all were trying to look away from me. I could see them trying to hold thisughter back with their eyes bulging, and I sighed.


    "Go aheadugh it up before you all hurt yourselves," I said, and onmand, the three men start tough like wild animals.


    "K, what kind of bird call was that? I have never heard a bird make that noise," Mei said giggling.


    I walked over and took her by the hand and then red at the men, letting my eyes heat just a little bit. They glowed from my anger, and if I only let a bit out I could control them, but it was hard, and all the men shut up right away.


    Braum looked a bit troubled by my eyes, but time spoke up right away.


    "It''s part of her power, when she gets mad, they glow and that was barely even lit up so don''t worry. If the room turns blood red, well you''re probably already dead, but you''re a friend. Miss K is just telling us to stop pissing around," Tim exined to Braum as he stood up, patting him on the shoulder. "Just stay on her good side, it''s a pretty good ce to be if you get in a pinch."


    "Well, I see and learn something new every day, but those are some scary eyes you got there. I will do my best not to bug you too much, but when we get up top, I''m gonna need you to listen to me, because this won''t be fun. I just don''t want one of those red eyes res out there in the storm with the other men around. The sea has far too many myths and legends, and the damn sailors buy into every one of them," Braum exined.


    "I understand and I wouldn''t want them to think I was some kind of ghost or night terror. I will keep my anger in check, I am sorry if I frightened you," I said walking up to the door with Gloria and Mei behind me.


    Mei was looking a bit better, but the more extreme movements of the boats were not helping here. Gloria was still mothering her, but that was her chosen job, and they looked cute together. Candi and Trinity were in the corner talking about something that I couldn''t overhear.


    The six of us headed out in the hall and back out towards the center of the ship. Braum stepped up beside me and we slowed down to grab coats off the wall. As Braum stood beside me, handing out coats, he spoke low so I could hear.


    "To bepletely honest, your eyes gave me a chill. Far worse than I have ever had before, and I am man enough to say that you scare me with something fierce. La Khomtep; when you get back to the Guild, I''ll show you a book."


    That was all he said before handing me a canvas coat like the one Leash and I had shared before, but this one was smaller. I wonder what he was talking about?


    The thought left my head as we walked out onto the deck and Into the torrential downpour. The sea still bucked and poured waves over the deck, but the wind had died down. We had to watch our step from all the rushing water, and it was hard to even see with all the rain.


    "Over here!" Braum called to me from the center mast.


    He was sitting and putting one of the diving belts on, and I could see other belts attached to a chain that ran around the base of the mast. Braum waved us over, but he had to yell out the exnation for us to hear.


    "Everyone has to take a belt if you''re out here or you will get pulled overboard. Once you''re hooked in, the once with Mana need to concentrate and find the source of your Mana inside of you. Once you have it, you need to hold that state, no matter what happens."


    Everyone got belted down, and I took one of the belts close to Braum. Mei took the other side with Gloria, while the boys sat between us.


    I was already regretting changing, but it was toote to worry about that. We had already been half-drowned but the waves were just trying to get buckled up, so I wasn''t sure how I was going to do this.


    "This won''t be easy, but the morefortable you get with feeling that energy during stressful or distracting situations, the better," Braum said through the rain, right before another massive wave came over the side of the ship.

 Chapter 83: Demon Or An Angel?

    Chapter 83: Demon Or An Angel?


    I settled into myself and caught my breath as the wave passed over me, the raincoat stopping none of it. It was going to be hard to find that point, the direct downpour might have been rxing, but it thundered down on the deck.


    "Let it be the background noise, only focus on the blue me. You have to be able to do this during a fight, and the more you dig the more you will learn about your power. This is all new to me, but I have gotten quite skilled from doing countless hours of training over thest two months," Braum called out beside me, but I could still barely hear him.


    Another wave came, but this one was only at my breast, so I closed my eyes and sought out the blue me that Braum was talking about. I knew what he meant, I saw it when I used the Mana.


    It always seemed to be there when I needed it, but I had never had to use the Mana while fighting, always before to bless or after to heal. What he was trying to say is that if I could learn this and dig deeper I would get stronger, and that''s all that I need to know.


    I centered myself, letting the thunderous rain drops fade into a constant drum. I let the waves run over me like I was sitting on a beach, the feeling bing rxing.


    Burning brightly, the blue me appeared, but looking into it was not hard on the eyes. Instead, it was like my world was opening up to new truths that have been once forbidden, but they now were free to enter the world.


    Shield/Dleihs!


    Themand washed into me as another wave rolled over, but I couldn''t be bothered by it. My eyes were open now, in more than one way, with memories of the sea and now these, Truths. I felt like I was slowly starting to get a feeling for what was actually going on, but at the same time, I felt like I had no idea.


    There was more than just this world, but I already knew as much. Healia had told me, but what did that mean for me? And Lesha? Just how far did our lives stretch?


    I still held the me and I unbelted, the rain was slowing down and I could see the blue sky up ahead. Soon, the storm would be passed, and we would be bathed in the warm sunlight.


    I took the jacket off and when over and stepped into the hall to hang it up. I was starting to get a bit of that unnatural chill, and that meant I would need to still go to the dungeon.


    The day was getting on, and the sun was already starting to make its trip down into the sea to light it on fire before sinking away. Then finally casting the world into the final grey twilight before darkness.


    That was one of my favorite parts of the day, and I had countless memories of watching those same scenes in countless lives. Some the same, but different somehow, it was hard to make sense of any of it.


    The others were getting up now, and Tim and Gloria looked miserable, but both Mei and Corbit looked filled with zeal. The rain had just stopped so I walked back out just as the sun peeked over the cloud.


    The feeling I got when the sun hit me was more intense than I had expected. I was still holding the blue me, but the second the sun hit me, the me started to get brighter. The blue turned to white, and my skin began to softly glow with a white incandescent.


    "You just don''t stop do you?" Braum asked,ing to stand beside me. "First you look like one of the cursed depth walkers and now you look like a gilding maiden. I can''t make heads or tails of you, woman."


    "Don''t worry, you aren''t the only one," Lesha said sleepily, letting out a long yawn as she slipped her arms around me from behind, softly kissing my neck. "Glowing? This is new, but Braum is right, you really need to decide where you are going with your look? Are you the queen of darkness or a princess of the light?"


    "I will just settle for being me, and honestly, I have no idea what is going on. I am still holding the me, and when the light hit me, the blue turned white and I started to glow. Something feels different now though like I know more, I am not sure what it is that I know more about," I said leaning into Lesha.


    We could see the port up ahead, and I smiled, putting my hands over Lesha''s and turning to kiss her cheek.


    "How are you still holding it? I have been doing it for a while now and I can''t just walk around with it. I have to use the training to summon it quickly and use it, but if I try to hold on to it, I end up losing very quickly," Braum said while looking me over.


    "Should I not be holding on to it? Will something bad happen, or am I wasting my Mana?" I asked, a bit worried, but I still held the me.


    "Hmm? No, hold it for as long as you can. That is a very valuable skill you have; I am going to guess that you use light magic?" Braum asked.


    "Yes, I can use Bless, Heal, and now Shield," I said, and Braum gave me one of those looks that said, you have got to be kidding me.


    Braum threw up his hands in the air, and turned up the stairs, to go see Captain Nobby. I was a bit confused, but Tim as usual, came over to dissect the unspoken word.


    "By the look he just gave you, your powers are pretty stacked, and I agree. For a tank to be able to heal, bless and shield while also just casually overflowing with Mana, it seems overpowered. Honestly, I am a bit envious of you myself, but you''re my Guild Leader. So I expect you to awe me from time to time, but honestly, you should chill out," Tim said with a big grin.

 Chapter 84: Gats And Crass

    Chapter 84: Gats And Crass


    The ship pulled into the harbor, and we docked with no problem. Braum said he would take care of the Gem Hearts and get us our cash at the guild, but I asked for directions to the dungeon.


    "Getting prettyte don''t you think?" Braum asked me.


    "Unless you feel like lending me every drop of your blood, I need to go and clear at least one room of the dungeon. Plus, I have all this build-up of Mana, I would really like to see what I can do with it besides the spells. I have seen Mei use her Mana when we fought Healia and monsters in the dungeon," I said, but all the color had drained from Braum.


    "Head up the road, and once you get to the center cross street where all the vendors were, take a left and follow the path out of town. You were kidding about taking all my blood right? You just want to go and train, right?" Braum asked hopefully.


    I smiled, trying not to make it seem too viinous, but it was really hard. I had this big man as white as a ghost, but sailors were superstitious people by nature.


    "Don''t worry, I don''t need to take your or anyone else''s as long as I can get to the dungeon," I said with a smile and turned to the others. "I would like to go alone, so I will walk with you, but then I will see you back at the Guild."


    "No you aren''t," Lesha said with the finality of a door closing.


    "Listen, I just," But she cut me off again, grabbing me and pushing me roughly ahead.


    "No, I will be going with you, the other girls will take our stuff back. Then you can buy me a sword on the way, and use your fancy Mana to protect me," Lesha said, pushing me forward.


    The rest of the girls were remaining silent, and Corbit and Tim had already disappeared. This woman, I wanted to be mad at her, but I couldn''t find a real reason to be. I had told her I was going alone, but she obviously thought she knew better. We might have to talk about this.


    I started to walk forward, but then Lesha waved the girls off and then walked into an alley. I guess the talk would happen now, but when I got into the alley Lesha looked like she had just been whipped.


    "K, I am really sorry, I don''t know what came over me. I can''t be acting like that in front of everyone, but you can''t just leave me behind when you go to do dangerous things! That is no excuse for my behavior and I am sorry. I am just worried that you are taking more risks now because of your new strength, but we still need each other, okay? Please don''t ask me to stay behind," Lesha said taking my hand, looking up into my eyes.


    I stared into her blue eyes for a moment, letting myself feel her words. She wasn''t wrong, but as Lesha had just said, that was no excuse for doing something like that. There are many ways that could be a lot more effective, but I had been leaving her out of things since Healia.


    "I understand your feelings, and I will not deny you the option toe with me, but I think we need to figure out better ways of dealing with things, both of us. We also need to work on these outbursts and my red eyes, but let''s get going and talk on the way."


    I leaned in and kissed her, and she kissed me back. I took her hand and walked out of the alley with her.


    I hoped the boys would stay with the girls, I should have been more specific. That would be thest thing that we needed right now is for them to get captured and I have to tear the city apart.


    Luckily, when we got to the market, the girls were still there and Tim and Corbit were both with them. I let out a sigh of relief and walked over to the group that was ordering some meat skewers.


    "You caught back up fast, but there is a smith just around the corner, and he knows youring and there is a de waiting. I paid for it already so you just have to pick the one you want from the three I convinced him to sell me at the same price. It will save you time, and we will have some meat from you to take with you one your way back from the smith," Time said with a grin.


    "Thank you, that means a lot to have you on top of things like that. Excellent works," I said with a smile, but Tim turned away with a small grin.


    I would have liked to tease him about it, but that would defeat the purpose of him getting things lined up. I grabbed Lesha''s hand, and she followed me around the corner that Tim had directed us.


    The smith was called you have got to be kidding. The two of us looked up at the sign, and Lesha started to giggle.


    "Do you think he knows? I told Gastbo that it wasn''t a unique name! I wonder who had it first?" I pondered, about to walk into the shop when a little man appeared.


    The man shared a striking resemnce to Gastbo, except this man was in a lot better shape. The man gave us a warm smile after looking us up and down.


    "Gats will already say that he came out first and that he picked his shop name first, but the only person that believes him is our mother! So you are the Infamous Kiada, Leader of the Crimson Legion Guild. The woman who single-handedly took on half a guild of muscle heads. Did I mention you had one hand tied behind your back while you did it, also doing a handstand? The stories of you are already running wild and growing longer by the day! I''m Crass, Gastbo''s twin Brother!"


    "Great, can we get the sword? We are in a hurry, sorry," I said, feeling a bit bad to have to leave after such a glorious intro.

 Chapter 85: The Path I Would Choose

    Chapter 85: The Path I Would Choose


    "Of course! Your Member told me you needed to get a quick dungeon run. I heard that you only drink the blood of virgin women! You do drink blood don''t you?" Crass asked as we followed him into the shop.


    "I will settle for the blood of a fit and able male if you don''t hurry up," I said with a devilish smile.


    If the standard for virginity was male pration, then he wasn''tpletely wrong, but I didn''t have time for games. Crass put his hands up in surrender and then stepped to the side with a bowing flourish.


    Three swords were waiting, and Lesha let go of my hand to go and examine them. There was a rapier and two long swords, none had gems or decoration, which was a good sign.


    My father had always said that a weapon should not be some fanciful thing. If the cksmith is serious, he will make a product that is strong and built to do the job it was meant to.


    Killing; if the weapon wasn''t strong, it could break in battle. If the weapons pommel, hilt, or guard were to shine or sparkle, it would make you a target.


    Lesha picked up each weapon, but she took the rapier. That was a good choice and when she advanced past Ruby Rank she could be a Duelist.


    Each ss had advanced sses that were decided by your style of fighting and your weapon choice{Insert Fat Boy Slim in BG music}. If she continued with the long sword she would be a knight, and then I didn''t know.


    Some sses had not been discovered, or if they had we had not heard about them. Knowledge was still very limited about these things, and new sses were said to be discovered all the time using unique weapons.


    "Thank you, Mr. Crass, I will get some good use, and next time we will stay longer!" Lesha said as I dragged her out of the Forge.


    "Come on look at the sun," I said, starting to walk back to the group that was waiting for us.


    "Coming!" Lesha said after she belted on her new weapon.


    I turned to grab the brown folded paper that had the meat, but I got drawn into Lesha''s body movements and almost missed grabbing the meat.


    "Jeez, K, quit gawking at your girlfriend and get going, and grab ahold of the meat properly before you drop it!" Candi scolded me,ing over with Trinity.


    "Awe, you were Gawking at me, baby?" Lesha said as she brushed by me.


    I grinned at Tim and got a better grip on the paper-wrapped meat that was starting to make my mouth water.


    "Remember, stick together," I said, before turning to jog to catch Lesha.


    "Yes, boss mom, I mean Guild Leader!" Tim joked, calling out.


    I really need to get a handle on these rapscallions! Each one of them had their own brand of lip, except Corbit. He was the only one out of the bunch that seemed to respect me or at least fear me enough not to give me lip like the others.


    I handed Lesha two meat kabobs and she held on in her hand, attacking each, but switched back and forth. I smiled to myself as I bit into my own meat skewer. As good as it was, the other hunger made the enjoyment of the vor was only a minor enjoyment that still left me to feel hollow and cold.


    I picked up my pace and Lesha did the same, she understood what I was feeling.


    As we neared the edge of town, I started to think about what kind of Guild Leader I wanted to be. Did I really want them to change? Would not every one of them fight with me if I asked? Maybe that was part of our misfit''s charm, and who didn''t it really matter to if I was aiming for the top?


    I wanted to have happy and friendly members that could trust each other. Maybe I would just have to teach them to tone it down in public, but I don''t think I wanted them to stoppletely.


    All these people had be my family after this short time, and I liked the rtionship that we all had. I just had to be a more respectable Leader that made better choices, and this woulde with practice and learning from others like Jester.


    We had finally reached the dungeon; it wasn''t far out of the city; less than five minutes of speed walking. Now we stood before the oily archway.


    "Ready?" Lesha asked, pulling out her new rapier.


    "Yes, let''s go," I said, talking Lesha''s left hand and stepping through.


    On the other side was a wet and dank cave, with a long hall and an open doorway at the end. Great, but I should have enough. I would just have to be fast.


    "I need to summon Gobby for this, but then I will need your blood after, so you have to control yourself, or I will have to order you to stay, okay?" I asked Lesha, but she nodded right away.


    I put my hand out and pulled most of my remaining blood and let it pool in my hand.


    "Summon Blood Gobbler!"


    The ball of blood brightened and then dimmed. Then it fell out of my hand and I kicked him before he hit the ground, and he made a sickening p when he hit the ground.


    "K! I''m BACK! But, oh, you don''t look so hot, colder than anything really. We need to get you one of the heated nket things! Or maybe"


    "GOBBY! TRAPS, NOW!" I roared at the yapping ball of blood.


    Then I pulled some of Lesha''s oh-so-sweet strawberry silk nectar from the town holes on her neck, giving me some sweet relief from the frosty cold that was trying to take over me.


    "Traps are all good, K!" Gooby called from the end of the hall, and I turned to Lesha, who was panting with glowing eyes.


    "Let''s go," I said as we both darted down the hall to the first room.

 Chapter 86: The Best Part

    Chapter 86: The Best Part


    We rushed forward but slowed at the door where gobby was waiting.


    "Trolls, three ugly sore sights that their own mother might have trouble saying they were decent looking. Just be careful, these suckers are tough guys! Not like a Molten or Storm Troll, but they got a mean swing with those big fists!" Gobby informed us.


    "I need to take more, Lesha," I told her, and she nodded as I pulled more strawberry silk from her neck.


    Her eyes started to glow blood red, and her body started to tremble and she fought to stay in control. I quickly found the still white me and called out the first spell as I rushed forward, burning red cells and telets to make a shield and boost my strength.


    "BlessSselb!" I called out in an otherworldly voice, making us both glow softly with white light that looked strange with the glowing red eyes.


    "Pierce!" Lesha said, suddenly jetting forward to the first troll on the right. I waited until thest second, calling out.


    "OVER HERE!" I shouted, activating my Battle Cry skill, forcing all three trolls and Lesha to cut the arm of the one she had been aiming for as she flew by.


    I immediately pulled the blood to me, absorbing the streams as the other rushed. I burned more red, much more, along with lymphocytes and basophils.


    Instantly the world slowed down around me to a crawl. Lesha was now doubling back to finish the job, so I stuck my hand out to the side.


    I used the white me to summon a burning white pounding maul and rushed forward to the oing fist. I raised my shield of blood-red metal and called out my next skill while drawing my hammer back.


    "Shield Bash!" I roared as I was propelled forward into the fists


    I knocked both trolls back, but I rushed the outside one before he could react. I swung and smashed the maul of light into the side of the tusked face with a sickening crunch. The blow sent him spinning, and I called the blood to me as it sprayed into the air.


    Time was picking back up, but my body wouldn''t let me burn more basophils, so I just burned more red cells and rounded on thest one, but my Battle cry time must have just gone up.


    Both Lesha and thest troll were dashing towards each other, and I could hear Lesha about to call out a spell, but the troll was going to be faster. I reached out my left hand and let go of the hammer, calling out the new spell.


    "ShieldDleihs!" I called out in a chanting voice that was not of this world.


    Lesha''s body was surrounded by a heavy white light that sted the fist away as it tried to strike her. Lesha called out her skill as she struck.


    "Vital Strike!"


    Lesha''s sword pierced the heart of the troll and the darted back letting the monster fall dead. I immediately drained all the corpses,pletely filling my reservoirs to the peak. I let out a long sigh as the husks of the once troll fell apart and disintegrated.


    I finally felt better, but the strain for the day was starting to set in now that the fight was over. Burning the basophils took a lot out of me, but I would just have to train harder.


    "Baby! I got enough experience to level up!" Lesha said running over to me as I dropped my shield that disintegrated before it hit the ground.


    I was grinning as I took her into my arms, feeling her warm arms wrap around my body and she nuzzled her face into my neck. I wrapped my arms around her warm body, and then just held her there, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair.


    "I am happy for you, beautiful. Now that I have had my fill, let''s get going back. I am starting to get tired, and I don''t want to be that tired forter after we eat," I said, taking Lesha''s head into my hand, pulling her lips up to mine.


    When our soft lips pressed together, some of the strain leaked away, and the fatigue began to be reced by rising heat. I slowly pulled my lips from hers and she had the cutest smile on her face. It was so adorable the way she looked up at me that I was forced to kiss her there more time before she pushed me back to the entrance.


    After leaving the dungeon, the sun had just gone down and twilight was just ending, but we still got to enjoy thest fading light as we walked back. Curiously, I sought the me, and then I felt it grow brighter again, but I let it go before I started to glow again.


    I didn''t need to be starting any more rumors. Though, after the boat and all the sailors that would have seen, it was sure to be talked about tomorrow.


    "It has been a good day so far," Lesha said, linking arms with me and taking my hand in hers. "We got six Gem Hearts our first go, no matter how dangerous it was, you did good! On top of that, I got a level and we got three more purple gems!"


    "I also gained knowledge of the sea, learned a new spell, tried skills out, the magic hammer, but the best part of my day hasn''t even happened yet!" I said with a smile that I was sure it was too big for my face.


    "Oh? And what part might that be?" Lesha said while leaning into me and resting her head on my shoulder, wearing her little knowing smile.


    "It''s that part where I close and lock the door, and no one will get toe and bother us until morning," I said while leaning my head on her, making it a bit awkward to walk, but I didn''t care.


    "Good because I found the thing Mei stole out of our drawer that Healia left for us!"


    Oh dear, what could this be?

 Chapter 87: And We Danced

    Chapter 87: And We Danced


    It was full night by the time the two of us had walked back to the center square of the city. The rest of the city had been rtively quiet for most of our walk back.


    When we got closer to the center, sounds of instruments and singing could be heard from up ahead. Lesha grabbed my hand and squeezed as she started to pull me ahead with a big dorky smile.


    "Come, let''s go get some food, and enjoy some music. We have been doing nothing but fighting and traveling, so I think it''s time we actually had a date, right?" Lesha asked while pulling me along, our arms still linked.


    "Okay! But it isn''t going anywhere, let''s rx, and enjoy the walk," I said, getting her to slow down and kissing her cheek. "I think you are adorable when you say things like that, and get excited."


    "Good, because I get excited about doing these things with you, and I can''t help myself. I love to dance, and there is music, so after we eat, I would like you to take me dancing!" Lesha said, and then kissed me back.


    What? Dancing maybe I should try to go and run headfirst into a wall


    ''That is not the answer. You need to have stimting experiences that shock your mind to free the blocks, I think. I do know that what happened on the boat was a freak ident and you should not try to replicate it.'' -Drania.


    I was a little on the fence about my passenger that was riding shotgun after what she had said. Still, it was pretty solid advice.


    There was not a lot of trickery to be had in trying to convince me not to hurt myself. Unless that was the actual way and she was trying to keep it from me? BAH!


    [Calm yourself, child, the old bat isn''t that crazy or that broken. I can help now as well, and I am not addled like her. I will tell you if she has untruths from now on,]


    That was a relief, but I still had to be wary, there was no stand poor of anyone''s loyalty as of yet. There also wasn''t really a way to prove it at the moment either.


    We wereing to the central za, so I pushed the thoughts away. I would just have to figure it out.


    "I haven''t danced before," I said quietly as we went to stand in like at the same meat vendor we had gotten from earlier.


    "Yes you have, well not specifically, but you have used steps when you train. A lot of dancing is just repetitivebos of steps back and forth. Then you just have to let your body move to the music. I will show you, baby," Lesha said, squeezing my hand.


    I loved how she was always so willing to make me feelfortable. It also made me like hot butter when she used that name the way she did.


    After we got the food, we moved off to the side to eat. The meat was so much better now that my body had been satisfied.


    Once we were finished eating, Leaha pulled me into the center. She put my right hand on her waist, and she took a hold of my other hand.


    "Two forward and then one back, and try not to run into anyone, okay?" Lesha asked with an innocent smile.


    "What? I have never danced before, and now you''re telling me to drive?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Well, you are kind of the" Lesha let her words trail, trying to look as innocent as possible.


    "You did not just call me a man?!" I asked her aghast, making a horrified-looking face, but then Lesha scowled at me.


    "Don''t do that to your face, there are people around! Get moving, we look silly standing here," Lesha said.


    Then she leaned in and kissed me. Suddenly, my body wanted to move, but we were no longer in the city.


    We were dancing in Lesha''s parent''s Manor. I had been invited by Lesha and her parents to join her. Both of us in elegant dresses, but none of this felt strange.


    As we danced and I stared down into her crystal blue eyes. Her hair was done up differently tonight. The elegant bun style she wore it inplimented her peach ruffled dress.


    I couldn''t speak, I could only dance and stare into my loved one''s eyes. The music slowed, and then picked up to a more lively beat, and the speed began to pick back up.


    Then we were in a hall, rocks and loud, but everyone was dancing, or drinking and having a great time. Lesha still had paint on her faces from the battle we had just fought with her hair tied back.


    We had just fought the Roman and decimated them with all our brothers and sisters. As we danced, we began the center of attention as we began to truly get into it.


    As queens of the Saxons, we had already crushed Ennd, now known as Leshand. I couldn''t help myself, and both of us were grinning like foul as the people pped to the beat.


    Others began to get into the dance just as much as us, but then the music slowed and so did we. We were in the town square of the little town we had stopped to stay the night on our way to the capital.


    We had been suggested by the innkeeper toe, and check out the festivity for their fall gathering. Lesha had changed from her chainmail into a simple brown dress, but like always she looked stunning.


    She had dragged me to the circle where people were dancing slowly. Now she had her headying on my shoulder with her beautiful blonde hair draping down as we danced.


    Soon, the song ended and we moved off the side, and then I pulled her face up to mine. We stood still for a moment, lost in each other''s eyes, then we kissed, and I felt the world shift again.


    We were back in the Port city of Dyster, and I pulled away from Lesha. What had just happened? Had that all been a dream while I was awake?


    Suddenly the crowd began to cheer and p. I looked around to see what themotion was and froze as Lesha giggled beside me.


    They were all staring at us while they pped and cheered. What had we just done?

 Chapter 88: More Cheering

    Chapter 88: More Cheering


    The pping and cheer soon died down and the people all went back to what they were doing. Lesha pulled the stunned me into another kiss that broke the spell.


    "Did you feel that? Or experience it? I just saw us through multiple lives, and I don''t understand what it was, did you?" I asked wrapping my arms around Lesha as we stood off to the side and out of the way.


    "I did, it was like each ce had been our home. I didn''t really understand what you meant before, but now I understand. I couldn''t dance like that before, but it felt so natural with you," Lesha said while hugging me close and snuggling into my breast with her cheek.


    "Well, I think it is time we get home to the guild. This was a lot of fun, but I am getting tired now, and I am not ready to go to sleep yet," I said, leaning down to kiss Lesha''s cheek, but she turned her face and caught my lips with hers.


    The press of her lips and the feel of her body impassioned me to open my mouth more as we kissed. Then Lesha slowly slid her tongue into my mouth to tangle with my own.


    The feeling sent waves of pleasure through my body, making me start to feel hot. The feeling of her tongue on my own reminded me of the night at Corbit''s parents, and my emotional passion started to re.


    Lesha was the one who pulled back and left me trying to chase her lips as she did. She was grinning and then leaned in to whisper in a conspiratorial voice to me.


    "Let''s get back to the Guild, we are starting to draw an audience," Lesha whispered, giving sideways looks to therge number of people that were only now looking away from us with embarrassment.


    I could feel my face heat, but then Lesha pulled me past them all. Soon, we were walking back up the main road that led straight to the Guild.


    "I hope we can do that more in the future, even without the slipping through lives, but that was magical. We were Queens!" Lesha said with a grin.


    She was looking forward and up with a contented look. She was so beautiful, and I had no problem seeing why we had spent so many lives together.


    Lesha was like my other half, and every moment together, no matter if she frustrated me, filled me with love. I was blessed to have enjoyed so much time, yet the feeling now still felt new, even though we had seen our past lives.


    "I love you," I said out of nowhere, and Lesha stood walking.


    She turned to me with an adorable smile. I could feel the love and warmth that radiated from her as she looked at me.


    "I love you too, baby. Thank you for the wonderful night, it was truly magical. I hope we can keep on remembering these beautiful memories that we have shared together," Lesha said, as I pulled her into a hug that I had no control over.


    The feeling of her words washing over me left me wanting to somehow express my love. My body had just moved on its own, knowing what it wanted even before I could react.


    After we pulled apart, the two of us walked up to the Guild. It was already getting prettyte, so I assumed that it would be quiet, but that was not the case.


    "Sounds like they are having a party inside there," Lesha said with a small smile.


    I wasn''t sure what to expect as we opened the door, but it wasn''t every person in the room going dead silent from a roaring ruckus. Everyone turned to the two of us and then cheered loudly.


    What was this? Did we need to have a standing ovation for just walking in the door? What was going on?


    The two of us walked inside, and Tim got up from a table. He had been sitting with the girls and Corbit.


    "So, you two are quite the dancers! I never would have guessed from how you are always to battle focused," Tim said with a face-splitting grin.


    "What are you talking about? How do you know we danced?" I asked, feeling my face get red.


    Thankfully everyone had stopped now and turned back to their groups. How could they have seen us?


    "Come and sit down with the rest of us first, you look tired. Plus, Braum is back with another barrel of ale, and wants to get in," Tim said while pulling us back to the table.


    "Nice dancingdies, hard to believe the two of you put on such a masterful performance!" Braum said as he walked past us grinning.


    He was holding a massive barrel on his shoulder like it was nothing, and continued on past. Heid the barrel on its side and then pulled out a cork at the bottom side on the barrel, shoving a tap in its ce.


    I was tempted to try some, but something told me it would be no different than drink piss from a cup. Instead, when we sat down, there was a bottle of wine on the table, and Gloria filled some mugs for us.


    I hadn''t had a lot of wine before, and the bottle Lesha and I had shared barely had a dint in it. Now, I was given a cup that held almost half a bottle, and I looked at it with a frown.


    "What? You don''t like wine? What are you crazy? This stuff is great!" Trinity Cheered.


    "How many of these have you had?" I asked her, looking into her drooping eyes.


    "Only one! This is my first time trying this stuff! It is a lot better than the stuff my family makes from tubers! That stuff is just gross and it burns! This stuff burns just a little bit, but it is like juice!" Trinity cheered again, but she spilled on Candi, who was also drinking.


    "I will end you, mut, if you do that again!" Candi said while looking at the wine spilled on her delicate chest and ck dress.


    I wanted to go to bed, not join a drinking party, but Lesha was already partially done with her first cup. She was chatting with Gloria, and I sighed, picking up my cup.


    I guess a drink or two won''t hurt, right?

 Chapter 89: Dont You Dare

    Chapter 89: Don''t You Dare


    I drank two full cups as weughed and talked, my tiredness was forgotten. I even ended up getting a little rowdy to the point where Lesha had to pull me away.


    I was about to get up from the table and start to show off covered scars, but Lesha pulled me to the stairs. There was still most of the Guild awake, and they started to hoot and holler as I was dragged to the stairs.


    I tried to turn back and grin at them, but I almost tripped on my feet. My legs seemed to have a mind of their own, and I was having a hard time making them walk a straight line.


    "Baby, just put your arms over my shoulder so you don''t fall. You don''t handle your booze very well, do you?" She asked with a small grin.


    "I don''t drink! I mean, I did yeah! With you remember? Then, we" I was having a hard time trying to keep my thoughts together.


    "Just watch where you are going, the room is up ahead," Lesha said as we neared the room.


    "And then? Do we get to do that thing with our tongues again? I REALLY liked that!" I said far louder than I intended.


    "Sssh! Yes, but I need to go to the bathroom and get cleaned up. Here," Lesha said opening our room door, and guiding me in.


    The room was starting to twist, and walking was bing increasingly difficult. It was like I was carrying a heavy load of something, but Lesha gilded me to the bed.


    Once, I was sitting, nothing was better and the heaviness just got worse. The world spun and swan as Lesha helped me out of all my clothes.


    She pulled the covers back and ordered me under, and Ipiled. The bed was so warm and inviting like it had been waiting for me to return.


    "I will be right back, don''t fall out of bed. Maybe you should just move over, I''ll be right back. You had better not have fallen asleep when I get back or I will spank you awake! " Lesha said after she rolled me over, and gave my tush a smack.


    After Lesha left, the room was still spinning, and I had to close my eyes. I was getting sleepy, and that was a no-no.


    ''Can''t I stop this?''


    ''Activating Monocyte, cure sickness, and infection,'' -Drania.


    Suddenly, I felt the warm tingly burning feeling start in my chest. Suddenly, the fog was pulled back, and I wasn''t drunk, but I was still a bit tired.


    I sat up in the bed, and let myself feel a bit of shame for a moment, but then shrugged it off. Nothing truly embarrassing had happened, but that was only thanks to Lesha for dragging me away.


    I decided to pretend that I had already fallen asleep to get a rise out of her. This would be my little lesson for treating me like a child on the dock, but I was having a hard time pretending to be asleep.


    ''Thank you.''


    ''It''s more than okay, but when I have to use the services you don''t have yet it takes a lot more blood to do it if you had the other girls. This time it is okay, but if you were to ask me when you have low blood, and you are drunk, I can''t refuse you.'' -Drania.


    [She is telling the truth. In that sense, she is no different than your other servants. Also, I am not a pretty eater when I am drunk, and I am not picky. So, letting me loose on a city like this would not help any of us.]


    If I had been even the slightest bit intoxicated, I was stone-cold sober now. I looked into myself, and they were telling the truth.


    Over one-third of my blood was gone, but then I remember that Gloria and I had an arm-wrestling match. I had taken some of her blood but was already one mug in, and I cheated, but Gloria was a beast.


    I had burnt red blood cells, and she still almost beat me! I suspect now that I could think straight that she had let me win to save face for myself.


    I needed to control myself more when I did things like that, and always make sure I had a full tank. If I had the Monocyte Service I could just burn a small amount of blood to control my levels of toxicity.


    What the hell was taking this woman so long? I was wide awake now, and I was ready for her toe in.


    Finally, after about ten minutes of waiting, I decided to go check on her.


    I had seen the bathroom door open right beside the spiraling stairs that led up to the Waystone. I got dressed quickly and then headed for the door into the hall.


    It was closed, so that was a good sign, but when I knocked lightly there was no answer. I was worried, so I put my ear to the door, and had to cover my mouth to keep fromughing out loud.


    After getting myself under control, I slowly opened the door that the fool hadn''t even locked. Lesha was inside there, sitting on the toilet with her pants and underwear around her ankles.


    The toilet was in the left-hand corner of the room and Lesha had her face stered to the wall. It was actually remarkable that she could fall asleep like that.


    I would have just fallen to the floor, then there would have been no surprises halfway through. Like going to scratch my nose and face nting.


    I slowly closed the door most of the way and turned to her. She was so goddamn adorable, and it was nice to be able to take care of her for once.


    As I pulled up her undergarments, I let her lean forward onto my shoulder. She was mumbling something about the price of water being too high for a covered in it.


    I smiled and scooped her up into my arms after getting her pants back up. I would just be talking them off her when we got back to the room.


    Maybe we would have to look at renting a house in town while we were here. That would be another thing for the list of things to do tomorrow.

 Chapter 90: Please, No Baby!

    Chapter 90: Please, No Baby!


    The next morning I woke up with Lesha''s face buried into my chest. I had no idea how she was even breathing, and only the rise and fall of her back told me she was alive.


    It was early, but the sun would be still far away. It would get bright out first, then the sun woulde over the hill sometimeter.


    That would mean the morning would be a bit chilly, so I would get the girls to dress up warm. I think the girls were going to be in rough shape, except Gloria.


    I was going to have to catch up and pass her on my own terms. It wasn''t like I held it against her, it was the exact opposite.


    I needed someone like that in my life, always ready for the next challenge. Maybe that''s what I would do, go see Gloria and see if she wanted to go out and train with me.


    There was no way that any of the others, including Lesha, were going toe to training. So, I pried her face out of my tits, getting out of the covers, then sliding off the end of the bed.


    I went over and leaned over the bed, kissing Lesha''s cheek. She smiled and then felt around and her smile disappeared.


    Lesha''s eyes cracked open ever the barest bit, and she turned like a rusty hinge towards me.


    "Baby, where are you going? Why did you take your face warmers away? They are so soft and warm, Baby, where are you going? Come back to bed!" Leshained in a cute little croaky voice.


    "I am going to get Gloria to go and do some training. Would you like toe with us, dear?" I asked, trying my damndest to keep the smile out of my voice, this was adorable.


    "No, baby, please no. Did it hit my headst night? Or get run over by a wagon? Or maybe a couple of them? I don''t feel good baby," She said after rolling back over into the fetal position.


    I was almost in tears, and finally, I couldn''t hold it back any longer and burst intoughter. Lesha rolled back over, and red at me, with her eyes open just the slightest bit more.


    "SSSSH! What are youughing so loud? Hammers to my head, my head! How are you even walking, you psycho?! You drank a whole bottle, and I had half a cup! Ooo, my head! Baby, it hurts!" Leshained, grabbing at her head.


    "Just get some rest, okay. I had toe to get you off the toilet after you fell asleep on it," I said, quieting down, and stopping myughter.


    "Don''t tell fibs, I did not did I? What happened to mest night? All I remember is getting you to the room," Lesha said, confused.


    I leaned over more and kissed her softly on the cheek and neck. That made her giggle softly, so I whispered I love you to her and left the room quietly.


    "How is she feeling," Gloria asked from beside the door.


    I would have been surprised, but she had shifted her weight around as I unlocked the door. That let me know that there was someone on the other side of the door from the loud creaking.


    "Like she got run over, multiple times," I said to Gloria after closing the door. "What did you give her?"


    "I didn''t really give it to her on purpose, the arm-wrestle burned some of the alcohol off. So, I added some of the alcohol from the people of Westoff to my wine and didn''t think about it till after. Lesha was also fine, Candi was watching to see which would fall asleep first," Gloria said with a smile.


    "Well, that was nice of her," I said, giving a half slime.


    "No, it wasn''t. She must have known that you would have something to counteract the alcohol! That little witch," Gloria went on.


    "Vampire," I said coughing.


    "... made a bet to match twenty good pieces of anyone who wants to take the bet! She even showed off the gold! Now she is filthy rich!" Gloriained without noticing my input.


    Little did she know that I had pulled Candi aside. It was before I had started drinking too much. I had talked to her in the bathroomst night in the mess hall.


    For some reason, like a gut feeling, I knew that Candi was very good with money. The problem was that I had had no idea at the time in what way.


    I just knew that she was more than trustworthy. So, I have given her all the coin. that I had brought. Plus, the ten tinum we had got from the Gem Hearts.


    "Well, I am sure that money will be put to good use. Later today I would like to find the housing office and see if we can rent a ce. For now, Would you like to go and do some training?" I asked Gloria.


    "That''s why I am here, I want to see this advanced course and try it. Then we will be the judges of how hard it is! You are right though, I would feel a lot morefortable if we had our own ce," Gloria said as we started to walk to the stairs leading down.


    "Just not having a bathroom in our room or a private one was going to be a problem," I said as we walked down to the bottom level.


    Tim, Corbit, Braum, and Hershal, were waiting for us in the mess hall. They all looked in good shape, except for Corbit, but he was still here, and that was better than the rest of the girls.


    "Good to see you two awake, I am guessing that the rest are not going to be joining us this morning?" Hershal asked with a smile.


    "No, it will just be us joining you all," I said as the group headed for the door outside.


    "Follow us," Braum said with a big evil-looking grin.

 Chapter 91: Role Models

    Chapter 91: Role Models


    I was surprised to see that we were going up the hill, but I didn''t really know where it was. I started to get a bit excited once it looked like we''re going off to the sun side.


    That excitement fled when I saw the giant maze with ten-meter tall walls. They have been carved from stone and rock.


    Then after they were done, they must have used some kind of mortar. It had been smeared on the walls, but it looked harder than what I would expect of mortar.


    "Liquid Sea Rock, and no It doesn''te from the sea, and I can''t tell you the secret because I have no idea. They use it to make pirs of hard rock for the docks. Just some grey powder, sand, and water, and you got rock after it dries!" Braum exined after seeing the looks I was giving the maze.


    I could see people just down the hill from us as we walked. There had been other people we have passed on our way here, but it hadn''t registered with me.


    I couldn''t see the pattern and I was a bit worried. I would hate to get lost in a ce like this.


    "Pst, K," Tim saiding up beside me, and I looked down at him. "There are three paths, and no dead ends. You can''t get lost, but it is going to be grueling and it will run you to the ground, but you got this!"


    "The boy is right, you can''t get lost but you can try the beginner one today if you like, it is no joke and there are rules. No weapons, if you fail a course, you must start that trial over. This is a skill test and a training course, if you fail, that means you need to work in that area. So, doing it again is good for you, okay?" Hershal exined to us.


    I was listening, but I was also watching something else interesting that was going on. Corbit had sped up to a pair of two adventurers, A young man, and a woman.


    Corbit was talking to the man that looked only just a bit older than him with a red sleeveless shirt, and shorts. The girl was the one I was paying attention to though.


    She was younger than Corbit, but not by much, and she had a ck tube top to cover her small chest. The girl was also wearing tan very short shorts, and staring at Corbit with big dreamy eyes.


    Corbit, like every one of his kind, had no idea of this, but it looked like he made a new friend. Gloria poked me, and I looked at her with a scowl, rubbing my side where she had poked me.


    "You don''t think Corbit likes men you know, as we do? I mean, I don''t think it''s bad, I just hope it didn''t rub off on him from us," Gloria said with real concern that made both Tim and Iugh out loud.


    "No, he is just a stupid boy who made a friend, and is blind to all else," I said afterughing.


    "Hey, give the kid a break. He has been on his parent''s farm all his life, and he was taught at home. I think it''s good, and you should see them, like a pair of wild animals! Oh, and did I mention that they were Guildless?" Tim tried to tease with thest part.


    "Oh, and what''s the catch? If these two are so good, why are they not in a Guild already?" I asked, sensing a but from Tim, but it was Hershal that stopped us about ten meters from the group of three.


    "That''s because she is extremely dangerous. So much that Dyster forces her to wear that special choker on her neck," Hershal said, but Braum cut in.


    "Hey, Hersh, you know that''s not fair. All of this Mana business is dangerous!" Braum said, trying to defend the girl, but then Hershal got angry and spat his next words out, albeit quietly.


    "You weren''t there! You don''t have any idea what it was like! Hundreds killed in an instant! She is a DEM," But I had him off the ground by the throat, cutting his words off.


    The poor girl was hiding behind her brother sobbing, Hershal had let his voice get out of control.


    "I don''t care what happens, or what you have seen! If you n to be around me then you had better show a bit of courtesy to others! Do you know what it''s like? That eye must be such an easy burden for you to carry, right?!" I shouted at him.


    My eyes bathed him and I glowed with a deadly menace that froze every person in view. Hershal reached for his patch, but I forbid it, and his hand fell.


    I tossed him to the side and red at him as he slowly picked himself up.


    "You see, this is the difference between you and that girl," I said in a deadly calm and menacing voice. "She hurt people because she couldn''t control something she didn''t ask for. Yet, you were just about to use a power on me that you sought out. So tell me who the real monster is?"


    Hershal turned and left back up the hill.


    "Kiada, he has been through a lot," Braum tried to exin.


    "No, everyone had been through a lot. Don''t try to exin his actions just because you are Guild Members at the same ce. That was uneptable behavior of an adventure or even a human, and there is too much of it," I said, turning from Braum, and walking over to Corbit, and the other two.


    Tim and Gloria both followed me, and I forced the anger down. Tim had stayed silent, and he would be having some mixed emotions about this.


    This was neither the time nor ce to talk about it. Hershal wasn''t stupid, and he woulde back.


    He would need to cool down, but I was going to start making some changes.


    Hershal and the rest of the adventures were going to start acting like role models. This would not be easy, and there would be some that weren''t going to cut it.


    For now, I need to deal with this, since it was my group that caused it.

 Chapter 92: Thats Our Specialty

    Chapter 92: That''s Our Specialty


    The people around us had started moving again as nothing had happened. It was almost like they hadn''t seen anything.


    That made me wonder if it was me doing something more than scaring everyone, or did the people just not care?


    I was cooling down now, but I had done something. I had forbidden Hershal from lifting his hand.


    That was the same as Lishtani''s power, but was it hers?


    [I am the catalyst to your power, I provide you the power to change and be more like me. In the far future, you will absorb me, and then I can be closer.]


    As I got up to Corbit and the other two, he rushed over to me. He looked worried and scared, he must have seen something.


    "How did you do that? He started to yell and then he was on the ground thrown down, and you stood where he was with burning red eyes. That was scary, but thank you. I was just about toe to get you to introduce these two, but now they are worried," Corbit said.


    "I would like to talk to them, but I don''t want to do this here. GLORIA!" I turned my head, shouting. "We are going, I want you to go back and get everyone packed up."


    "But, the maze," Gloriained, but still came over with me.


    "Tim, you cane or stay, that is up to you. I am going to find us a ce to rent, things will be easier all around this way," I said about to turn back, but Tim walked over, pping the red crest on his cheek.


    "I''m with you because I believe in you and what you are trying to do. There was nothing wrong with what you did whatever that was. I didn''t even see you move until he was on the ground," Tim said,ing to stand with us, and Braum was following him with an apologetic look.


    "Hey, I can show you where the Housing Office is located, if you don''t mind me tagging along. I also know a bit about na, and Victor, so I can fill you in on the walk. I would also like to ask you some questions, my heart is not really into the training anymore," Braum said with a smile grin.


    "Yes, that would be helpful on all fronts. Please don''t take any offense to what just happened, or me wanting to find a ce of our own. I will need to be here for a while, and I will be stepping on a lot of toes in the meantime," I said, finally turning back to the pair.


    I felt bad for having to make them wait, but I had to make sure all damage control was done. The girl no longer was crying, but she still looked scared.


    "My name is Kiada, I am the Leader of the Crimson Legion Guild in Healia. I havee to Dyster for many reasons, and one of them is to look for new Guild Members."


    When I said this, the boy looked away, and the girl buried into his back. This was not the reaction that I thought I was going to get.


    "Once you hear about my sister''s power, you will be just like the rest. It''s not her fault! The gods thatbeled her a Demon did this to her!" The young man named Victor said.


    "Stop looking at the ground and look into my eyes," I said to Victor.


    As he looked up, I sought the white me, and let the sun fill me with warmth and power. At the same time I let out a bit of anger, and Victor gasped, but na, the girl stepped around him.


    "What are you?" She asked me as I radiated white like and my eyes glowed softly red.


    "Something different than the rest, just like you," I said, letting the lights fade.


    That disy got people staring, but I didn''t care now. This city will know my name and respect it one day, they all would. I wasn''t going to bully people with fear, but this would not be a clean path.


    "I want you and your brother, he is your brother right?" I asked, before going on.


    "Yes, but you want us? For what?" The girl asked curiously, no longer seeming as scared.


    "Toe with me and join my guild. I and the others will help you deal with whatever your Mana is," I exined to her.


    "Are you serious?" Victor asked hopefully, stepping up beside his sister, but Corbit pped a hand down on the top of his shoulder with a smile.


    "Miss K is always serious, at least when she says something like this. No one will take you? That''s pretty much our specialty, you should see the shape we were all in before joining her!" Corbit said with a smile, and he wasn''t wrong.


    Everyone looked healthy now, and I hadn''t really thought about it. Almost all the Guild Members were people trying to find a ce to belong and came in looking half-starved like these two.


    "Yes, please," na said looking hopeful.


    "Of course then, I am in your service," Victor said, putting his fist over his heart and giving me a bow.


    na, seeing her brother, copied him cutely. The girl would make a good wife for Corbit when he decided to pay attention to her.


    I turned and started to walk back up the hill, and Gloria followed beside me.


    "I aming to get something to eat first," Gloria said while walking beside me.


    "No, I need you to go and get the money from Candi Or bring the girls, and then we will all eat," I told her.


    "Uck, I don''t want to go wake them up," Gloriained.


    "Don''t be such a whiner or I will tell Mei your hiding candy from her," I said with an evil smile as we crest the hill, but we both stopped.


    Herschel was lean against a windowless building, and he stood up straight when we stopped and started to walk over.

 Chapter 93: Fat Chance

    Chapter 93: Fat Chance


    "Yes? What would you like?" I asked Heshal as he walked over.


    I nce back and put my hand up to stop everyone. I wasn''t sure what his game was, but I was in no mood to y after what just happened, but Hershal bowed his head to me.


    "You are right, and I should not have let my emotions get away from me, and Joker would have treated me the same way. I am sorry for saying that it was her fault. I am sorry to you as well girl, I did not act properly," Hershal said to na and me, but she had be scared again.


    I don''t think that I was from Hershal himself, but more of the idea that he saw first hand the damage she had caused, whatever that was.


    "Can you please run on ahead with Gloria, and let Joker know that I am getting a new ce hopefully by the end of today. If he knew of any ce with two or more floors that we could rent, that would be great," I asked Hershal, while Gloria was grumbling beside me.


    I reached down and pinched the bottom of her ass cheek, and Gloria let out an OwO sound.


    "You witch! What was that for?!" Gloriained, but then jumped out of the way as I went for and pinch. "Fine, I''ll go. You''re always so violent!"


    Gloria being the same build as me and almost as tall, she looked ridiculous with her tongue sticking out. After a couple of good fists shakes from me, Gloria turned and jogged off, infernal woman!


    I turned back to the group, and na had some of her smiles back, but the rest of her face looked very confused. I looked up into four stoic-looking men with eyes forward and varying degrees of blush from all ages.


    Then I hit me, I had just practically groped Gloria''s ass in broad daylight. In front of four males that would have quite different levels of experience with seeing something like this.


    Oh my, little girl, the poor confused look on your face. I would have to exin to her about the girls before they all met, but I pped my hands together.


    Everyone snapped out of it as I turned and walked back down the road. Braum and Tim caught up and walked with me as the other three followed behind.


    I could hear Corbit exining to both Victor and na about us girls and our rtionship. Also, ourck of censoring our actions was the way Corbit had put it, and he wasn''t far off.


    "You are quite the frisky bunch of women. If that would have been a man, he would have lost a hand or head for that for sure!" Braum said with a smile looking forward as we walked.


    "Having soft hands and lips afford you certain privileges in our world," I said with a smile as we rounded the Laughing Ravens Guild.


    The housing office is two doors down from the Forge. Do you know where that is?" Braum asked when we got to the front of the guild.


    "Yes, why? Are you noting with us now?" I asked, stopping the rest of the group.


    "I should go talk to Joker about this, but one more thing. What do you n on doing here? You''re bent on some kind of change, and I don''t quite understand itpletely, but I think I agree with it."


    "I am here to change the way things are being done and the way adventurers act. You have to see the problem that I am referring to, right? If this is going to be our way of life, then we should be living the very best so that we can benefit everyone, not just the best one."


    "Good, that''s what I thought you were going to say. Always nice to hear it out loud, rather than assume. Okay, I''ll get the girls and the stuff down," Braum said before turning to the guild.


    That was a bit weird and mysterious the way he was acting, but I was starting to get hungry. I did have a couple of gold coins stashed away, so maybe I could grab some meat!


    "Are you all ready to go?" I asked the group of four. The three young men were standing together, but na was standing off to the side.


    The boys nodded, and I waved them forward, and then put an arm around na''s shoulder as she walked up. She was giving me a bit of a strange look, but that passed, and she ended up leaning into me.


    "Can I ask what it is? Your power?" I asked quietly as we walked.


    There was no hurry, and I could see the boys up the head. They were mostly men in training already, so the three could stay out of trouble for a bit.


    "I don''t know. It''s not fire, but it burns. It blows things away but isn''t windy. I can''t control it, and people die. Our parents left the city after it happened, leaving us behind."


    I let her lean into me as we walked in silence for a bit, then I stuck my hand out and concentrated. I used the me to grow a garden of flowers in my hand, and na gasped.


    "I and the others will teach you to control your power and you will be loved and respected. I have some coins, so let''s go get some meat before all the other girls get here," I said conspiratorially at the end, pulling her over to Benzil''s Meatcart, but there were a bunch of people in the way.


    They were a big bunch of people with shaved heads and no shirts, so I stepped back. Tim and the others came over and stood beside me.


    The big people were trying to make the vendor sell all his cooked meat for an outrageously low price. The seller looked scared, but then so did everyone else around.


    I recognized these people and had already killed multiple of them. Now, this Guild was trying to strong-arm the man that I was trying to buy food from?


    Fat chance.

 Chapter 94: Hornets Nest

    Chapter 94: Ho''s Nest


    I let go of na, and turned with her, taking her over to where the boys were waiting.


    "Tim, watch them and don''t let anyone hurt them. In fact, I want you to go back and send the girls down here, NOW!" I hissed.


    I could see one of the big men going to grab at the merchant''s wife. I couldn''t waste my boost, so I burned red, and eosinophil, bursting forward between the group.


    I targeted the one that was reaching forward to grab the merchant''s wife, but I located the red spots. I slipped between them and burned telets to make a red steel gauntlet grow over my fist as I drove it into the backside of his jaw.


    The man went limp as he hit the ground, and the entire market went silent. Everyone froze, including the members of the Ground Pounders Guild.


    "Let him go and leave, or I will finish the job," I said coldly, staring at therge man holding the merchant.


    The woman was behind me, and the other was not getting back up. Then, the biggest, and sweatiest of the group stepped forward.


    His fingers were covered in golden rings and they were more pierced in his ears. This would be Granvel, Leader of this extinct guild.


    I decided at that moment that I would make an example of these few remaining. This was going to show that not all of us were cut from the same cloth and that some of us wanted real change.


    "Kill him, and then get that bitch"


    Time slowed to a near crawl as I burned basophil and then dashed over. I pulled the merchant from the man''s grip after I quickly broke all fingers on the man.


    I moved him and his wife around the corner with their cart, but I did take two meat skewers. I pulled out coins as time was catching back up.


    "AHHHHHH!!" Came the scream on the man whose fingers I had broken from around the corner.


    "Here! get outta here," I said to the man and his wife, handing him the coins and pushing them on.


    "We did that fucking bitch go? Find her! NOW!" Granvel roared.


    "Bless/Sselb," I said quietly, opening myself up to the me.


    I burned much more telets, covering me in red te armor, from head to toe. I reached out to the sides and poured out the white me as the sun crested the hill.


    Two double-headed short broad axes formed in my hand, and suddenly I knew what Kal had been talking about. I was alone so I could y an off-tank and go barbarian berserker, but I would have to get them out of the city.


    If I hurt people in the process of doing this then I was just traded one problem from another.


    I burst forward as one of the men turned the corner. I cut him in half, burning every drop of my reserve blood as a lymphocyte.


    As I passed between the splitting corpse, I drained it of all blood. I leaked in through the cracks in my ce and pushed away from the cold.


    "HEY! GREASY ASS POUNDERS!" I roared and I ran back out into the square, activating my Battle Cry skill.


    [Battle Cry] Level 3 acquired!


    All eyes turned to me, but I didn''t stop, and I rushed south to the dungeon. It was the only ce that I knew was close and open.


    ''How long until I can use Basophils again?''


    ''Eight minutes.'' -Drania.


    That was a really long time, but I would waste some on the trip back. There was no need for me to turn back and look, I could hear them hot on my tail.


    "Don''t let her fucking getaway! I am going to make that witch pay!" I could hear Granvel call out.


    We have reached the outside of the city and it was a big open area. This might not be ideal for me against too many, but it was showtime.


    ''Is there anything special that I don''t know about?''


    "Me?" Gobby asked, falling off me and forming. "They just picked the wrong pair to fuck with Miss K."


    I hadpletely forgotten about him, but that would be good.


    [Kill one, and then you can bring him back to fight for you with my power. You know how to use it,mand the body toe back to fight for you.]


    I had let the axes go, and now I burned telets to create a blood steel buckler shield and ax of light. They were all rushing like raging bulls, all shirtless and swinging weapons like wild animals.


    I set my shield and burst forward, burning more red cells to increase my strength and speed.


    "Shield Bash!" I screamed.


    I only called out at two meters away from the first one, and I rocketed forward. I crashed into them, sending men flying, but more still came.


    I was stopped by the bash, and now I block a strike from a long sword but I cut the man in half, but not all the way. I jumped back andmanded the body to stand and fight, and it did.


    The enemies never saw iting as I hopped back, and they heard the screamsing from behind them. As each one of the shirtless men fell, they stood back up and began killing their friends.


    It took less than five minutes to kill them all and I was able to replenish all my blood so I would be good for a bit again, but I had a problem.


    More than one, Granvel wasn''t here and now I had fifteen zombies. Are these real zombies? They don''t look like the ones in the dungeons, but maybe that was a part of my ability.


    What I really would like Is some more of those meat sticks. This Granvel guy was going to be trouble, I would need to deal with him today.


    I had kicked the ho''s nest, but now I had all the hos!

 Chapter 95: And Beat You With Them

    Chapter 95: And Beat You With Them


    I started to run back into the city, and my group of me followed. I wasn''t sure what I was going to do with them for now, but I need to get a hold of Granvel before he gets away.


    ''He is dangerous and you need to deal with him before he gets close to the girls,'' -Drania.


    She was right, and that made me turn up my speed, and the men behind me picked up their pace as well. This group was strange, and I was having a hard time trying to figure out what I was going to be doing with them.


    I looked back, and then back forward again with a cringe. I hadn''t really noticed how bad the wounds were, but none of them were bleeding.


    All the men''s eyes were grey with no pupil or iris, and if I stopped, then so did they. I wondered how long they were going to stay like this?


    ''Until you tell them that they can pass on. For now, you hold them between the cusp of life and death. Yours and Lishtani''s powers are not like a normal vampire or necromancer. Given enough time and provided you heal them before they actually die, they will recover.'' -Drania.


    Did that mean that I was forcing these men to stay alive? I wasn''t sure if this was a good or bad thing, but a familiar shout and a scream made me speed up.


    Ahead in the square, I could see that Granvel had Trinity and Candi by the back of their neck, but with my vision, I could see that the girls weren''t concerned. In fact, it was Mei''s scream that I heard, but she must just have been surprised.


    I ran into the center of the square, but that was when Granvel screamed at me to get back. Candi had her arms crossed and was tapping her foot, and she did not look impressed.


    Trinity was letting her weight pull Granvel''s arm down forcing him to hold her in the air. While she floated, Trinity pretended to run in the air.


    "I have your girls now so don''t you daree any close you bitch! Get her boys! What are you waiting for?!" Granvel screamed at me.


    "K, will you clean up if we make a mess?" Candi asked, not paying any attention to the giant of a man''s hand clutching the back of her neck.


    "Yes dear, but let me say a few things first," I said to Candi, looking around at the people gathered. "Do you all see this? This is the kind of attitude and people that your so-called God wants to rule and watch over your city? People that will try to cheat you and steal from you. They do this just because they think that is there right because they are stronger?"


    I looked out around and the people were shaking their heads and starting to murmur among themselves. Granvel started to look around and began to get a panicked look on his face.


    "Fine! I take theseAAHHHH" Granvel screamed as the girls ripped both his arms off.


    I focused and collected the spraying blood, but I wasn''t able to bleed him dry while he was still alive. Though from the expressions on the two girls'' faces that were still holding the twitching arms, that didn''t look like it was going tost long.


    "ENOUGH!" Boomed the echoing voice of Dyster.


    "Shield/Dleihs!" I called out, cing shields around each of the girls, and I burned telets for a new shield.


    The God mmed into the za, but the shields I put up also protected the people from flying stone and debris. The God''s eyes were burning sickly green mes that ran down his face, and he looked furious, good.


    "Tell your dogs to," But Dyster was cut off by a hammer of light that hit him in the face, sending him to careen and bounce off a shield.


    I stood up straight from my follow-through and turned to re my own twin Blood Moon eyes on the God as he stood. I was starting to feel calmer than I had before, and I would end this God here and now if I heard another insult.


    "This may be the city that you have imed, and you may be a God, but I am watching you. Insult my family or the members of my Guild, and my hammer is what you will wish for me to use," I said coldly to the God.


    "You think that you are strong enough to fight me? Give me the challenge and we will start right now in the middle of the city! Then I can kill two birds with one stone, you and this shit hole city! You may have won the Guild, but I still control two of the other three! Watch you back, Guild Leader Kiada," Dyster said, green mes still pouring out of his eyes.


    Dyster came up to me, and then bent over the crying Granvel, cing a hand on each of Granvel''s bleeding stumps. Sudden green fire poured from his hands and Granvel screamed like a stuck pig, then passed out from the pain.


    Dyster picked up the armless man, but then dropped him, grubbling. He reached down and dug into Granvel''s pocket pulling out a Waystone, then he walked over to Trinity, who was a two and a half meter tall werewolf now, and reached out his hand.


    "Can I have that, please? You can have it back to chew on after, but I need something from it," Dyster said in a frustrated tone, but Trinity handed it to home and then shrunk back down to her normal cute girl form.


    Dyster took the arm that had the ck Guild tattoos and whispered some words, making the ink disappear. Then he dropped the arm, and walked back over to me, handing me the Waystone.


    "I link this Waystone to you as a patron of my city," Dyster mumbled and then tapped my arm that had my own Guild tattoos. "I also confirm that you are the new Guild Leader of the Ground Pounders."

 Chapter 96: Love A Good Stray

    Chapter 96: Love A Good Stray


    Dyster grabbed the limp armless form of Granvel, and jumped into the air, heading north. I let the hammer of light go, and then all the ck and red metal crumbled away.


    I was sure that the gauntlet was going to be worse, but I would count this as morning exercise. I turned and looked around, but I could only find four girls, Lesha was missing.


    I was about to ask, putting my hand up, but Candi waved the two arms at me. I looked at her in revulsion, not unlike a few of the shop owners that couldn''t just walk away.


    "We can''t just leave arms lying around, sorry for waving them, but Lesha ising, and cursing Gloria''s name every step. Braum is with her carrying our stuff, did you know that he wants to join our guild?" Candi said with excitement, wiggling her arms.


    I sighed, but when I turned up the road to the west, Lesha and Braum were walking our way. So, I had just taken over my first guild, this will be something to talk to Healia about.


    Hopefully, this new hall would have the Waystone tomunicate, or I might have to upgrade to get it. I would have to be a lot more careful and not make mistakes like I didst time by not listening to advice when given.


    "Gloria, get the girls out of the middle of the square, and do something about those damn arms!" Imanded.


    Then I turned all the way around to the group of men who were all staring nkly. The sun was up, and I could feel it on my skin, so I sought the white me burning inside of me.


    I let my body drink in the light and warmth of the sun''s energy. I began to get a feeling that intensified with each beating of my heart.


    My skin had started to glow, and with each breath it took, I came closer to matching the sun. Soon, I was a radiance that was unmatched, filling then square with light, and I whispered in an otherworldly voice.


    "Heal/Laeh."


    The light that had built up inside of me, the roaring me, my very will to want to help change this world burst from me like crashing waves of light. Every person that was touched by this light stood up straighter, scars disappearing.


    The men in front of me all blinked focused and color-filled eyes at me. They were also looking down at the dried blood where there once had been life-threatening wounds before.


    "You are our Guild leader right?" One of the men in the front asked.


    They were near impossible to tell apart with no hair, and they all wore the same gray shorts. The leadership had changed, so they were without a guild now.


    "Not at the moment, but if you can show me where the Guild Hall is then we can get things sorted out. My name is Kiada, and you are? I will assume you are going to be the spokesperson for the group until we can get some clothes for you, right?" I asked the speaker.


    "Naldrick, and yeah, I''ll talk for the boys. Thank you for saving us, but it looks like we are working for you whether we want it or not," the man said tly.


    ''That is part of the price for your life. When you save people you will be creating more servants, and the more servants you have the less you have to feed on random monsters.'' -Drania.


    "Part of the cost to not die. Don''t worry, I won''t ask you to do anything I wouldn''t do," I said with a smile turning to almost getting run over by a newly energized Lesha.


    "BABE! You were so bright, and then you exploded with light and made Tim and Hershal run off! Wait what are the girls doing with the arms?" Lesha asked as we both tried to get our bnce.


    I turned my head to find the girls I don''t know if fighting was the right word for what was going on, but it was weird. The arms had healed and were now what looked to be y fighting with the girls.


    "Arms!" I yelled with no other real clue what to say to stop this troubling sight.


    The arms were using their shoulders as legs, and at the sound of my voice, the two hands turned to me. Okay, now this was way too weird, but they didn''t stop there.


    The arms each grabbed a shoulder and then proceeded to roll towards us. Lesha screamed like a little girl and jumped into my arms as the arms had to let go and crashed into a pile on the floor.


    "Kiada! Stop making such weird pets!" Leshained, but then screamed again when Gobby popped out.


    "Hey! I am not a weirdo! Those things? The pair of arm-ostriches? Those are weird! How do they even work? Who has the brain? Do they have one? Is it shared? How do they go to the bathroom?"


    I kicked Gobby across the square, and he got covered in dust and many other bits of grime. Great, now I would have to clean him, but I could also go for a good cleaning.


    "Can you lead us to the Guild Hall Naldrick?" I asked the half-naked man.


    "Yes, follow me, it''s two streets up then we head east to the water," Naldrick said, moving around Lesha and me, but then they went and helped Braum with the mountain of things he was carrying.


    "What are you going to do about those arms?!" Lesha demanded, ring up at me.


    The arms were back on their stumps beside each other. The two had their hands point at us like duckbills, twisting back and forth like confused animals.


    "Well, this is not like we can just let them go free, we will have to take them with us," I said to Leash as the other girls gathered around.


    "I knew you were going to say that, you just love a good stray," Lesha said, rolling her eyes at me, but I made her squeak when I pinched her bottom.

 Chapter 97: Making It Official

    Chapter 97: Making It Official


    Lesha didn''t let me put her down, and I didn''t mind. I had been worried about her, so I loved getting this extra time with her.


    At this point, we were just clown short of a circus with the menagerie that I had gathered. Crass Waved to us as we passed, and Lesha waved for the two of us.


    Looking over to see the other girls, I almost felt like I was setting a bad example. Gloria was carrying Mei like I had Lesha and Candi was riding on Trinity''s back.


    Together we all looked ridiculous with Gobby, the rolling arms, and the mostly naked group of men leading us. I shook my head trying to imagine all the things that Crass would embellish and blow out of proportion this time?


    The whole scene had been something wild and hard to understand or believe. Then, I had healed even the pair of arms which still didn''t make any sense, but then they could prove to be handy.


    If nothing else, they would be an end source of bad jokes and even worse puns. The group of men were turning now and we started to head down the hill towards the ocean, but I could see the big hall up ahead.


    This Guild Hall was much the same as my own, but the big difference was the red tiles on the roof. They made the ce look a lot fancier than the ce that I called home, but it still wouldn''t be the same.


    "Wow, when they said you were going out to find us a ce, this is not what I had in mind, but good job! I wonder if they have one of those auto baths?" Lesha asked.


    She then motioned for me to let her down once we were outside. After I did, she turned around and then kissed me, and I pulled her in close and held her there for a moment before following the men inside.


    The ce was almost identical to our own mess hall when we entered, except this one was filled with tables and chairs like a proper guild. We had only brought the tables out as we needed them.


    Suddenly, a message popped up, and it surprised me making me step back, and back into the girls. Theyined but I knew this message, and I had to block out the girls while I focused on this.


    "Can you all just give me a moment to figure out some things? Also, can someone see if there is anyone in the kitchen getting food ready? It has to be getting close to lunch, right?" I asked as I took a seat at the closest table, the other girls joining me in silence.


    I added all five points to my guild members. Strangely enough, the total number of guild members had doubled, but I guess that was from gaining hold of another guild.


    I turned to Gloria, Candi, and Trinity, and smiled at the girls.


    "Are you ready to join the Guild, and make it official?" I asked the girls.


    "I would like my crest on my chest where Lesha has hers. That way I can match with Mei as you two do," Gloria said while Mei cuddled into her.


    "What about you two?" I asked Candi and Trinity.


    "Same as you guys. I think that it would be weird if we didn''t get it in the same ce. We would be the odd girl lovers out, and we are already an odd enough couple, to begin with," Candi said while grinning at Trinity.


    I went through the process of marking each one of the girls, and then I got up to start with the men. Each of them demanded that I give them the Crimson Legion crest over their hearts in service to me.


    I thought that it was going a bit overboard, but I also did understand that part of it was from the pact that was between us all. I had saved their lives, even if I was the one that almost took them.


    In the end, I would release them all one day, but that day was far in the future. Naldrick gave me theyout of the guild and where I could find the Waystone.


    This Guild Hall turned out to be very simr to my own in more ways than I had first anticipated. Everything wasid out in the same fashion as my own hall, but there was a fifth-floor area just after my suites.


    That area was where we were all heading to go and talk with Healia. On the way up, the girls insisted that we stop and take a look at our rooms.


    When I was back in Healia, Mei had got a room, and she was just getting settled. Then Gloria showed up, and we had left before she could join, but I assumed that the girls would be sharing rooms now.


    "Why are there only two-room?" Candiined, but Trinity was already dragging her into the room.


    "Do you mind if we just stay down here and look around?" Gloria asked with her arm around Mei. "There is never much for us to say anyways when you and the god talk."


    "Are you going to abandon me too?" I asked Lesha who was staring longingly at the final and far closed door that would be to our bedroom.


    "Can I?" She asked, not even paying attention to me.


    I rolled my eyes, and Lesha did catch that. She came over and gave me a kiss, and then put her lips to my ear.


    "I think we still have a bath date, so don''t spend too much time up there talking with that crazy olddy, okay?" Lesha asked me.


    "Try not to pass out on the toilet again before I get back, okay? I said in reply with a smile.


    "Shhht! Don''t say that or the other girls will hear!" Lesha scolded me, but I just her, and turned to head up the final flight of stairs.

 Chapter 98: God Talk And My Own Things

    Chapter 98: God Talk And My Own Things


    I walked up a spiral staircase that was simr to the one at the Laughing Ravens Guild. This reminded me that I still needed to talk to Braum, the girls had said that he wanted to join.


    I would like to know how Joker felt about this, but all of this and that woulde after I talked to my God. It was a bit weird to think of her like that, but after hearing about what the other ones were like, I was almost excited to talk to her.


    I reached the top, and I tried to hold the bounce out of my step. So many things had gone wrong since I had talked about the position of Guild Leader and now things were finally starting toe together.


    There was a door with a heavytch that I was able to easily push open. I entered the room with therge white stone with the blue ded and curved design set into it.


    Suddenly I was shifted and something felt different. The room was a lighter color, and far cleaner than the one I had just been inside.


    "Well, I will say it K, I am impressed with everything you have aplished so far," Said a familiar voice from behind me.


    My chest tightened, and I slowly turned around to see the beautiful smiling face of my Goddess Healia smiling back at me. It was hard to keep the feelings back, it had been a long trip and so much had happened.


    "I know,e here. It has been a long road for you, but the road will only get more arduous. Now, I can be here for you and you will have the support of your miss begotten family," Healia told me as she stepped forward and took me into a warm embrace that I leaned into for a brief moment.


    "I hit Dyster for calling the girls names," I said after stepping back and pulling away from Healia. "And the girls tore the arms off the previous Guild Leader, but Dyster stopped his bleeding and then took him away."


    "Good, I bet he was angry that you wouldn''t challenge him after that! We aren''t allowed to get involved unless challenged, so having to hand over his personal Guild must be eating at him. Watch out, just because he can''t fight you outright, for now, doesn''t mean he can''t get others to do it, or force you to fight him," Healia exined to me.


    She was right, and I would have to be careful how I handled this from now on, but at least we had a safe ce to call our own.


    "Am I really back home? Is this the Guild?" I asked Healia, trying to push past her, but my hand went right through her.


    I tried walking over to the open door, but something blocked me. It was like an invisible wall that sealed me within the chamber, but that didn''t exin why I could touch her before?


    "I wanted you to hug me before, so I was giving a solid shape for you to hug, but this time I didn''t really feel like getting pushed out of the way. Unfortunately, I can only do this for us, but once you are finished in Dyster you cane home and deal with the problems here," Healia exined to me.


    "What problems? Are the other Guilds starting to act up?" I asked.


    "A little bit, I over-exaggerate, but I think you should deal with them before they get out of hand. The is a new dangerous leader that cleared the dungeon, and he received a rod that can freeze things just by touching it to the object. This also includes people, and there is another that got a strange mud-based magic that lets him create golems," Healia exined.


    That didn''t really sound like she was over exaggerating that, much. Both of those people sounded dangerous, but if they weren''t bothered by our guild, they would be fine for now.


    "Can you give me any advice for leveling the guild up?" I asked hopefully, but Healia just smiled and shook her head at me.


    "You can do this, you make a mistake the first time, but I can see that you have already got things lined up properly this time. All I can say to you is to make sure that you keep your Member slot open and to not let thempletely fill up. Besides that, stay safe and take care of yourself and the girls," Healia said to me, and then she slowly started to fade and disappear.


    Healia was right, and I would just have to pay more attention to the points I was using and consider if they were moving me in the right direction. I wanted to be the type of leader that everyone respected and looked up to.


    I turned back and closed the door as I left the room. I would need to get someone up here to do some cleaning after seeing how nice Healia had kept the Waystone at my own guild.


    I walked down the spiral stair and onto the fourth floor where I expected to find the girls, but all the doors were open, and there was a trail of clothes leading back to the backroom that I had assumed was mine.


    I could hear noisesing from over in my room, but they sounded muffled. I walked, stepping around the clothing, and soon I was in the room, but I could hear sshinging from another room.


    There seemed to be a bathroom in the same ce that there was in my room in Healia, but this room was muchrger. I walked over to the mostly closed door and pushed it open to find the girls.


    They all looked up at me with big smiles from the water. This was a five-by-five meter bathtub filled with naked girls.


    Why couldn''t I just have my own things?

 Chapter 99: What You Stand For

    Chapter 99: What You Stand For


    I sighed and walked into the bathroom. Candi was washing Trinity''s blonde hair, and Gloria was going her own, while Mei was soaking up to her eyeballs.


    I was surprised to see that Lesha only had her feet in the water and she was wearing arge white shirt that was like a dress for her. I took my boots off and pants, keeping my underwear on.


    "How was your talk with the wicked one?" Lesha asked me as I sat down beside her and slipped my legs into the water.


    "It was good, after all of our experiences with Dyster, it was nice to talk to her again," I said while slipping an arm around Lesha''s waist, and she leaned into me.


    "I guess it''s good that you are starting to get over that. I mean, Healia is a pain, but as you just said, a pain is better than a problem, but remember that a pain can turn into a problem," Lesha said as she leaned into me.


    "I know that, but it has been taxing, and it was nice to see a familiar face from home, I am not turning into a God follower!" I said with a mock tone of outrage.


    "Good, let''s leave these girls to get washed up, Braum is still downstairs waiting for you. Plus there are more things that you have to do with the Guild yet, right? I wille with you, and thenter you and I wille back and lock the doors for some of that almost time," Lesha said, leaning up to give me a kiss.


    I turned and met her lips, slowly brushing my hand down the side of her. I let my hands run into her soft hair that somehow always stayed knotless.


    I smiled as we pulled apart, but I pulled her in for two more short kisses, and she bit my lip before letting go. That sent a warm shock through my body that made me wish that we were alone.


    I basked these little exchanges that we had, the intimacy, and the love that I felt from her. It was hard to think that less than a month ago, I didn''t know this feeling existed.


    Both of us stood up, and dried off our legs, and got dressed. The other girls were rxing in the water, so we left them be, leaving the room.


    "What do you think Joker thinks of Braum leaving his Guild?" I asked Lesha as we left the room and headed back down the long single flight of stairs down.


    "I don''t think Joker minds, and I talked to Braum a bit, but my head was still pretty messed up this morning. From what I got, Joker doesn''t see this as him leaving his Guild. As you said, you n on bringing everyone under your banner," Lesha said as we continued down the stairs.


    "I hope that''s the case, but it still has to be a kick for Braum to want to join us, right?" I said as we got to the bottom level.


    "I guess you will get the chance to find out, Joker is over sitting with Braum," Lesha said as she pointed to a table close to the bar in the southwest corner of the hall.


    I looked over and the two waved us over like we had just walked into a bar and they were waiting for us. Lesha and I walked over and took seats opposite the two men.


    I also noticed Victor and na sitting off in the far opposite far corner. I hadpletely forgotten about them and left them to wait in the corner, but I would deal with them after this.


    "I see you work fast, and almost held up your end of the deal so quick! Still, I think it''s for the best that you hold off fighting Dyster," Milo/Joker said to me.


    "Yes, I let myself get a bit carried away with him, but he did insult my girls," I said sliding my arm around Lesha''s waist, and Milo grinned at us.


    "I will keep that in mind, along with the other thing on the "how not to piss Kiada off list", haha," Milo joked, but then became more serious. "So, my man here wants toe to join you. I also have a strange feeling that even though you almost whooped the shit out of him, Hershal probably isn''t far behind."


    "I am sorry, I don''t want to steal your'' member," I tried to say, but both of the men started tough.


    "We were justughing about how Joker would ask to join if he didn''t have the priormitments of running his own Guild," Braum said with augh.


    "What? Why? I am a nobody that just came into town, and I have already started a mountain of problems," I said in disbelief.


    "You just came into town, but I can promise you that there isn''t a single soul that doesn''t know your name or what you stand for. You''re one of a kind and I would like you to take Braum on and Hershal when he is ready. These boys are rough and tough, but they are some of the best, and I think Hershal will be wanting to thank you," Milo said with a smile as he stood up.


    "Hershal will want to thank me? For what? Almost beating him into the ground? I can p around again if he feels uptight like that again, no problem," I said with a smile, but Milo shook his head.


    "No, I will let Tim and him tell you. That power you have is something else. I heard reports from what actually happened to the Ground Pounder boys when they attacked you. Now, that is something that I could hardly believe, but after five people told me the same thing I had a hard time denying it," Milo said, shaking his head, but I just smiled at him.


    "I am here to make some changes, and Braum, where would you like this? Lesha and I need to go over and talk to their other new Guild members," I said, reaching out to Braum.


    {Author note}[Thank you for getting to 50 stones so quick! Keep voting every day! Thank you!]

 Chapter 100: Heartstrings

    Chapter 100: Heartstrings


    Braum ended up getting it on the back of his hand, and I teased him about not getting it the same as me. Joker had already left, but Braumughed and then clenched his fist over his heart.


    "I still hold the Guild in the same ce. I know it seems like I am just abandoning Joker, but I will tell you our reason in the future, but it is too soon yet," Braum said with a smile. "Don''t worry about doing too much Gem Heart diving. I will get a crew together for it and we will get a steady stream of ie from that."


    "That''s good, but I am not done with the sea yet, there is still more I want to know and you need to tell me about the La Khomtep. I will be making a trip back out tomorrow with you, but I want to look at the wrecks," I said.


    "Would I be able toe down this time?" Lesha asked.


    "Yes, beautiful, I want to see if we can get some supplies so we can spend time down there. I think there might be other things of value there were left behind. Once a ship sinks, it bes nothing more than just another wreck," I exined, while taking Lesha''s hand to walk over to the siblings.


    "If you are talking about underwater breathing gear, I can get some lined up for you and the girls. I will leave you to deal with them, but if I can say one thing. Don''t take that cor off her yet, we can take her with us tomorrow and I will drop you off at a small ind that''s no fat off the shore," Braum told me with a serious expression.


    "Understood, I will wait, and thank you for the warning. I guess it really is that dangerous then?" I asked quietly as Braum was leaving.


    "You have no idea. Let''s just say that your little healing won''t work if you take it off when there are other people around," Braum said quietly as he left.


    I turned back to Lesha before heading over to the waiting siblings. Her eyes looked startled, but I gave her a look. Lesha let her face rx, and I smiled at her.


    I didn''t want to go over there to the two of them with any worried or hostile feelings. This power girl didn''t ask for this and the world treated her like she chose to hurt people.


    I gave my heartstrings a good stretch before taking Lesha''s hand and walking over to the pair. I had a feeling that this was not going to be a pretty tale, so I tried to steel myself while still trying to show love andpassion.


    "I am sorry that we made you both wait so long. Where would you like your guild crests? They don''t hurt, so don''t worry about that," I said to Victor and na, but both of them looked worried as Lesha and I sat across from them.


    "You don''t need to hear our story? What about my sister''s power? Look,dy, I don''t want to seem ungrateful, but I don''t want you just to cast us out once you find out," Victor said while keeping his eye locked on mine.


    na was staring at herp where she was fidgeting with her hands. Nervous, this was all too much for her, and he brother''s constant reminder wasn''t helping.


    "Victor, where would you like your tattoo? Your sister will tell Lesha and me what she needs to, and you can go upstairs and find Corbit. He will help you get settled in, but we will take care of your sister for a bit. You have done so well as the older brother, and she is lucky to have you, but you can take a break for a bit, okay?" I asked Victor, and Lesha squeezed my hand.


    Victor tried to talk, but his breath was caught, and he was gritting his teeth. Then, na touched his arm, and he took a sharp breath in, turning to her.


    "Is this okay? Are will you be okay? I can stay if you want, they can''t make me leave!" Victor said with ssy eyes, but na shook her head and spook up.


    "It''s okay, go see Corbit, I can stay with thedies, they don''t look like they are going to be mean to me. You need to go and have some fun, okay? I will try to get better," na said, giving Victor a small smile.


    The entire scene squeezed my heart, but I was happy to see that she had someone. Having her brother would have been the only person she could rely on when even her own parents failed her.


    Victor pulled his shirt aside to reveal his left breast, and I reached forward and ced my hand on her chest. I let a small part of the me extend from my center and marked him as a new Guild Member.


    Even though all the emotion that was like led on my heart, Victor let a smile crack his face in half. That broke some of the tension that was building up around us.


    Both Victor and na stood up and hugged, then I offered my hand to na, but she shook her head. Victor let go of her and held her at arm''s length, but na spoke up.


    "I just want to wait until I tell Miss K about everything," na said when Victor tried to object to her denial.


    "No matter what you tell me that is not going to change how I feel about you joining my Guild," I said resolutely.


    "She isn''t kidding, you are stuck with us now. Don''t worry, we will go up and see the other girls and get you cleaned up. You look about Mei''s size, and those clothes look like they are about to walk right off you," Lesha said to na whileing over to take her by the hand and pull her away from Victor.


    "Don''t worry, your sister is in good hand, the worst she will get is three hundred questions from the girls," I said to Victor pushing him forward to the stairs, but he stopped and turned back to me.


    "Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! I will work hard to be the best I can be for this Guild and to repay you for what you have done for us!" Victor said after bowing as low as he could, and then he turned and ran up the stairs.

 Chapter 101: Mama K

    Chapter 101: Mama K


    I turned back to Lesha and na, and the two were grinning at me. Great what had that witch said about me now?


    "What are you smiling about?" I asked Lesha while trying not to scowl.


    "You just look good as Mama K, I think it will be a good addition to your titles," Lesha said whileing over to wrap her arms around me.


    "I am nobody''s mother, if anything you''re the one mothering over the girls!" I said indignantly.


    I wasn''t trying to mother the girls, but it hurt my heart to see them like this. Ever since the Gods came, things had changed for everyone.


    "Maybe, but they all look up to you. It''s not a bad thing, I think it''s cute, but let''s get this little one upstairs so we can get her cleaned up," Lesha said, turning back to na, who was waiting patiently.


    "Come, we won''t bite, but I can''t speak for the other girls," I said with a smallugh that na crack a smile, and walk over to join us.


    She had short light brown hair, and blue eyes, but not as bright as Lesha''s. The clothes she was wearing were threadbare and worn with holes.


    I put an arm around na''s shoulder as we walked up the stairs, but then we stopped on the third floor. I led her over with Lesha and we went into the Guild Member rooms.


    There was a long hall with many doors that were ced beside each other with barely a crack between them. I had a hard time believing that there would be room to even turn around in one of these rooms, but then I heard Corbit and Victorughing from an open door ahead.


    The three of us went over to see what the boys were up to like a bunch of noisy women. I mostly wanted to see what the inside of one of the rooms looked like considering how small the space looked to be.


    I expected to find a small broom closet with a bed, but what we found was not even close to that. The room was about five by five meters, and it had a wardrobe, a four-poster bed, and even what looked to be a small room for a bathroom.


    "Hey Miss K, what do you think of the room? This is twice the size of my old room back home! There is even a bathroom with a sink! This ce is just as nice as the room I had back at the other Guild!" Corbit told me with excitement,ing up right in front of me.


    This inevitably brought him closer to na who pulled into my side and hid her face. I tried to pay her no attention so she wouldn''t get more embarrassed from Corbit noticing.


    "Yes, I am a bit jealous, your bed looks like the perfect size. Did you just pick a room, or how does that work?" I asked as I backed out of the room slowly.


    Now I really did feel like Mama K, but this girl was so cute. It was hard to think that she held a terrifyingly destructive power just behind that cor Dyster had made her put on rather than training her.


    I understood why he did it. This was nothing new, and the rulers had dealt with things like this in harsher ways in the past. He was scared of this little girl''s power and treated her like she was going to be the next one to rise up against him.


    Little did he, or any of the other Gods knew, but these castaways would be my greatest strength. I would have to keep them a secret, and not let them unt their powers in the open.


    "Your room will say your name on it, but only you will see it. Also, if you try to go into a room that isn''t yours, or open, there is only a brick wall behind the door. I guess even the Guild knows better than to trust everyone," Corbitughed.


    "Will I have to sleep down here will the boys?" na asked, still tucked into my side.


    I hadn''t really thought about that, and then I groaned internally. I knew where she was going to be sleeping and I looked over at Lesha.


    The look I got from her said we would figure it out, and I was okay with that.


    "No, tonight you will share our bed, it is extremelyrge, so there will be more than enough room for you," I said, giving her a squeeze.


    "Really?" She asked me, pulling her face from my side, looking up at me with wonder, breaking my heart a little bit.


    "Yes,e, let''s go up and see the girls. Actually, Lesha, can you take her up and I am going to go check on the food and bring some up. I also want to go check on the arms, I am worried that they might be getting into trouble," I said to Lesha, letting go of na, who was reluctant to part from me.


    "Yes, I will take her up and start getting her cleaned, but try no to be too long, okay?" Lesha asked after giving me a kiss and then taking na from me.


    The girl looked back longingly, but then she let Lesha lead her back out the door to the stairs. Victor came over, and smiled at me, bowing to me again.


    "I was worried about her, but she seems to have attached herself to you. I am sorry when our parents left a couple months ago it was really hard on her. Our mother treated her like a monster and called her mean things before my mother and father left the city. So, I am sorry if she may act a little childish sometimes," Victor exined to me, but I patted my hand on his head.


    "Don''t worry, while you are staying with me, you are all my children. I want you all to seed and feel wee. Your sister is a little girl that has been given something that she doesn''t understand and others don''t want to, but that''s because they are scared, but they are also scared of me, so it works out," I said with a smile, and Coribt spoke up, grinning will looking at Victor.


    "I told you she was great, did I?"

 Chapter 102: Only One Pair

    Chapter 102: Only One Pair


    I left the boys and headed back down to the mess hall. There were a pair of the shirtless men that waved to me as I came down but then went back to their conversation.


    I waved back, but then headed around the bar to the back. I took a look at the back of the bar to see what was all there, this was my new home so I should get familiar with theyout.


    There were multiple different kinds of alcohol that I have never even heard of in all different shades. I wasn''t much of a drinker, so I wasn''t overly fascinated by the robust selection.


    I turned and headed into the kitchen area where I could smell some kind of bird cooking. I had almost forgotten part of the reason why I hade down when I found them peeling tubers.


    "Ho! You must be the new boss in charge around here!" Said a small curly hair man that looked strikingly simr to Gram, the previous Guild Leader of my first guild.


    "Yes, I was hoping to get some food to bring up to my girls, but it looks like it is still cooking. How are the arms? They aren''t bothering you are they?" I asked, eyeing the pair that looked like someone was sticking their arms through holes in the countertop.


    "Righty and Lefty? No, leave them be, I enjoy having extra hands around the ce, BWAHAHA!" The old manughed and ducked out of the way of a half-peeled tuber.


    I turned to see the knife and a middle finger being shaken at the cook. Looks like they didn''t like jokes, but it was good to see that they were fitting in.


    "How long do you think until the food is ready?" I asked the cook.


    "Ten, fifteen at most, but there is an elevator that we can send the food up to you with it, and there is even a tube you can call down to get food sent up! My name is Vergil, meat cutter by trade, but Dyster destroyed my shop by ident, so now I work here!"


    "I am d to have you, please send up some food when it''s ready. I have six hungry girls plus myself up there," I said, turning to leave.


    "Pleasure is all mine! The men are acting civilized and the ce is quiet! You have my vote!" Vergil shouted to me as I left.


    It was nice to see that the arms had a ce already and they were freaking people out. The two men had left and now the mess hall was empty, so I jogged back up the stairs.


    When I got back up top Gloria was sitting with Mei, brushing her in their room, but Trinity and Candi''s door was closed. I walked over to stand in the open doorway, and Mei looked up at me.


    "Where is the food?" She asked, making a funny face as Gloria hit a knot.


    "Sorry, it''sing soon. What are the other two doing with their door closed? Or do I even want to know?" I asked with a small smile.


    "No you don''t, I have been hearing moansing from over there, so I think it would be best just to leave them be," Gloria said with a knowing smile.


    I left the two of them and left to go see how Lesha was doing with na. As I passed the other girls closed doors I heard Candiin about a misced finger that made me grin despite myself.


    I walked into my room and smiled at the big familiar bed that I had been kicked around thest time I had slept in at the other hall. I really hoped that this little girl would be a better sleeper than Gloria, I could have strangled her.


    I sighed, going over to the bathroom and knocked on the closed door, calling out. Lesha answered me, telling me toe in. Lesha had her pants off again with her legs in the water, and na was in between them.


    "Can you pass me the shampoo bar?" Lesha asked me as I closed the door, and locked it.


    I went and grabbed the sudsy shampoo bar and passed it to Lesha. Then I took off my pants and underwear so I wouldn''t get them wet.


    They were only now getting dry after when I hade and sat with Lesha earlier while the girls were bathing. I slipped my legs into the warm water, and let out a sigh of relief, closing my eyes for a moment.


    "Umm, Miss K, can I ask you something?"


    I cracked open one eye, felt my face begin to heat before the little girl ever spoke. I closed my legs that I had so casually let spread open while trying to pull my shirt down.


    "Miss K just needs a haircut, but some girls prefer it longer. Helps to keep yourdy parts warm in the winter, right K? I bet you only were one pair of underwear when the snowes, hehe! Hey!" Lesha cried out as I pushed her into the water.


    She came up iling like a drowning cat, and both na and I started tough at her. Lesha scowled at me after she got her long blonde stered hair off her face.


    "So, now that we have gotten clean the food should be ready soon as well, but I think now would be as good of a time as any to tell us your story, or whatever you want to tell us. Just know that no matter what you say, you have a ce here with us," I told na, reaching forward to pull some of the hair out of her eyes.


    Lesha floated over and wrapped na in a hug from behind, and I could see some of the stress leaving her body. Whatever this girl had been through, it had left her with many scars.


    "I will tell you from when I first got the power," na said, taking a deep breath.

 Chapter 103: The Comforts Of Home

    Chapter 103: The Comforts Of Home


    na melted back into Lesha, and I leaned back, putting my hands down to prop myself up. Lesha was smiling, but I had a feeling that this story might undo that, and that was unfortunate because it looked so good on her.


    "Even before I got this power, my parents were not the nicest, and both of them were heavy drinkers. They had taken Victor and me with them to the outside of the city to a party that they had been invited to. Once there, our parents left us to go with their friends, leaving us with strangers," na said, and she started to tense up but continued on.


    "More people started to show up, and I started to feel weird like there was something trying to get out on me. Victor tried to get people to move, but most people just ignored us or shoved him out of the way. The people started to gather around us, and push us close together."


    na was starting to shake and her breathing was picking up. I sat up and then slid into the water, moving over to the two, lowering myself down to eye level with na.


    "It''s alright, we can stop here if you would like. I get that it''s hard, and there is more than enough time for you to tell us. I think I heard a tube voice outside of the door, so that means food is ready. Let''s go eat and then you can rx with the girls, okay?" I asked, but then moved forward to give the poor girl a hug.


    na was trying to hold back the tears, but when hugged her between Lesha, she began to sob. I pulled her head down to my chest and let her get it all out, but I also was examining the choker she was wearing.


    There was some kind of weird stone attached to the ne. I had never seen anything like it before, and I would have to talk to Healia about it, or


    [Aegis Stone, it denies the use of magic in a control area. It can stop casting and block magic from being used. I can also stop magic from hurting you, so I suggest you put it on after taking it off her. Your healing isn''t strong enough to repair that kind of damage.]


    Do you know what it is? Her power I mean?


    [Explosion Summoner magic, abination of Fire and Wind. It is extremely powerful and just as hard to handle. You will have to train this one, but she might be very good at using it. This is a summoning type of magic that summons a creature of the casters choosing, and they are very small.]


    Explosion Summoner magic? That was strange, what did that mean? Did she create a pet using mana?


    [No, she can only summon it with her magic and help it grow. If properly trained, Explosion Elementals can control the direction of their st. That certain type of Elemental can one-shot most dungeon level, but not boss rooms.]


    So, This little girl got scared and summoned this Elemental, and it got scared and killed everyone close to her. Everyone except for Victor who was standing beside her. Does that mean she can choose who she can protect?


    [No, I have no idea why the boy was able to survive. To start with, only you will be able to be around her and you will still have to use your shield. Even with you holding the rock, it won''t protect you from the heat in the air that will cook your lungs. You will just have to use your shield on what she summons.]


    na was quiet now, and she had her arms wrapped around me. She was resting her face on my chest with her eyes closed, and I thought that she was asleep.


    "Can I get mine on my shoulder?" na asked, surprising me as she opened her eyes, lifting her head to look at me.


    I smiled at her, and put my hand over her shoulder she had gestured at. I sought the me, and let it trickle out of my hand, binding na to the Crimson Legion, and by extension, to me.


    We all separated and na was smiling brightly, fingering the blood-red circle with the line crossed through it.


    "This is really real, isn''t it?" na asked no one.


    "Yes, now let''s get dried off before the other girls eat everything that gets sent up!" I said with a smile,ing over and messing with her short hair.


    After the three of us got dried off, Lesha found us each a brown housecoat that didn''t really look good on any of us. na loved the ugly thing, but they were soft, so they had to be given that.


    After getting fully changed, we went back to the sitting area where there were three couches set up. There were two love seats and a sofa shaped from wood with a dark stain, and red cushions.


    The other girls had already gotten the food and were talking up the two love seats, leaving the couch open for us. We all sat down and were hand tes to dish up a wonderful meal.


    There was a tter of steaming sliced meat with mashed tubers in arge bowl with gravy on the side. There were also some strange green balls called cabbage sprouts that had a slightly bitter taste, but after you put gravy on, everything tasted good.


    Everyone was hungry, and the meal went by in silence. The sun was cresting, and there was still some light left in the day, but it was toote to go out and explore.


    "Do you girls mind hanging out with na while Lesha and I spend some time alone?" I asked looking pointedly at Gloria who grinned back at me.


    "Yes, we will y some cards. I have been trying to teach Mei, but she might have a better time with more people. Go and enjoy yourselves," Gloria said with a wink and a smile.

 Chapter 104: Take A Mile

    Chapter 104: Take A Mile


    I walked back into our room in my towel with Lesha hanging off my arm. I wasn''t that tired before, but after that, my body felt spent.


    "Can you go get na?" I asked Lesha after slipping on arge white shirt of my father''s that I had stolen back from Mei.


    "Yes, but I think you should just wear that all the time," Lesha said,ing over to give me a kiss.


    As she did Lesha grabbed my nipple and pinched down yfully, but they were still sensitive. I let out one of my horrible squawking noises, and jumped back, covering my breasts as Lesha advanced on me.


    "GIT! Go get the damn girl, you vile woman!"


    "Oh, but baby, I just want a little squeeze, I will be gentle this time!" Lesha said in her oh-so-sweet voice, but with zeal burning in her eyes.


    "Get your damn hands out of my shirt or I will" I started to threaten, but there was a knock at the door.


    Lesha leaned in with her hands on my hips and gave me a quick but deep kiss that left me blinking as she turned and called toe in. I shook my head and smiled, every moment was another memory to be cherished.


    If I really had spent multiple lifetimes with this woman, I could see the appeal in the idea. In the twenty-two years that I have been breathing, I had never felt so alive, and happy.


    "This will be like a sleepover, I never had them as a kid, but K was the first girl I had a sleepover with. Maybe that isn''t a good example, but I think you know what I mean!" Lesha said to na as they closed the door.


    I grinned at Lesha''s fumbling and walked over, taking na by the shoulders and guiding her to the bathroom. I showed her a toothbrush and she knew how to use it, so I left her be and walked back out to Lesha who was crawling into bed.


    "No, I am sleeping on the edge," I said tly.


    I wasn''t ying this game with her again. Last time I ended up getting no sleep. So, this time she could deal with the "Sleepover" because I was tired and I had things to do tomorrow.


    "But baby! I need to hang my arms over the edge! Baby, please?! Baby!" Lesha said in her adorable voice.


    "I will hurt you if you ruin that word for me! I love when you call me that, but now you''re overdoing it," I said scowling at her.


    "Okay, fine, you win, I will sleep in the middle, where my hands will be hot. I probably will have trouble getting to sleep, so I am sorry if I keep you up," Lesha said slowly moving over.


    "Good," I said, going to the slide of the bed and pushing her over and out of my spot.


    "HEY! You''re not supposed to do that! You''re supposed to"


    "...Go to sleep in the designated sleeping areas we decided on? Oh yeah, working on it!" I said trying to get into bed, but Lesha sat up, leaning over onto the ce that I was trying to get into.


    "But please?" Lesha asked, giving me her big eyes.


    A firestorm of emotions raged inside of me, and I wasn''t sure if I wanted to kiss her or throw her out of the bed. I sighed and rolled my eyes, and Lesha tried to hold back her grin but failed.


    I was about to start tickling her, but that was when na walked back out of the bathroom. I pulled my hands back from Lesha and smiled at na as she slowly walked over.


    "Do you two always sleep together?" na asked as she crawled into the bed beside Lesha.


    What was going on here? Lesha grinned up at me, patted the massive open section of the bed beside na. I just shook my head, give an inch and they took a mile.


    That was something my father used to always say about my brothers, and I never really truly understood the veracity in the statement. Now though, crawling into my side of the bed with a little girl separating me from the woman I wanted to throttle, I understood.


    ---------------


    "VICTOR! I CAN''T STOP HIM! VICTOR!" na screamed at the top of her lungs, making me bolt up straight.


    na was sitting up, and I put a hand on her arm, starting her out of the nightmare trance. I pulled her down into my arms as she began to cry into my chest.


    Lesha, of course, was still asleep. The woman could sleep through a hurricane tearing the roof of the Guild.


    "Are you alright?" I asked na quietly.


    "Mmhm, I am sorry, I had a bad dream I saw it happen again. I can''t unsee all the people disappearing in mes, and ites in my dreams," na said quietly as I stroked her hair.


    "Victor is very important to you isn''t he?" I asked.


    "Mmhm, he has always protected me, or tried to," na said.


    "Then, just think about him, or Corbit and try to go to sleep. I will try to keep the bad dreams away," I said with a smile, but I got the look I just wasing.


    "W-W-What do y-y-you mean? W-W-Why would I think about something like that? Or him I mean? Do you really like girls? Do you and Lesha" na asked with an expert level switcheroo, leaving me short for words.


    "Get to sleep!" I growled, and she let out a small giggle.


    "Thank you, you have been so good to me, and I will probably never be able to repay you, but I just want you to know that I really appreciate what you have done," na said, cuddling into me, and soon she was asleep.


    "I know you''re awake you witch! Next stray we get, you''re in charge of her!" I whispered to Lesha, and she rolled over with a grin.


    "But you so friggin cute with them, baby!"


    [thank you for voting!]

 Chapter 105: The Best Way

    Chapter 105: The Best Way


    I was finally able to get back to sleep, and na stayed asleep for the rest of the night. I was d to actually have a restful sleep, and I woke up to Lesha curled up in my arms.


    She was facing me, and she was face-nted into my breasts again. I kissed the top of her hand and then ran my hands through her soft blonde hair as she slowly woke up.


    "Good morning, Baby," Lesha said in a squeaky voice as she stretched her legs, and rubbed her cheeks into my breasts.


    "Good morning, my darling," I said letting my right arm free of her to pull her face into a kiss.


    This was the very best way to wake up, but I wondered where na went, and I was slightly worried. I squeezed Lesha and kissed her multiple times before starting to pull away.


    "No! Let me have five more mins, and maybe five more after that, but that''s it," Leshained,tching onto me and taking a deep breath before plowing her face between my breasts.


    I slowlyid back down, scared to do something to trigger Lesha, and then the whole ce would hear my squawking. After I settled back down in bed, Lesha expelled the breath out her nose, but that''s when I attacked.


    I dug my fingers into her waist making her squeal like a little girl loud enough to wake the dead. I rolled away from her and got up out of the bed with a couple swift movements.


    Lesha tried to get me back, but I was already out of bed and took my nightshirt off to get changed. When I got it off, Lesha was perched on the edge of the bed with her hands up like ws, and fire in her eyes.


    "Miss K? Lesha?" Called all the girls as they burst into the room.


    I squawked and pulled my shirt over my chest.


    "Do you girls mind? Lesha is being a pest and I am trying to get changed so we can get going. Where is na?" I asked, turning to the get changed as all four girls entered the room, and closed the door.


    "She is down visiting with Victor and Corbit. They are all eating so they should be ready. Vergil said he would have food to go for us," Gloria said.


    I looked back to see that she had joined Lesha on the bed, and the other three were rolling like children in sync. I found it hard to believe that these girls were all older than me.


    After ring at Lesha to get dressed I put on some green shorts and a ck halter top. It felt like it was going to be a warm one, but I wondered how Braum did with the diving gear?


    I shooed the girls out of the room and told them to get their swinging things and towels for the trip.


    Suddenly, I was hit with multiple shbacks of the same scene and me saying the same words. It was only mary, but it was a reminder that we had all done this kind of thing just for fun before.


    "Do you ever get memories? Like little shbacks of times that we lived together before?" I asked as Lesha tied the stir around the back of her neck to keep the light blue bikini top up.


    "You saw that too? I think I see them when you do, but I looked really nice just to go to the beach to spend time together," Lesha said with a smile as she came over and gave me a quick kiss.


    "I know it would be Darling, but we have things we need to do, fun wille, I promise," I said to her as we walked out of our room.


    The girls were waiting for us with bags that must have had extra towels because they were packed full. I waved them forward, and we all headed downstairs.


    It was still nice and early, and I was d that the girls were all dressed and ready to go. They had been able to have some sleep in time the day before, so today was time to get back at it.


    "Good morning Guild Leader Kiada!" The room cheered as we walked down into sight of all the people in the guild.


    Everyone on them had already grabbed ribbon from the Resurrection Tree I had purchased along with more guild slots. Later today I would deal with the new people that wanted to join, and there were a lot of them, but I could also see my own ribbon in the sea of cks.


    "Good morning everyone!" I called out as we stepped into the mess hall. "I can see a lot of new faces today! So, that means there should be multiple runs done today by the new prospective members. I would also like the names of the monster that you kill and the loot that they drop."


    "What do you need to know that for?" A woman in heavy te armor asked, stepping forward.


    She had bright red hair and a friendly face, but the double-ded battle ax strapped to her back said differently. The woman put both Gloria and me to shame, and she was half a step taller than me.


    "If we can figure out the types of things certain monsters drop, and then things they don''t. Once we know what we are looking for, we can have people that farm for specific items go out and we can craft better quality things. There will be some items that are needed more than others, so if we have a list we can keep stocked up on supplies," I exined.


    "Hmph! Good, I hope that we can work together in the future then. I would have never thought of something like that, but that''s why they have started to call you Mama K, hehe. You just always seem to know what to do, and what works best. My name is Gracey, and I am a Berserker, Fighter ss, Diamond Rank."


    "I look forward to seeing what you return with. You''re already a winner in my book, but everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves," I said with a smile, shaking Gracey''srge outstretched hand.

 Chapter 106: Leaf Green Light

    Chapter 106: Leaf Green Light


    "Before you all leave, there are a few other things that I would like to put into ce. If you are Ruby Rank or higher, then I require you to go out once a week with a lover lever group," I exined to the gathered people.


    This went for all the members, including the ones that we already had. I wanted to make sure everyone was learning and growing, they would need it for theing storms.


    "Doing this will also help your fellow guild members group, and teach them tricks that will help them prosper. You benefit from having strong members, so helping the newbies will be a requirement, even for solo adventures. I will not chase you all to do this, but there will be serious consequences if you fail to do this simple task, that is all," I said, finishing with a nod of dismissal to everyone.


    These few points were just some of many that would be brought up in the future. I didn''t want to shove all my ideals down their throat all at once.


    I spotted Corbit and the siblings and they were sitting across from Braum, and wait.


    "Tim?" I asked loud enough for him to hear as I walked over with the girls behind me and Lesha behind me.


    I heard her gasp from behind me, and my breath caught as both Hershal and Tim turned to look at me with massive grins.


    I could hardly believe my eyes, both of the men looked years younger. I put a hand over my heart and took deep breaths.


    Tim''s eye was no longer massive, but it still glowed a soft green and not so sickly. Hershal''s was the same, but if he hadn''t been sitting between them I wouldn''t have recognized him.


    "Was this from me?" I asked, not knowing what else to do, I was just so blown away by the change.


    "K, I don''t even know what to say or how to thank you," Tim said, losing his smile.


    "Call us even for helping me out from the beginning, I am just happy to see you as a young man. You will fit in with the other boys now," I said with a smile.


    "That''s not all, do you remember about the horrible green light I told you about before? It changed when we did! Watch, Victor, do you mind?" Tim asked, turning to Victor, pulling a knife out, and handing it to him.


    "Sure, this is pretty cool, so I don''t mind, this is nothing," Vitor said as he shed his arm and blood sprayed up.


    "HEY, YOU IDIOT!" Tim yelled, and his eye started to glow intensely.


    I had already caught the flying blood and was taking it in, but I watched what Tim did. The light from his eye was a beautiful leaf green, and it bathed Victor''s bleeding arm in it.


    I watched as the deep cut grew and knitted back together in a matter of seconds. I was starting to be able to pick up the scent of magic when it was being used, but I was getting nothing like that from Tim.


    "Don''t be an idiot! I can only make it grow back, not return the lost blood," Tim scolded Vitor who was looking pale.


    "Yeah, I might have overdone it a bit," Victor said, wobbling, almost falling out of his chair, but Corbit caught him, and we allughed.


    "Are we ready to go?" I asked turning to Braum, but Hershal spoke up first.


    "Umm, I know I was wrong yesterday, and like Tim said, after this, I have no real way to repay you for giving me my life back, but I would like to serve you as one of your Guild Members," Hershal said to me with a weak smile.


    "Where do you want it?" I asked, and Hershal looked startled.


    "What?" He asked in confusion.


    "Where do you want the crest? You do want to join, right?" I asked with a smile.


    "Well, yes, I guess on my check the same as Tim. Are you sure?" Hershal asked, but I was already taking my hand away, leaving the fresh red crest that never seemed to fade.


    "Today I would like you and time to go out with the greenest looking groups and teach them the ropes, this your new abilities, I think you two will be good for the job for today and tomorrow, okay?" I asked, and both nodded and left without saying another word.


    "You know, you are the strangest person that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing," Braum said with a smile.


    "Thank you?" I said, not knowing if that was actually apliment or not.


    "Gear is loaded on the ship and everything is down there waiting for us! I ever brought a medical kit," Braum said grinning as he pulled up a pic basket of all things.


    "Medical lunch?" Candi asked, stepping forward and looking inside the basket.


    There were a bunch of crackers and some green ss bottles that were capped. Something in my mind told me this was a ginger drink that had air forced into it to make it bubble, but that was all I knew, like some random bit of useless information.


    This was starting to happen more oftentely. I was getting shes and memories of the past lives more frequently. It was getting to the point where it felt like a dam was about to burst in my mind.


    "Drinks and food to help with the boat ride," Braum said as he stood up.


    "Now, are we ready to go, we are losing precious time," I said, turning to leave, but then I turned back to the group.


    "All of the new Guild Members need to go over to that tree and take your red ribbons. Right now they won''t do much, but when we go back into the dungeon they will be important. One of my brothers already died and came back with an arm from the shoulder growing out of his head for a week, but he is still alive," I exined to the group as we got ready to leave for the docks.

 Chapter 107: Blood Jugs

    Chapter 107: Blood Jugs


    Our group left the Guild after grabbing the egg and tomato sandwiches Vergil had prepared for us. The sun hadn''t made it over the hill yet, but the light of day was more than upon us.


    "Come, we will head down this way from now on," Braum said while waving for us to follow him.


    I took Lesha''s hand, and she pressed into me, kissing my cheek before we started to walk. This was a nice way to start the morning off, and the other four girls were walking ahead of us.


    The boys, Victor and Corbit were smiling and talking, but na was stuck close to my side. I also noticed that she was ncing at the hand that was holding Lesha''s.


    I reached down and took her hand in mine. na tensed, and then looked up at me as we walked, but I just smiled and nodded to her.


    After that, both of the girls were leaning into me, making it awkward to walk, but it wasn''t like we had to go that far. It was worth it if it made this little girl feel better, and more rxed for now.


    I was about to take that cor off her and it was going to bring back some painful memories. I hoped to help burn the old ones away and rece them with new ones, everyone deserves to have a chance.


    Soon we reached the water and dock area, but we still had to turn south to get to the one we wanted. The smell didn''t bother me as much this time, and the skies were bright and clear.


    We filled down the docks, but they must have been unloading a ship because there was only a singlene for us to walk through. The girls went behind me and we all filed onto the ship, getting on without a problem.


    We were all pushed up to the front of the ship again to the raised deck. Once up there, we all found ces to getfortable.


    All seven of us girls found a line of crates and sat down together. The boys had been pulled to the side and put to work running gear from the crates on the dock.


    Turned out that all those crates were actually our diving equipment. Most of the things I knew, but there were several boxes of parts I didn''t recognize at first.


    Thest thing that was brought up, and with great difficulty was a two-meter tall wooden wheel. It took all the men and Gloria who rushed over cruising to get the thing up onto the deck.


    "What are they going to use that for?" Lesha asked, but I was just as confused as her.


    "I am not really sure. It''s not a water paddle wheel, all the boards are t and worn on the inside like it was walked on. We will have to wait for Gloria or Braum to tell us," I said, but na spoke up.


    "That wheel pumps air down to you and the rest of you in the suit that you will use. My dad used to wreck dive, and he used it" na said with her voice trailing off.


    I put my arm around her and rubbed her far shoulder, pulling her into me.


    "Thank you, just rx for now and get some rest. I''m not sure how long it will take to get to the ind, but I n on putting you through the wringer when we get to the ind. Close your eyes and lean your head on my chest," I said to na as she did just that.


    Lesha to this as her own invitation, and cuddled up and under my arm. She stretched her neck up and I leaned in to give her a soft kiss, then she rested her head on my chest the same as na.


    I wouldn''t say that Lesha was jealous when she acted like this. No, it was more her just wanting to be included, and that was something that I found cute and endearing, and was one of the many reasons why I loved her.


    Once the ship was cast off, and the deck had finally settled down, Braum and two tired-looking boys came up to where we were sitting. He smiled down at me and put a finger to his lips as he squatted down.


    "Be about two hours till the ind, I get you when we are close. I sure hope you know what you are doing here. I would hate to lose a Guild Leader after you gave me such a cool tattoo," Braum whispered with a smile.


    "I have a n, and I can also regenerate my body using blood. Don''t worry, it will be fine, I think," I whispered with a half-smile.


    "Oh, shit! I forgot to tell you, the boys and I have a little surprise for you, but I don''t know if it will actually work or if it was just a big waste of time. The boys and I from the guild got blood taken and we have two jars about the size of my fist filled," Braum exined while making a fist as an example.


    Oh? This was interesting, but would it work?


    [YES! Finally, someone has used their brains, and now I can exin it. As long as it is sealed and kept cool, you can keep it for up to three days. With this, you can stop getting the chills. Keep progressing and the things wille to you, but I can only reveal them once you have discovered them, or ask the right question as you did just now.]


    That was a relief, I was getting tired of having to make dungeon runs just to keep my blood supply up. Now, if the people were willing to give blood, I would be able to use it more and be more powerful.


    "Thank you, I will need one of them when I get back to the ind. We should try and see if it can be made into something I can wear, and take with me if I know I will need more, Do you think that would be possible?" I asked.


    "Sure, we will think of something," Braum said with a smile as he stood back up and walked away.

 Chapter 108: A Trial By Fire And Flame, Or Nothing

    Chapter 108: A Trial By Fire And me, Or Nothing


    Mei was the only one that wasn''t feeling good this time, but the crackers and drink helped her make it fine. The two hours went by fast, and before I knew it, Braum was back to get me up.


    "Come, I''ll give you two a ride to the ind when you''re ready to go. The only thing is that I will need you to wait until we give you the signal with a red g to start, okay?"


    "Yes, that''s fine. Come, na, let''s get up," I said while shaking her gently.


    Lesha was already stirring, and she turned her face up to kiss me. Then, she pulled away to stretch out her arms, standing up.


    I looked over at the feeling of fidgeting. na was already pulling out from under my arm, so I let her go, and Lesha gave me a hand up.


    "Thank you, darling. Don''t get into too much trouble while I am gone, okay?" I asked, but Lesha pulled me down into a kiss and held our faces close.


    "Be careful and pleasee back to me safe," Lesha said and then kissed me again before letting me go.


    "We will be fine, but I get to nap on you on the way back or my neck is going to get a kink in it," I said to Lesha while turning away, and heading back over to where Braum was waiting with a very nervous looking na.


    "Don''t worry. I am a lot tougher than I look, just rx for now. How are we getting out there?" I asked looking over at the treeless, and small deserted ind.


    "I am going to take you. You just need to follow me down this ropedder to the boat we just lower. I will take you over to the ind, and then I wille back and we will sail a bit back, and then give you the g," Braum exined to me, and I nodded my head.


    I waved to the others, and the girls came and hugged me before I left down thedder. Once all three of us were in the boat, I looked around, but I couldn''t see any oars.


    "How does this boat move?" I asked Braum, and he smiled at me and the boat started to move.


    "My Mana controls water, so I can do things like this," Braum said as what felt like a giant hand pushed us forward.


    I had to grab onto na so she didn''t tip over, and the trip over to the ind was quick. Braum waved to us as he left, he had given me a knowing look that said, don''t forget.


    The two of us walked out onto the bare and sandy ind together, and I held her hand. I knew this would be scary for her, so when we got to the center, I sat down and got her to sit in front of me.


    I positioned myself so I could see when they got far enough away and hoisted the red g. Braum had already made it back to the ship, and they were sailing away.


    I focused on na, and took in a deep breath, and let it out.


    "Do you see how I am doing this? Can you take deep breaths, and then let them out?" I asked na.


    "Mmhm," na said, and she started to do as I instructed.


    The ship had gone a bit overboard in how far they went. I was barely able to see the g they had hoisted, but now it was time.


    I opened myself up and sought out the me, and I found it with no trouble. It now always seemed to be just below the surface, waiting for me to call upon it.


    I started to drink in the light, and my body because to glow softly, but the intensity was growing in strength. I reached forward and behind na''s neck, but she grabbed my arm with wide eyes.


    "Are you sure? You''re glowing so bright? Why?" na tried to ask, but I put my forehead against her.


    "I am here with you and you can''t hurt me, and if you do, it will be okay. I told you, I am tough!" I said as I unsped the choker and put it in my pocket.


    I wasn''t sure what was going to happen, but I was prepared to react no matter what happened. So, I was very surprised to see a small orange spiky lizard floating in the air.


    [Now that is interesting, where did that girl see a dragon to be able to create a familiar in its image?]


    I wasn''t sure, but the look the little beast was giving me was just short of a squint-eyed stare. I red back at the beast, letting my anger pool out at all the trouble this little pipsqueak was causing this girl.


    The dragon''s eyes got big, but then it started to brighten.


    "No Firburg! Don''t hurt Miss K," na tried to say but it was toote.


    "Shield/Dleihs!" I called out, standing up quickly, and I was just barely able to shape a shield around the dragon before it exploded.


    I started toyer the shield, no longer needing to call out the spell as I summon more. I could feel the inner walls breaking, but I didn''t stop.


    "You have to control him! Word won''t work, you need to find the blue fire inside of you! Sit down and close your eyes. No matter what, keep focused, even if my shields fail!" I called out to the scared-looking na.


    "I will try, but I think we should stop Miss K, or you are going to get hurt!" na cried out to me.


    I was fighting a losing battle, and I was already burning telets to create a shield but holding off on the Lymphocyte. Once my shields fail, the Basophils Service would activate, and burn on its own, slowing time down enough to let me have time to increase my healing ability tenfold.


    na was on the ground, squeezing her eyes shut, but I was starting to have doubt. There was no way to train her to find the me if the stone blocked magic; this was the only way.


    A trial by fire and me, or nothing.


    [Hey readers! Thank you for reading this far! This will be my locking chapter, but I wont be locking until the third week of May, so enjoy the free chapters while theyst!]

 Chapter 109: Taking It In

    Chapter 109: Taking It In


    The shield was forming into my hand, but I made it huge and round. I mmed it into the ground, and that was the moment when everything slowed to a near crawl.


    Even turned up, I had no chance to make it to the water, I had to stand, and face the destruction head-on. I had separated the two with my shield and I dropped, and then pulled her over to me as time was slowly speeding back up.


    Right before the final shield snapped, I burned almost the blood I had making my body cold. I didn''t think that it would help me with the st that was about to hit me.


    I had overused my Mana, and now I could do nothing but wait for the inevitable toe. I could feel na shaking slowly, but speeding up as the moment caught back up with time.


    Right before the st went off, I pulled na into my chest. There was nothing I could physically do to help her, so just whispered to her as thest shield broke.


    "Don''t worry, I am here with you."


    Then the world erupted with yellow and orange mes that sted out in a furious outburst of fire, but it was more than just fire.


    Suddenly I was hit with memories of battles and fights with humanoid-shaped massive metal men. They would fire rockets that would do this exact same thing, tearing apart thend.


    The heat was starting to make the air hard to breathe and each breath was scorching my lungs. The fire tried to burn my skin, and it burned like nothing I had felt before.


    The tears were burning off my face, and I did the only thing I could think of, I sought the me. It was a small ember, taxed to its max, but it was still there, and with it, I could close out the world around me.


    Then another light began to slowly appear, and I know what it was. I didn''t know what I could do, but I tried anyway.


    I reached out with my me and tried to connect with na''s blue fire that looked like it was blowing in the wind. She was a tempest of pain and horrible memories that was washing around inside of her making it impossible to connect.


    As I reached forward with the me, the raging emotions that frothed inside of her pushed me back. I was trying to keep myself from reaching my target, making my own me waiver.


    No, I would not be pushed aside! I was not that type, and I got mad, then something happened.


    A different type of power grew up and became stronger than my white me, but then, they mixed. Like a peppermint cane, whatever that was, I could see the striped canes hanging from trees, but that wasn''t important.


    No, not at all. Something was changing no, not changing returning THIS POWER.


    Suddenly, the red white from reaching forward without my help, and grabbed blue me, and snuffed it out. My eyes snapped open and the fire was gone.


    What had I just done? Then I felt it, and I forced my eyes closed quickly, searching out my me, and I was stunned at what I found.


    Orange, red, and white mes burned in a row, except for the middle one. While it looked like it was burning, it just moved like fire, and I knew what it was or thought that I did.


    This was my anger, or that ever power my anger controlled, but that also meant that I had just stolen na''s magic. I didn''t want to take it from her, I only wanted to help her control it, yet, this was the better option.


    "Miss K? Are you okay? Did you stop it? Where did Furburg go?" na asked looking around as I opened my eyes, but she didn''t seem upset, she was happy.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, standing back up, feeling stiff, and very cold.


    "Yes! I feel great! What did you do? And where did the Mana stuff go?" na asked, but I put a hand up to stop her before more questions coulde out.


    I opened my hand and summoned the little dragon into it. na gasped and stepped back, but I reassured her.


    "Don''t worry, he is mine now, and I have control over him. I am sorry that I have to talk the Mana away from you, but it was the only way to stop it," I said with some resignation.


    "Sorry? Why? I am free, and now I don''t have to wear that cor! Miss K, Thank you so much! I don''t know how I will ever repay you?" na said to me.


    "Repay? No, you are part of my family now and this is what we do for each other. I really hope you can start getting back to living a normal life with us at the Guild. Well, as normal as can be expected from everyone," I said with a smile and then throwing up the dragon into the air.


    Imanded Firburg with my mind and ordered him to fly up about five hundred meters into the air. Upon taking him from her, I was filled with all basic knowledge of the creature, and what its abilities were.


    Unfortunately, the beginner rank of explosion summoning Mana had one skill, Explode. So, I was going to get him to do just that to act as a beacon and to go let off some steam.


    Letting him do it was going to let him burn off all that stored up power. If didn''t he could hurt someone even with me controlling him, so I would have to be careful.


    I would need to get him to a dungeon soon. Having something like this would almost be like cheating, and not even a boss would be able to stop him.


    "Miss K, can I stay with you and Miss Lesha? I really like you guys, and," she tried to continue, but I wrapped her in a hug and pulled her head down to rest on my chest.


    "I told you, you are part of my family now. You can stay with us for as long as you want. In the future, things are going to start getting more dangerous, so we will need to train and work hard, okay?" I asked as Firburg reached five hundred feet.


    "Yes, Mama K! Wait, can I call you that?" na asked as Firburg exploded about us.

 Chapter 110: Mark My Words

    Chapter 110: Mark My Words


    The two of us waited sitting on the shore, watching as Braum got closer. Firb was fighting with the local wildlife, but he had burned himself all out of Mana, and now the crab looked to have the advantage.


    The crab tried to grab his wing, but Firb snapped andtched on the tough crab''s arm. Unfortunately for Firb, the crab was alreadying at him from the other side andtched onto the base of his tail.


    Firb let out a screech as he let go and made a popping noise, the fireworks I had seenst year. The crab was started, and let go of Firb''s tail, and then scurried back to the water.


    Funny how far awayst year was from now, I had three things inside of me now, and that could mean I could take in more magic, but what would happen to me?


    [Your power, the anger is dominance. That is why you are able tomand others, even though they are not your servants. You are even able tomand people not to die. This power can also dominate others'' power, not just what you call mana.]


    That sounded more than a little overpowered, and then that meant I could even go as far as taking a God''s power.


    [True, but if you did, you would lose the Blood Servant System. There are other things that you can dominate, but you will have to learn them. This is your power, after all, the Blood Queen is the power that I will give you when you are ready.]


    Did I really need all of this power, and where was Drania for all of this? She had only spoken a few times since the incident with me confronting her about the lying.


    ''That is why I choose to let her exin, unlike me, she will not lie to you, but both of us are blocked from telling you everything you need to know. You will need the power, all of it. The god''s Dyster and Giyadal? Children to the other ones,'' Drania exined to me.


    na was resting her head on myp, and I was running my hands through her short brown hair. It looked cute on her, but she would be a little heartbreaker if she let it grow out.


    Corbit might need to start paying attention sooner thanter, but na was still young. Truthfully, I had no idea how old the girl was.


    "na, how old are you?" I asked curiously.


    "Fifteen, why?" She asked, turning around to face me with a smile.


    Not that young at all, well I would have to start giving him some gentle pushes. Braum was almost to use now, and I was starting to get hungry, and I was pretty cold, so blood too.


    "No reason other than that I just didn''t know. I actually thought you were closer to thirteen," I said with a smile, but that made her frown and sit up, grabbing her chest.


    "It''s because I don''t have any of these! That''s why he never notices me!" na growled, stomping the sand.


    I used a bit of stored anger and held theughter back. Thest thing that I wanted to do was embarrass this girl after she opened up about this.


    "Give it time, just like you they will grow, but we need to get some meat on your bones first," I said, as Braum brought the boat up to the beach, but na ran back over to me and started to poke at my breasts.


    "How did you get yours so big, soft, and squishy?" na said as I swatted her hands away.


    "BWAHAHA! Looks like you two are getting along, and you fixed the problem?" Braum asked while pushing the boat right up on the beach, and then the water receded.


    "Yes, FIRB! Come, let''s go!" I called over to the sunbathing dragon.


    That was a weird sight to see because everything thought Firb was a dragon, but he was also a summoned elemental. Meaning he was the element of the magic itself and mostly a swirling yellow and orange body of Mana.


    Firb jumped up into the air and flew over tond in my outstretched hand, and then melted back into me. I heard Braum curse, and I looked up at him.


    "What in the nine Gods are you, woman? Are you trying to tell me that you took her power? And now you control the world-ending creature?!" Braum asked, looking more frustrated than anything.


    "I didn''t really tell you anything, but yes, I took all the Mana from her, and now I have, and my new pet to add to my list. I am your Guild Leader and the one that will do what she says she is going to. That''s why you are following me, right?" I asked with a grin.


    "BWAHAHA! You''re damn well right on that ount! I am just d to see that this girl will start getting treated like a little girl, and not a demon," Braum said with a nod of his head and then smiled at na. "You deserve to have someone like Kiada, and Lesha in your life, little girl. Make sure you treat her well, and she will do the same for you!"


    "I will take all the sealed powers that the Gods are afraid of, and I will make them my own. I will be the only Demon, and one day the Gods will learn to fear my name. This world, this life, and everything they seek to destroy, we shall protect," I said with determination.


    "You are going to fight all of them? Once you start killing some, and this is if you can, the others will not take it lightly. If you do this, you will be starting a war," Braum exined to me, but I shook my head.


    "No, the war never ended. The only thing that happened is that we now have an enemy that we can all point our weapons at. The problem is that they will still use some of our people against us, but that can''t be helped. Mark my words, I will take this world back."


    Like Yuri? Check out my other novel, Epic Of Bee!

 Chapter 111: The Heat Of Passion/ The Chill Of Hunger

    Chapter 111: The Heat Of Passion/ The Chill Of Hunger


    The ride back was calm and rxing, and I was surprised when Braum used his Mana to lift the boat up to his deck. One thing that was very different now was the mes.


    Not only did I always hold the mes now, but I could see the mes in others. It was in the center of their chests of others that had Mana. Just how easily could I take someone''s magic?


    I helped na out of the boat, but a smile Victor, and a burning red Corbit were standing there waiting to greet her. Oh by the nine Gods did they do to that poor boy?


    Victor rushed over and gave his sister a hug, but Corbit stayed back, wringing the life out of his green shirt. When the siblings finished hugging I was just getting out of the boat, and then na turned to Corbit.


    For all he was worth, Corbit stepped forward, and then smiled down at na. Corbit was still growing, and I hadn''t noticed that he was amongst the same height as me.


    "I am sorry for not noticing you before. Also, you look very pretty today," Corbit, said as he then tried to back away.


    At this point, I was almost directly across from him, and I saw something inside of her light up. I blinked and then squeezed my eyes closed, but that just made me focus on it.


    Impossible, but the green-white me was there, and burning stabbed as she grabbed Corbit''s shirt, and then pounced on him. My eyes snapped open as the pair thudded to the deck, and na''s face was only a breath from Corbit''s.


    That was, when I grabbed Victor in a headlock and then Lesha, daring them both with me into the cabin area where we changed. Both were grinning, and neither one of them fought to get free or struggle so I was sure I had nabbed the right two.


    After I got the two into the room and closed the door, letting going of the two of them. They both rubbed the back of their neck, and then looked up at me with grins on their faces.


    "What did you two do to that poor boy? He looked like the tomato on the sandwich I never got to eat! Where is that blood?" I asked, realizing that I was getting short with them. "Sorry, I just used a lot of blood, and I''m cold."


    Lesha''s face instantly changed to worried as she came over to me.


    "Victor, go get Braum and ask him for the blood, run!" Lesha ordered Victor, and she ran to the door, opening it, and running. "Come with me. Baby your hands are freezing, I couldn''t feel it in your arms?!"


    Lesha took me to the bench and sat me down, but I didn''t have an answer and I only just noticed it. What did this mean?


    [Your power is starting to control you hungry more to make it less evasive, but you still need to have blood. As to your earlier question, the magic in this world is not normal, and it shouldn''t be here. When you take the magic, you are leaving a hole that this world''s own magic can fill.]


    "The power is helping me some," I said to Lesha. "Right now Lishtani is exining my new powers, and I will exin them after to you."


    I closed my eyes and leaned into Lesha as I waited, but now I had some questions.


    What is this magic? Mana, you mean? And does this mean I should be taking their powers? How will I deal with so much magic?


    [Mana is the power that fuels magical spells, and yes you will be taking it all. As you gather the powers, they will slowly be pulled apart and fuse with their basic element. Once that happens the Magical properties will be stronger and you will be able to use what you want at will, even without casting like you already are.]


    But when I take their magic, it''s going to change right? Aren''t there going to be upset people?


    [This isn''t about a couple people. If you want to save this world, then you need to remove all traces of the Gods, except for the dungeons. Those will be the only things that stay, and there is nothing that we can do about that.]


    That''s what I said I was going to do, and knowing that she had put it like that I was starting to understand what she meant. This magic was not natural of this world and it was something brought by the Gods, and that meant it must be removed.


    I wondered how I was going to remove all the magic from myself when I had it all? It was fine for me to collect it, but then what?


    [You will know when the timees. For now, just concentrate on the task at hand.]


    I could hear the footsteps running back to the room, and Lesha got up quickly. She went over to the door and opened it as Victor and all the girls, including na, came in.


    Victor was holding a rectangr metal box, and he rushed over to me. He put the box down and then opened the lid.


    Inside, there was a pair of jars packed in with paper, and Victor pulled one out. It was filled with the dark red life fluid that I need so dearly.


    No one spoke as Victor tried to open the jar, but he was having too much trouble with it and I was losing patience. I extended my arm and took therge jar from him, and easily opened it.


    The blood poured from the jar and into me even as I unscrewed the lid, and I could feel the warmthing back into my body. I pulled every drop out, but then reached my hand for the other, and Victor handed it to me.


    Once I was done, I stood up and stretched, but then I looked at the group that was assembled.


    "Boy, out, I need to talk to the girls and get changed. Thank you for rushing like that," I said, ruffling his hair.


    Now, it was time to go get ready for a swim!

 Chapter 112: James Nobby

    Chapter 112: James Nobby


    After Victor left the room, I red at all the innocent-looking girls.


    "Alright, what did you do to Corbit?" I asked them.


    "Baby, I swear it wasn''t us," Lesha said,ing over to me, and taking my hand, uck this damn woman!


    It was like she was the hard rock that was always there with her love to blunt my sharp anger. I cooled and waited for the rest of the exnation.


    "I was actually Captain James Nobby! You should have been there, K!" Gloria said jokingly.


    "Yes, who would have thought that the crotchety old pirate was a romantic," Trinity said with a giggle.


    "What? James? Since when did you all get on a first name basis?" I asked curiously.


    I waspletely cooled now and nothing but intrigued to hear what happened. I started to get undressed, and the other girls to the hint, and started as well as they took turns giving different ounts of what happened.


    "After you and na left, the Captain marched over to Corbit with a chair that he made him sit on. After that, he started to walk around him telling him stories of all the women he has courted in his life!" Mie exined, and Gloria snorted.


    "There were a good two hours of tales and by the time he was done I thought he would have started making a track. Then he stopped in front of the now grinning Corbit," Gloria said as she pulled up her bikini briefs, but Candi spoke up in an imitation of the Captain.


    "So boy, what do you think? Fantastical stories right? WRONG! Do you see what I am doing right now? I am on a boat with no wife and a bunch of half with what I call my family! Why? Because I was more concerned about having fun than having a real-life with a loving wife!" Candi barked out, but na was starting to look red now, realizing what had actually taken ce, and why.


    "After that he started to exin how to treat a woman, the entire time screaming that if it wasn''t truly his name wasn''t James Nobby! I have to admit, it was some pretty good lessons. Though Gloria and I were held at whip by the other two to listen along," Trinity joked, and Gloria rolled her eyes, and Iughed, but then Lesha poked me.


    "Don''tugh, you would have been listening as well! I took some notes for you and I will share themter!" Lesha giggled as she wrapped her arms around me and melted into my side.


    Everyone was changed, so we all filled out to the main deck, but I broke away from the group after giving Lesha a kiss. I turned and held up to the Captain''s deck where he was always yelling orders from.


    "So, I hear you had a world, my boy," I said walking up to the back of Captain.


    He was turned and facing the stern, looking out at the ocean. He didn''t speak until I joined him at the railing.


    "Boy needed a good talking to, and your herd of hens wasn''t to ones for the job! Lonely life hoping from shit to ship, if you know what I mean. I didn''t think he was headed for the same path, but I could see the way that girl just adores him, and it made me think of my own life and the choice that I made to bring me to this ship here today," the Captain exined to me.


    "I am d you did it. I thought that the girls had done it to him and I was upset, but if it was you then I am only thankful to you. You are right, a woman is not meant for the job," I said while smiling out at the open ocean.


    It was just past noon and I was starting to get hungry, but then James spoke up again, but this time he turned to me. The Captain stood up straight and put a hand to his chest, surprising, and confusing me.


    "What you just did with that little girl I knew the useless things that called themselves her parents. You''re more than just something special, and I can faithfully say with what I have seen. I know that you could have done a better job than I could have ever dreamed with that boy, and you have. The kid understood right away what I was trying to say, and that''s because he has such wonderful role models," The Captain said while looking me directly in my eyes.


    I felt my chest swell with pride for that, but I held it down. I knew that I was trying to create a better environment for the girls and other kids.


    Still, hearing it from someone like James really meant something. It meant that what I was doing mattered, and I couldn''t hold that pride back.


    "Thank you, James. That means a loting from you. It''s nice to see that what I am doing is having a noticeable effect," I said, but then the Captain snorted at me.


    "Noticeable effect? K, you are the hottest topic even on the water, and ship Captains have started to curse your name! The best members of the ships areing together toe to join your Guild! The wave of change that you have already made by removing the Ground Pounders and that idiot Granvel has made you a symbol in this city of Piast. You are the guild light that people are starting to look to and feel something no one has felt in over half a year, hope," James told me.


    "Alright old man stop tooting my horn or I''m going to smack you if I turn red!" I joked, but I wasn''t kidding about turning red.


    I had no idea that what I was doing was already starting to have such a profound effect on the popce already. I remember hearing about this city before now, and I was now fullymitted to my cause.


    I would wipe the stain of Dyster from Piast and return its rightful name.

 Chapter 113: Scorned

    Chapter 113: Scorned


    I walked down and joined the gathered group, and it was not looking like we were going to get to go diving after all. The temperature was dropping, fast, and the wind had just shifted.


    "Doesn''t look good," Braum said with a worried look, and I understood what he meant.


    It was getting cold out, the temperature was just high and hot, almost sweating. Now, a massive storm line had appeared from out of nowhere, and it was solid ck with lightning shooting down.


    "That can''t be normal? On a normal day, we would have seen thising, but it just came out of nowhere and it''s already almost on top of us!" I shouted as the wind started to pick up.


    Captain Nobby was shouting at the sailors to get ready for the storm as he started to turn the ship. This was not good, and there was no way we would outrun the storm.


    "No, this is far from natural, it was just sunny and clear, still is above. Now, we better pray that we go to the shore on a beach, not a cliffside. This is if we even make it that far," Braum said while staring at the oing storm.


    "Guild Members, except for Mei, Braum, and Gloria, get inside and get strapped down. Braum, I hate to have to do this to you but it is the only way we are going to get close to the shore," I said, turning to him after waving the rest off.


    "Do what?" Braum asked looking from the storm to me.


    "I am going to take you magic and push the boat, I am sorry," I said as I put my hand on his chest.


    The red and white mes twisted as one, and shot down my arm and into Braum''s chest, snuffing out magic inside of him. Braum gasped and stepped back, looking at me in horror.


    "Go help the others get strapped down, and bring me that blood! There is no time for arguments, just know that this isn''t the end of your magic. This power never belonged to you, and I will be removing all magic from the world, now GO!" I shouted, and Braum took off running into the cabin.


    I turned to the girls that were waiting, but I needed to hurry. The storm was approaching fast, but Gloria pushed Mei forward, and she came over to me.


    "Will I get new magic too? Mana? Magic?" Mei asked, and I smiled as I put my hand to her chest.


    "Yes, I am sure you will get something wonderful dear, now go and get inside with Gloria. Gloria, you know what needs to be done, but make sure to take out anything that coulde loose," I told them and then left to go help the other and get prepared.


    I turned and felt the final vestiges of the sun, but my skin was glowing already. I had been putting in as much of the sun as I could while I took the other''s magic.


    Braum ran out with the jar and opened it up for me, and I sucked the blood up. That only put me at half full, but I would be using mostly magic.


    What I needed was more of that, and even as filled as I was, I was worried that it wasn''t going to be enough. I ran up to the top deck where Captain Nobby was yelling at the men to get inside.


    The winds were gusting now, and I was starting to feel the rain, but I could see the walling up behind us. I touched the water light blue me and then grabbed it, forcing it in ce with the light.


    "You need to get back inside Guild Leader! I will man the wheel for as long as we float!" The Captain called over the wind.


    "You drive, I push, and I will also try to keep us dry," I said to the Captain.


    "Sure crazydy let''s ride the storm together, HAHA! Too bad you like them, girls!" The captain said with a grin that was missing some teeth as he turned back to the helm.


    That made me smile for a moment, but now I needed to focus. I snapped a fewyers of shields in ce and then started to concentrate on pushing the ship.


    This was no small or easy task, this was not small Diggy, this was a massive ship. The waves were starting to pick up, and rain hammered the decks, but it was mostly quiet around us.


    The only sounds were that of the Captain whistling a lively tune that I didn''t know. I was starting to sweat, but I still had plenty of magic, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t make it go any faster.


    "You alright there?" The Captain asked as we crashed through another massive wave that ruled over the whole ship but never touched us inside of the shield.


    "Yes, but the storm is getting worse, and I still can''t seend yet," I said looking at the Captain, but he wasn''t looking at me, he was looking behind me.


    The Captain didn''t look very well, and his mouth was hanging open.


    "Remember how you said that this storm couldn''t be natural. Well, I don''t think that you''re wrong. You don''t see that every day," Nobody said as he lifted a shaking hand to the stern behind me.


    I turned to see what he was so scared of and pointing at, and I saw it, or him. Of course, this was what caused this disaster.


    There was only one person who could organize such chaos. The massive face of Dyster with Burning green eye''s sneered down at me as his face pushed down from the clouds.


    "Come to fight?" I called up.


    "Fight? If you mean me taking you down to the depths of the ocean without a chance to fight, then sure. Let''s fight!" The God boomed down.

 Chapter 114: Who Signed The Checks

    Chapter 114: Who Signed The Checks


    The massive pair of burning green eyes red done at me as I red at them. So, had the god finallye to y?


    [No, this isn''t him. This is only his power as a god. Do not, and I repeat, do not get involved with him right now. He is still trying to bait you into a challenge, so don''t let him.]


    Grrr, I hate this! How was I not strong enough yet? I had taken magic? Why should I fear this God?


    ''Don''t let him, this isn''t your time yet, and if you lose now all this has been for nothing! Do not let your pride get in your way!'' Drania told me.


    This was stupid and useless, and I just wanted to unleash myself into the storm. Fight back with matching strength and power and teach this monster, the God of Disaster a lesson in catastrophe!


    "I am waiting, Magic Thief! Come and fight me now that you are so strong!" The face of Dyster goaded me.


    I stomped my foot down and shook my head hard to shake the pride trying to fill it free. There were people to protect, and this was my job, I signed the papers, no one else.


    I let go of the water, and then summoned Firburg back out, but this time it was different. I let him take my powers, half of what I had left, and released him from me.


    This was the best I had, and from the little power it took before, I figure that this was the best use of my power. A massive glowing orange and yellow dragon rose from the ship.


    "By The Nine What have you done?" I heard James Nobby asked from behind me with fear in his voice, and I turned to him.


    "Just hold on to that damn wheel!" I said rushing over to his side, helping him hold the wheel. "We have about five seconds and Firb is going to explode, and we are going to hit with the first shockwave, then he will use the pressure from the st to push us fast."


    "Will that work?!" The Captain asked, but that was when Firburg exploded.


    At the same time, I pulled cold water up to the surface all around us. The idea was to pump heat into the storm and cool the surface of the water.


    Doing this should be able to make that storm less effective no matter what the God did. Then the st from Firburg hit us like a tidal wave


    The concussion st broke two of the threeyers of the shield I had up and tore all the railing off the ship and anything that was even tied down. The mast was snapped but I dug for the rest of my power and used Mei''s power to force it to grow back together, but I was starting to get very tired.


    [You''re going to have to let me take over this time. You are almost out of power, and if you stop now, you and everyone else will die.]


    She wasn''t wrong, I was being torn from all the power I was directing. My skin was starting to get blue cracks like spidering veins that glowed with power, and that could be good.


    What do I need to do?


    [You just have to let go.]


    ----------


    [Lishtani''s view]


    I felt the girl give me over control and I stepped back into the driver seat, pushing the man out of the way.


    "Get below with the other, my child. I will take care of this from here," I said as I called that insufferable pet back.


    "What? Child? Who do you think" But I looked him in the eyes, and bathed his body in a blood-red glow? "Yes, Ma''am."


    The Captain ran off, now looking a lot less scared of the storm, but I did have that effect on men. The power of explosions returned to me and then I looked up at the face in the clouds.


    "HAHA! YOUR RED EYES DON''T SCARE ME!" Dyster boomughed, but I was not impressed.


    I knew each and every one of these idiots, and Dyster or as we called him in the office, Greg Shooster. This was just another one of us sent to y this game, but I would remind him who signed the checks.


    "Greg, Don''t you think you are starting to act above your station?" I asked as the storm literally paused.


    "No, what the fuck is going on?! What are you here! Gah!" Dyster cried out of the unmoving storm.


    The sea was calm now, but the storm had taken the girl far south. This ship was only being held together by my will, so they would not make it back to port with this thing.


    "Go home before I rip what little power you have from you, or you can challenge me. I am in control of her body, so the rules have changed, and like before, if you want to get to the top, you have to challenge me first? Is that not the rules The Creator set out before getting lost in everything?" I asked.


    "This is hardly fair that she can fight god, and has one of the strongest in her! Fine! I have done my damage, and she has caused enough on her own. This will at least rid me of her for a couple days!" Dyster said as his face faded from the clouds.


    The storm was disappearing just as fast as it hade, and I could see the shore. I used the water to push the boat there, and then I used thest of the girls'' magic to grow wooden legs to pull the ship on the beach and prop it up.


    At this point, even I was getting tired, but I wasn''t going to drop the girl on the deck. I made my way down to the destroyed main deck and then walked to the cabin where I could hear voices talking.


    I opened the door and fell into the room, cking out from exhaustion. I tried for the girl.


    ''I hope that we can be together soon. Too many times have I had to y this game without you, and I am getting tired,'' Drania said weakly and I could hear the emotion in her voice.


    [Soon, my love, she is growing strong, but we must have patience.]

 Chapter 115: Shipwrecked

    Chapter 115: Shipwrecked


    shes and then blinks, and slowly the images of my lives started to slow down, giving me a brief glimpse into my past lives. The trials, the fights, the tears, and all the love that I shared with Lesha and these other seven girls.


    Eight there were more that I needed to find. Their faces, names, and memories, even elude me now, but I would uncover them.


    For now, I would have to be happy with getting this knowledge of lifetimes spent with the women that I loved like sisters. I was also the knowledge that I had gained with Lesha at my side.


    I didn''t know why I was here or who was really yet, but I felt like I was getting closer. It was almost like I could touch them, but I think finding the other girls would give the rest of what I needed to know.


    The memories of Lesha and the girls became afort for me as I floated in the nothingness. This time was different, I didn''t get to watch, it was like I had been blocked from my own body, but they''re probably was a reason for it.


    I didn''t like all these games that Lishtani and Drania said they had to y, but I had to trust them. Even though they did some shady things, I still felt like they had my best interest in mind, and I would have to live with that for now.


    I could feel the pull now. Whatever she had done, it was over and I was about to wake up


    I could smell the salty breeze blowing through the air, and sand under my body. I awoke with my head in ap, and the feeling of the suning down on me, slowly changing my body.


    I opened my eyes to the most beautiful face in all the worlds that were smiling down at me.


    "Good morning sleepyhead," Lesha said as she leaned down awkwardly to kiss me.


    I rolled over and turned to kiss her, but then stopped when I saw the boat, or what was left of it. The damage wasn''t the strange part, it was the ten to fifteen wooden legs that stood in the ground, holding the ship in the air.


    "Did I do this?" I asked out loud in amazement.


    "Lishtani did," Lesha said tly, and I turned to her.


    "What? Did she say something?" I asked, wondering just what that woman did with my body.


    "We all got a firm talking to, ALL of us, even Captain Nobby, who is a part of the Guild now, and all the members of this ship. She was quite busy, and she was raging about not being close enough to the Guild Hall to use the System. She can be quite persuasive, and it was a bit scary being it was you saying all these things," Lesha told me.


    "Oh? I have more Guild Members?" I asked while surprised while Taking Lesha in my arms.


    I was surprised that there weren''t any other people around on the beach, but maybe they were up in the spider-legged boat.


    "Yes, some are in the boat and some are hunting while others are exploring. Don''t be surprised if the men are all scared of you though. She was not gentle when she branded them the Guild Crests, so they might be a bit wary of you," Lesha said as I pulled away from her.


    "Where are na, Mei, and Braum? I would like to go and see them, but first, I want you to look into my eyes. Find that spark and look deep inside of it," I exined to her.


    This was how it was done, well one of the ways, and since the kiss hadn''t worked Lesha stumbled back and put one hand on the side of her head. I stepped forward, but Lesha put a hand out for me to wait as she took everything in, shaking her head back and forth.


    Suddenly, she looked at me and smiled with tears pouring down her face. What was wrong? I was about to ask, but Lesha squealed, and then tackled me to the ground.


    "BABY!"


    I had the wind knocked out of me as Lesha rained kisses down on my face. When I caught my breath, I pulled her into a deep kiss and closed my eyes.


    This was a reflection of many lives lived in the past, but none of them mattered, there was only here and now. The press of her soft lips on mine and even the salty taste of her tears were all magical things that made my heart beat faster and faster.


    She was the one person that somewhere in the past I told that I would always be with because I loved no other. That was a truth that was pulled with me along every life, and now we are here.


    Rolling in the sand and getting it in every crack, and I had to push her away from me. I helped her up and she hugged me again and rested her head on my chest.


    "Mei and Gloria are exploring, Braum and the boys are out trying to catch up on some food. na is back up in the ship with Candi and Trinity who are attempting to make food, but now that I have their memories back I can see that I might even be edible if Candi makes it!" Lesha said, holding me close.


    "Let''s go up and see na, I want to see how her new powers are doing. Also, do you have any idea where wend on the coast? I would like to get a better idea of just how long it is going to take up to get back," I questioned Lesha, but then she stopped.


    "We aren''t on the coast, in fact, I don''t know where we are other than in the middle of the ocean on a deserted ind. Mei and Gloria are out scouting, but this is definitely an ind in the middle of the ocean," Lesha said with a weak smile.


    This was just great.

 Chapter 116: Getting Stronger

    Chapter 116: Getting Stronger


    I made one of the legs tten out like a pancake. It was weird, as I stepped on to it with Lesha, all the things that I had learned, but nothing seemed different.


    That could mean one of two things. One thing that it could be that this was always my personality, but I also felt like I would be more confident.


    This slowlying into myself was starting to get old, and I just wanted for all the secrets to being revealed and not be strung along so much. That had been a long path through my life, but it was nothing the expanse of time I had already live, but that didn''t make me feel any better about my current situation.


    "K!" The three girls yelled as they came out of the back cabin running.


    They must have heard the wood moving, and the three girls rushed over to greet us, then they hugged me. Candi and Trinity were first, but then I opened my arm to na, and she jumped into my arms.


    "How are you feeling? I asked na after I released her a bit, but I didn''t let go of her.


    "Good, but I need to talk to you about something," na smiled at me.


    "Oh? Okay, what is it that you would like to talk to me about?" I asked, but she broke from me, and then dragged me to the front of the ship.


    Lesha followed close behind with a knowing look on her face, but I was curious and patient. Where we got over to one of the few remaining crates that had been strapped down before the storm.


    na went behind the crate, and I heard someintsing from there. Now my curiosity was piqued and I walked up to see what she was bringing to show me.


    "This is I don''t know, but I found him, and he is pretty friendly. He only stays around for as long as he wants, and then disappears. I don''t know what he is, but he tells me I''m boring and no fun!" na said as she set the little glowing blue tubby miniature man off the crate.


    As she let go, I and the Aqua Spirit looked at each other and grinned as I pped him off the top of the crate, out into the sea. Everyone was speechless as we watched the Spirit sail like a badminton shuttle, and go, poof!


    Instantly, the Aqua Sprite was back and jump as I stated it again. Having my memories back allowed me to remember other experiences and encounters with Aqua, not Water Spirits.


    They were yful spirits that mostly just wanted to y but also were good healers. Besides that, not much more than they could do besides getting in the way.


    "They like to y, and they can help you heal if you are hurt, but that one will probably stay on the ship. If you would like to gain a Spirit, I will help you," I said with a smile, hanging Lesha close who was only listening.


    "Really? You think we will find a cute pet for me?" na asked with excitement.


    "Yes, but they are not pets, and you should treat them just like you or me. Spirit is a Representation of this Game worlds magical power," I exined to her, but I had just said something weird.


    Why had I just called this a Game?


    [Because you''re slowly starting to push through the cracks, and the light of everything will soon be upon and there will be no more subterfuge. Until that day we are slowly learning more. Find the girls after you get off the ind, but you need to finish what you started with Dyster.]


    Lishtani was right about that, but the real question was: could I even face him now? Would I take my guild with me to fight him or would I do this alone?


    [You will have to fight him alone, but the rest of your people will not be lying around. For now, I need you to concentrate on getting stronger before you leave this ind. There is no way that even you and all your girls could face him right now, but they are not powerful enough to withstand being around him.]


    So then, what do I have to do to get myself to where I need to be? I don''t want to waste the time that I have been given here.


    [With the other three, you will learn how to use the Spirit magic yourself and then you will be able to summon other spirits Besides Bahumuat. That one is far too dangerous to let out in a crowded ce, so you will need something else. Training with the other is going to be your best right now to get stronger.]


    How long will I be staying here? I guess I didn''t need to get back right away, but still


    [That ispletely up to you. You may only need to stay one or two days, or you might feel like you need a week or month. How ever long you think it will take, do it and take the time. It will be more helpful to you, in the end, to stay as long as you need.]


    This was fair, and it might actually be nice to be forced to stay in one ce. I had been running around so muchtely that it was starting to run me ragged.


    I turned to Lesha, and she was smiling. What was she grinning about?


    [Sorry, I forgot to mention that the girls can hear me now if I choose for them. I let her know that you would be getting a bit of a vacation, but you understand what I said. Get stronger, train your people, I didn''t bring you to this ind just so it could be wasted!]


    What? You are the one that shipped me here? I thought the storm did this!


    [Hardly, and you wouldn''t stop running around so I needed to glue you in on spot for a bit so you can get something done for once!]

 Chapter 117: Marines

    Chapter 117: Marines


    well, getting stuck on a deserted ind was pretty dumb, Lishtani did have a point. Since I had left Healia it had just been one thing after another. This would be the chance that I would need to get everyone and myself into shape.


    "Baby? Did you shipwreck us here just so we could have a vacation?" Lesha asked in a cute and sultry tone.


    "Well, I didn''t do it on pur" I said as I turned, but was cut off by Lesha throwing herself at me.


    "Baby! We get to have a vacation!" Lesha said with the excitement of a schoolgirl as she kissed me.


    "Down woman! Yes, but I have to train you all while we are here. You heard Lishtani, we need to get stronger," I exined, but Lesha was ignoring me.


    "After you go talk to the rest of the girls, I want you to go for a walk, and explore the ind. Don''t even give me that, we have so much this to do," Lesha said in a deep voice, and that was not how I sounded!


    "Food''s ready! Oh! GUILDER LEADER KIADA! WE HAVE BLOOD FOR YOU, SIR!" The sailor shouted the instant he saw me, and Lesha turned to look at him, and I jumped her from behind.


    I wrapped my arms around her from behind and started to tickle her while holding her in ce as she iled and squealed in my arms. I finally stopped and thanked the sailor before turning with Lesha, and summoning a wooden hand to sit on.


    I scooped her up into my arms, and then sat down, allowing the wood to grow up and around us as I lifted us into the air. I extended the arm as fat as I could without having to stabilize it and that was still almost twenty meters past the bow of the ship.


    "What do you think of this?" I asked curiously as I looked down lovingly into her eyes.


    Even in the little poke and jibes, I found so many different little things I loved about her. It was true magic to be able to look into crystal blue eyes and know that I was really looking at my forever, not just my life, and my entire world.


    "I think that you are a very special person that would move heaven and earth to make me smile like you always have. I couldn''t be here without you, you saved me, every time, each life. It was always you," Lesha said stretching up to kiss me.


    I leaned down and pressed my soft lips into her, and they met like clouds pressing together. Lesha pulled me deeper into the kiss as we listened to the waves roll below us.


    Once we had kissed and rxed for a bit I pulled us back to the deck, but I was curious about what was going on with the sailor. He had acted like a Jarhead, stiff at attention and almost shouting back, I liked it.


    "Darling, what is with the sailor? I was sure I was going Hoo-Yah from him!" I looked as I set her down.


    "That was all Lishtani. I am not sure what she did, but I think it had something to do with the forceful way she crested them. Each one of them looked pretty dazed after it all happened, but they also started to act like marines right after. Strange, yesterday I thought that they had all gone mad, and now today, this is normal military attitudes," Lesha said with a dizzy look, and Ipletely understood where she wasing from.


    "Yes, it''s like stepping into a whole new world that you have already experienced and seen, but for the first time, but not. The feeling is like knowing where you are but being lost, only to realize that you never made it past your front door. It was almost like every part before this was part of a movie we just watched, but it doesn''t make the experiences any less," I said as we walked into the cabin.


    The other three girls must have gone in already, so we headed to the noise. Once that we opened the door and we stepped inside, I was blown away by the big hole in the wall.


    The busy room went quiet, and every man turned to me in the room.


    Each one of them put down whatever they were holding or doing. Everyone stomped one foot down, striking their right arms out to the side at ny degrees, remarkable for not hitting anything in the small room.


    The arms snapped back to attention to salute me, and Braum roared out loud.


    "Guild Leader on deck!" Braum said with a grin.


    It looked like he wasn''t like the other, and I was d for that, but what had Lishtani done to them? These were the same men from before, now they were all marines in ragged sailor clothing!


    [I gave you some role models for the girls and the rest of your members. This will also allow you to set up a working outpost while you are training here. I did something special to these men, not quite the same as how you got your memories back, but more like lent them some of the people you trained.]


    Thank you, they will be helpful.


    "At ease, but the salute isn''t really needed inside," I said with a grin as I walked over to Braum and the girls who had copied the rest.


    It was cute that they copied them, I was not looking to turn my girls into marines. They were allowed to be whatever they wanted and Mama K would always back them up.


    Funny how some things like names always popped up by chance before the memories of them.


    "Well with the size of the hole in the wall, we thought it would be good. So, I gotta know, just who are you?" Braum asked with a confused look.


    I looked around the room at the half grinning, and half hoping I wouldn''t notice their faces, and sighed.

 Chapter 118: Limitless Reach

    Chapter 118: Limitless Reach


    "In what lifetime? At what age? I was a queen, a general, a soldier, a wife, Lesha and I even had a child at one point, without a man. So, try and wrap your head around that," I said, and Braum''s confused look he had on his face made him look like he was trying to, but I snapped my fingers.


    "In the end, it doesn''t matter, only this life does. We are all here, so let''s do as we always do men. Dig in, we are going to be here for a bit because you all need to get in shape!" I shouted at them.


    I saluted them and then they all finally dropped theirs and turned back to their jobs. This was good, out of all the men that I had worked with, the Marines that I had trained were a clean-cut group and most organized.


    I felt invigorated. This was almost like an EpiPen in the leg, just a heart-pumping burst of energy, shock, and excitement to go. For the first time in my life, I actually felt like I knew what I was doing, and the knowledge that I carried.


    Whoever I was, I was something more than just a god, I had seen gods before, but I had only faced one or two, but this was one I remembered. Giyadel, that lecherous beast!


    "Baby, calm down. You''re scaring everyone," Lesha told me, taking me by the arm and kissing my cheek.


    The room and every person in it and the water and sand, all faded from the pure blood red violence that my eyes had just bathed it all in. Lesha''s kiss broke the spell of that anger and let me put it back inside, but I was gripping it tight now.


    Stairs started to grow, and snake down to the beach.


    "Everyone please exit the ship and then move back a good distance," I ordered, and everyone but the girls did as Imanded, but I shooed them off as well, leaving only Lesha.


    "Are you okay?" She asked me after everyone left.


    "Yes, I just remember how much I hate Giyadel, but I also fought him alone before, and he is despicable. What he is doing now is what he did then with the women! Please, let me get some of this anger out, and make us a ce to stay while we are here, but make sure that you get everyone back because I might need to go into a trance to do this, and I don''t want people to get hurt, okay," I asked, but Lesha, upon hearing that I was going to build something, changed her tune on the spot.


    "Oh! Great baby, I just wanted to make sure that you were alright because I love you and I think that you are an amazing person that can be a little hard on herself! Don''t worry, that''s why I am always here to tell you that I love you and that you are doing great!" Lesha said as she came to kiss me.


    I caught her in my arms and pulled her into my lips and we kissed. I had thought that this would dull my anger, but it didn''t ignite it. Instead, it changed the rage into a burning passion that made all the mes burn brighter.


    Love and anger were just different shades of passion, but now it was time to do what I have set out to do. After our kiss ended and we pulled apart, Lesha left me and headed down to join the others, looking beautiful as ever.


    After she left, I sat down on the wood floor where I stood. I closed my eyes, and I sat with the magic.


    [This will take more than you are used to, but I will have to unlock this for you this time. The next time you use this power it will be by your own doing.]


    What is this power that you speak of? Is it part of the other powers?


    [No, this is a power that overrides the current world''s systems and removes the rules and limitations, mostly. You will still have limits or using too much power will burn you to ash if you can''t handle it.]


    I understood what Lishtana was saying, and I mentally felt each me, the power, the limits, and just how far I could push them. Then, I sank to the floor and became one with the ship.


    [Limitless Reach] Activated!


    I was not actually the ship, but instead, I had a bird''s eye view of the whole ship and beach and twenty meters up. There was no time to waste, I could already feel the strain.


    A massive wave came at the shore and swallowed everyone on the beach, but no water touched them. Instead, it created a water dome around there three meters thick to protect them, and everyone rushed to the water walls to watch.


    First, I used the explosion magic without Firburg and blew a ten-meter wide by twenty-meter deep trench that stretched all the way to the beach to the jungle. After that, I sted a massive section of the tree to put the new hall and boathouse up.


    Now It was time to let the magic and my pure will take over. I knew exactly what I wanted and I started to regrow the forest in the shape of our guild hall, turned sideways and we had a massive boathouse, sh shipyard, and I stretched to the beach and created a massive dock system off to the side to park new ships.


    I would have loved to be able to create boats, but those weren''t important right now and they could be done by the men. I was at the end of my power, and I think I was able to almostplete the Guild Hall.


    The only thing that was missed was the God it needed to bless it and the Waystone, and then I could talk to Healia. This was all fine and dandy, but where did you find a god on a deserted ind.


    That was the problem I thought just before I passed into the darkness. There were only nine Gods and they were all in cities already, but maybe there was another way?


    [When you walk up we will speak of the ind shrine and the other reasons that I brought you to this ce. You did wonderfully and I approve of it as our new home.]

 Chapter 119: Soul Crusher

    Chapter 119: Soul Crusher


    I awoke in my giant bed, and for a moment, I thought that I was back in Healia.


    "Good morning, baby," Leasha said as she cuddled into me. "The Home you made us is amazing! It''s like you took the Guild from back home and just dropped it down here!"


    That was right, I had just finished building this ce, and then I passed out, but how long was I out for? I sat up, and Lesha came up with me, and I kissed her as we got out of bed.


    "How long was I out for?" I asked as I stretched out.


    My body didn''t feel overly stiff, so it couldn''t have been that long. I turned to Lesha, and she was smiling at me.


    "Only since yesterday, the girls helped carry you up, and everyone else has been out collecting food and supplies, but they also have discovered things while looking around the ind," Lesha exined as I walked over to my dresser.


    I expected it to be empty and only opened just to see if there was anything inside it. So, I was surprised to find that it was filled with clothes.


    "Oh yeah," Lesha said as she walked over to my side. "All the drawers are filled with clothes and everything. Whatever you did created clothing for everyone and utensils and tools, but a lot of things don''t work, and some doors won''t even open."


    "Yes, that is because we have no god as a patron yet. There must be something on this ind, though, or Lishtani would not have brought us here, and she told me that I would need to find one," I exined as I pulled on shorts, wrapped my chest, and then put on a white halter top.


    Lesha and I headed out of the room after getting dressed, but none of the other girls were in the next room.


    When we got to the long single flight of stairs, I noticed a spiral set heading up. That would be to the Waystone, but without a god to activate it, the stone was nothing more than that, a stone.


    The hall was empty as we walked down, but I noticed some things right away.


    First was the Resurrection Tree and then the Mana Te, but a massive Lions head was mounted on the far left wall. I walked over to therge stone face, and Lishtani spoke up in my mind.


    [I made some adjustments and additions while you slept now that you have a Guildhall. I really wish I could have spoken up before and forced Drania to make you Listen to Healia, but we can''t dwell on the past. This is the Soul Crusher, I know, great name, but it is meant to release the essence of the Soul Gems that you have been collecting.]


    You mean the crystals that we have been buying from our members? Are you trying to tell me that I have a massive Pile of those gems in my vault? How are we not bankrupt?


    "Baby?" Lesha asked from beside me.


    "Sorry, Lishtani was telling me about the Soul Crusher thing," I said, taking her hand and kissing her cheek.


    She always looked so beautiful, and today was no exception. I put my hand on her cheek and turned her head to mine, and she gave me a warm smile before kissing me.


    The simple kiss became more, and soon I was pulling her closer while running my hand through her beautiful soft blonde hair. It was easy to get lost with her like this, and I wished there was nothing else in the world that needed my attention, but that was never the case.


    "Get a room!" I heard Candi call from behind us, but I didn''t let go right away; the kiss was now, and they were after.


    "Ooo, K, you seem all bright-eyed and bushy tailed! Just how long have you two been awake for? Only justing down now?" Mei teased, and that made us break apart so I could scowl at her.


    She was hanging off Gloria, but Candi was by herself.


    "Where are Trinity and na? I asked.


    "Chasing ghosts on the beach," Candi said while rolling her eyes.


    Ghosts? She must mean spirits, but could Trinity see them as well?


    "What do you mean?" I asked, not sure how else to phrase the question.


    "I let na ride Trinity, and the two of them are chasing those annoying water pests and sandmen. They are just a bunch of children!" Candi said with a huff, but I could see that she was just putting on a show; she always did this.


    "Then you should be out there making sure that they don''t get into trouble. I wille out soon, but you need to go watch the girls until then," I told Candi, and her attitude changed.


    "You right! I should go out there and make sure that they aren''t getting into trouble!" Candi said as she turned and stocked out of the Guild.


    "That''s right, you go, girl! Make sure they are staying in line!" I hollered after her.


    "OH, I WLL!" Candi yelled after she was already out the door.


    "Very nice! You just yed her like a fiddle, but that''s kind of scary," Gloria said with a knowing grin, and I returned it but a bit more feral.


    "Yes, G, I remember all your little quirks and tendencies. My mind isn''t quite at one-hundred percent, but I have enough. Let''s just say that Mama K is back," I said as I grinned evilly at Gloria and Mei, but both of them just smiled at me knowingly.


    "Yes, Mama K, but we also have ours back as well, so we know things now too!" Mei said while hiding behind Gloria.


    We allughed, but then we were interrupted by a familiar call from the kitchen.


    "Hey ya worthless swabs! Foods up!" Called the voice of Captain James Nobby from the Kitchen.

 Chapter 120: Trusting Secrets

    Chapter 120: Trusting Secrets


    I turned to look at Lesha, but she just smiled and grinned at me.


    "He said that the military life wasn''t for him and that he just wanted to retire in the kitchen, and we needed a cook. He is just a bit rough around the edges, but he makes good food," Lesha said while dragging me over to the table.


    Gloria and Mei went to the kitchen and brought back some eggs and fruits.


    As I watched them set it all down, I wondered where they could have gotten eggs and what kind they were? Still, I was starving, but I noticed that my hands were a bit cold, I would have to go out and find something to kill after this, or so I thought.


    "Guild Leader! You''re awake! Good, I got what you probably need right now!" I heard the loud booming voice of Brauming down the stairs.


    I looked up, and I saw that He wasing down holding a jar, and I immediately started to stand up out of my chair and go to meet him. I only had to take five steps, and because the top was open, I could pull it to me.


    The blood rushed from the jar and sshed into my chest, not leaving a mark or wasting a single drop of blood.


    "Thank you, I had just noticed that my hands were getting cold. Now I can enjoy my meal without the other hunger crawling up my back," I told Braum as he walked down.


    "Ha, don''t thank me, thank the boys when theye down! They are the ones that sat inline with the sharpened reeds sticking out of their arms. They sound being down any second now with Gunnery Sergeant Highway," Braum said while smiling and turning to the sound of synchronized marching.


    A stream of men and red and ck military camo uniforms thundered down in pairs with one man leading them. When they got to the bottom, the men continued on and out the door, each giving me a respectful nod or "good morning Guild Leader" as they passed.


    "Now that is strange looking. Where are those men going to be hiding? In puddled of half cooledva?" I asked with a smile, but Braum just grinned back, and then I notice a pile of sand sitting on his shoulder, and I reach to brush it off but stopped.


    The pile of sand rose up into the shape of a man and then waved at me. It was so damn cute, and I wanted it.


    "Hehe, I see you have met my little friend, Mr. Totaso! Cute little bugger and he is pretty tough, for a cookie man," Braum jested.


    Mr. Totaso went through a range of emotions as Braum talked, and the two looked thick as thieves already. This must be a sand spirit, and it looked like it had already bonded with him.


    [As I said before, the Soul Crusher breaks the Soul Gems apart to release the energy. Then the energy inside is used to feed the spirits that are bonded to you. In the other case, they will only have one, but you will have more like Firburg, but they will have to fuse with your mes like the others have. Typically, your people have been using Soul Gems to create special imbued weapons and armor, but they take over one hundred stones to make a single sharpening enchantment.]


    Listen, woman, a lot is going on, and I can''t just always ignore everyone just to talk to you! Still, thank you for pointing that out.


    I have heard about this before. My father had told me of a man that made swords that never dulled and armor that would not wear down. Still, even armor like that had its limits, and if it took that many stones just for a sword, then I guess there would not be a pile of them just sitting around.


    [Finish eating and head to the center of the ind, I will guild you. There is a temple there, and it will finally get the ball moving, but you need to get there first.]


    I went over and kissed Lesha as I sat down and then pointed to my head. She smiled at me, and the other two continued to eat in silence, giving me peace.


    What is so important about this temple? Is there a sleeping god there, or something like that?


    [Something like that, but I would ask that you let me keep this one secret. I know that Drania has sent you for a loop with tricks, but I promise you that this surprise will be worth the wait if you allow it.]


    I ate my food and thought about it. True, Drania had lied, but Lishtani said it wasn''t her fault, and I did believe her.


    More than once, I have given herplete control of my body, and she has not done anything but try to help me. I think that it would be fair to let her have one secret if it was not going to affect me negatively in any way.


    [Thank you, my dear. Once you are done eating, there will be a path straight ahead when you walk out the door. Follow the path, and when you reach the temple, I will guide you to the shrine inside of it.]


    This was exciting; I loved to explore new ces. I hoped that if we found a god at the temple, there might be a way to summon a Dungeon Core or something.


    Once we had a dungeon, we could stay for a while, which I needed to do.


    I was strong and getting stronger every day, but the rest of the people around me were not getting the chance to, which was dangerous. If I got too strong and tried to challenge a god, and my people weren''t ready, it wouldn''t matter if I win my fight with the god.


    In the end, I could lose my friends and family in the process, and that wasn''t something that I was okay with. That just meant that I would have to train and help these people grow; I was their leader, after all.

 Chapter 121: Snowball

    Chapter 121: Snowball


    Lesha and the girls followed me outside, and Corbit and Victor were standing around, not looking busy. Corbit smiled when he saw use out, and the two of them walked over to join us.


    "What are you two doing?" I asked as they walked over.


    "Waiting for you toe, no one is allowed to go in without you, but they have been helping bring eggs and fruit for us," Corbit exined as he motioned towards the jungle.


    "What are you talking about," I asked as I looked over, but then I watched as the jungle started toe alive.


    Spirits of all shapes and forms started to appear, but most of them were just colored ethereal balls of light that floated up from the ground. Some took the forms of tiny people, but they all seemed to want the same thing as they waved and motioned for me to enter.


    "They got made before if we tried to enter, but they kept sending us shes of your face into our minds. It was like they have been waiting for you or something," Victor said, not looking at me but at the dancing sprites.


    "They are cute, but is it safe for all of us toe with you, Lesha asked whiletching onto my arm.


    I turned to kiss the top of her head, and then I turned on the gathered crowd.


    "Git! Go to the temple, I aming with my friends, and you will let them pass with me, right?" I asked while ring at them.


    They all cheered in response and then disappeared like they were never thereall but one, a small ball that I mistook for a formless sprite.


    I went over and picked it up in cupped hands. When I brought it up to my face, the sprite uncurled into a tiny blue-white kitten.


    It had not attached to me yet, so I turned to Lesha. I pulled back and handed her the kitten into her waiting hair.


    "Baby! What do I do with it?" Lesha asked in a mix of fright and excitement and huge eyes.


    "Just hold still so I can give it a home," I said to the over-excited Lesha, and then I ce my hand on her chest.


    I twisted the mes, and I reached into Lesha like I did with the others to take their magic, but this time I used the power to stretch her magical reserve. Everyone had the ability to use magic; they were born with it.


    Only those with natural talent would have got magic from the first wave, but everyone would have been given a bit. Now, I could use this power to create partners for everyone; all of this was part of the great mountain of knowledge I just received while I was passed out.


    "His name is Snowball! Oh my god, baby, this is adorable! Thank you so much! Such a cute little kitty!" Lesha said with excitement as she cuddled the kitten.


    "I thought that you might like him. As for the rest of you, I will be helping you get your own Spirit partner. They can not fight alone, but they will help you fight and act as helpers for other things. Onest thing, if you can help it, wait until you are with me to form the bond," I told the group, and they all nodded, but Gloria.


    "Any reason why?" She asked me with a raised eyebrow.


    "Because some of them are little shits, and little shits grow into big shits, the cycle of shits," I said with a straight face.


    All of my info came from two different lives we had lived and had Pets or Spirit Guardians. This was different, but the same principles seem to apply, and there would always be a trickster or rotten eggs.


    "Enough said, I can see what you mean from some of the ones we have seen," Gloria said as we entered the palm tree jungle.


    The path was open, but the rest of the sides of the path were covered in a veil. It was almost like the rest of the jungle was surrounded by a weird shield.


    That made it hard to focus on anything past the path. I was partially tempted to go try and walk over there, but I also had a feeling that said that was a terrible idea.


    [It is; the ind is still sleeping. If you go in there now, you might not ever get out alive. This ce is not safe yet, but soon it will be. Then you will see something that you have yet to see in all your lifetimes.]


    That did pique my curiosity, and I started to pull Lesha along as we walked. Snowball kept walking back and forth across Lesha''s shoulder, and then she would try not tough when it would brush her neck.


    Finally, after almost an hour of walking, we came to a clearing. There was arge hole in the ground in the center. There was a set of stairs that led down below, and I walked up to it, but Lishtani stopped me.


    [Wait, you can not take them with you for this. You have to do this part just with us.]


    I turned to Lesha and kissed her with a smile and then looked out at everyone else.


    "I am going down here to do something. I think something about activating the ind, but I don''t know. Please just wait for me, and I will be back," I said to everyone.


    "Are you sure? Can''t Ie with you?" Lesha asked as I turned back to her.


    "Not this time, my love. Wait for me with Snowball, I shouldn''t be too long," I said, leaning in for a quick kiss, but Lesha wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a deep kiss, but then she let me go.


    "You always go off and do crazy things and sleep for a day, but if you are down there, we can''t carry you to a bed!" Lesha scolded me, and I smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss.


    "I will try to stop falling asleep on the job; I will be back," I said as I started down the stairs.

 Chapter 122: Our Daughter

    Chapter 122: Our Daughter


    [What do you think the surprise is?]


    "What?" I asked out loud as I descended the carved rough and aged stone steps.


    This ce was old, or it was made to look that way; it was hard to tell. The way that everything looked damaged and worn ideally to still look good gave me dungeon vibes.


    I had to trust I wasn''t being led into a trap, and that was all there was to it. I hade into the belly of the beast.


    ''That is a good way to put it, but not quite its stomach, more like its upper shell section,'' Drania added as I reached the bottom of the stairs.


    It was another tunnel, but there were two tombs with stone figures lying on them. There were torches on the walls, but they gave off no smoke or heat when I came close to one.


    "What is this ce? And who is inside of those?" I asked as I slowly approached the white stone rectangr tombs.


    [They are us, and now, with your permission, we would like to join you in this world as you patron gods]


    "You''re kidding me, right? This is what you brought me here for? What the hell are you waiting for? Get out!" I shouted out loud, and then two parts of me tore free and shot into the tombs.


    The lid of the right tomb was blown off the right and into a wall as a ck-haired woman with burning red eyes and a scarlet red dress sat up looking pissed. She stood up, flung the top of the other tomb into the red way, and bent down into it.


    This entire time I was frozen and too stunned to form words. I didn''t think it would be that easy; hell, I didn''t have time to think of anything!


    Suddenly, I could smell a sugar maple smell mixed with a sweet cherry pie, and it wasing from the two women. I wanted to rush over and take them both simultaneously, but I held back and waited.


    My mind could hardlyprehend what was going on as I tried to put all the pieces together. I knew all the things were scattered thoughts, and I wasn''t sure how they all fit together.


    "Is this enough of a surprise for you?" Lishtani asked as she set the red-haired Drania down.


    "What?" Was all I could get out.


    "Look, we broke her, see I told you we should have told her! I sound like an old woman in her mind, and now she can see I was just some cute little redhead that smells like maple syrup!" Drania said with a cute voice to match her body and cute smile.


    I was too stunned to speak at this point as I watched what looked like an older version of myself and a younger version of Lesha kissed. What? So


    "Okay, hold on, wait just a frigging minute here. You are the gods, right? That means the guild will work now? What about dungeons and training?" I asked, finally able to formte words into sentences.


    "Yes, but firste and get this over with. I am sure the smell is driving you," Lishtani told me, but then cut off as I sank my teeth into her.


    Red hot cherry rushed into my mouth like molten nectar that charged my entire body with fire. This was different than the others, and I felt my body charge.


    I let go and moved in a blink, making Drania squeak like a little mouse as I sunk my teeth into her soft and sweet maple skin. The blood rushed like a pressed tap, spraying into my mouth and making my legs weak from the pleasurable taste.


    Once it was over and I stepped back, both women rubbed their necks, but then they both dropped their hands in unison.


    "Now, time for the real surprise. You wanted to know about dungeons? Wee to Godhra Ind, You new training grounds and pet," Lishtani said as she waved her hands around the empty room, save for a few broken and empty coffins.


    "A Pet?" I asked in confusion.


    "Stop being so mysterious, you twit! Godra is a Dragon Turtle Ind that can transport us to one of three dungeons. Volcano Ind dungeon, Sky Prison, and the Lost Empire Dungeons. With the Turtle, we can travel to them, but it will still take time between them, and we also can''t start without our daughter," Drania said without batting an eye.


    "Oh ho ho! And you call me bad for dropping bombs! Should we just tell her who thest one is? I bet we came to make her jaw fall right off with this one!" Lishtani said with an evil girl, but I just sat down in the middle of the room and closed my eyes.


    Daughter? Dragon turtle? Three dungeons? Did I pass out at some point and miss an entire chapter in my life?


    I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I lifted my head and opened my eyes to both womening in to give me a hug. We were all getting dirty, but it didn''t matter; I just blocked it all out and enjoyed holding these two girls that I had held in my mind for so long.


    We finally pulled apart, and I took a deep breath, then looked between the two of them.


    "This is good, and If you know where thest one is, your daughter, can we go get her?" I asked, not bothering to ask who she was; I would be told soon enough; these two looked bursting at the seams to tell me.


    "Yes, when we get back to the guild, we will activate the Waystone and go get her," Listani said with a smile that actually looked excited.


    "Who is your daughter, and how do you women have a child?" I asked finally.


    I figured if I didn''t, we would be ying cat and mouse all day, and Drania smiled at my question. That look she gave me told me that I already knew the person, and this build-up was getting to be a little silly now.


    Just as I was about to raise hell, Drania spoke up. When she did, my jaw almost did drop off at the name she said.


    "Our adoptive daughter is Healia," Drania said with a cute smile that I could have smacked off her face.

 Chapter 123: Getting My Head Around Everything

    Chapter 123: Getting My Head Around Everything


    "Shut your face hole; she is not!" I said in outrage, but I knew It had to be urate, and It did weirdly make sense, but still.


    "Would you like me to tell you that she isn''t, and then we will just ignore this? Then we can all go have some tea; goddammit, it''s been a while since I''ve had some ale!" Lishtani said withughter.


    "I know this is a lot, and this witch isn''t helping, but let''s go see the girls. I want to see and hug Lesha," Drania said, getting up and walking up the stairs, leaving Lishtani with me.


    "Bit of a twist, right? Look, this is all a lot right now, but when we get Healia, you will remember everything, but you will have to wake up the dragon turtle first. Healia is thest piece, and with us, you now have Neutrophil and sma Services, and soon you will have ess to all eight and know how to use them properly," Lishtani exined.


    "Then let''s get going; every second I go without knowing it is starting to slowly eat me up inside. It has been a long road to get here, and now with all these other things," I said, but Lishtani leaned in and gave me a hug.


    I didn''t hug her back at first. I wasn''t sure what to do, but then I got shes of times where I had felt lost before. Lishtani, Drania, and all the rest of the girls all yed their parts in helping me stay on track with things; now it was my turn to catch everyone up to my speed.


    I hugged Lishtani back but then broke apart and stood up, giving her a hand up. I was curious as to just how strong she was.


    "Not as strong as you, but I could give you a run for your money if you want to sparter, I know the brute will want a go, but she isn''t you," Lishtina said with a feral grin, and I was about to ask the obvious, but she waves me off. You and I are still connected, and I can send my thoughts to you. You just need to learn a bit more control."


    The two of us headed back up the stairs for the long climb, and we walked the entire way in silence, which was nice as well. I need some time in my head alone right now with all the new info that I had just got.


    Three more new dungeons, but why three? Couldn''t we just get the same random stuff from using the same core?


    "It is more about the other things that we will find in them, like materials, spirit, special items, and most importantly, Artifacts. By this time, everyone''s Guild will have a leader that includes the other three Guilds of Healia. While we are away, I will take care of the other two guilds remotely using the Waystone to do upgrades and Guild hires," Lishtani exined to me.


    "You can and will do that for me?" I asked, a bit startled.


    "Yes, you have too many things on your te already. Drania will be in charge of Spirit training, and you will be in charge of clearing dungeons and getting your people to stronger levels. We will be bringing everyone to the ind, and the other two Guilds will stay empty for now," Lishtani told me.


    "Are we just leaving the rest of the world to its fate then?" I asked incredulously; we were getting close to the exit now.


    "Or what? We go and start fighting gods and dying? Just listen for now until we get Healia. When you have your memories back, you will understand. Your mind is still thinking of the small picture and of a few people. Once you have your memories back, everything will be clear, and we will be back to drinking in no time!" Lishtani said jubntly as she pped me on the shoulder.


    I really wanted to believe that getting my memories back was going to be the answer to everything, but I couldn''t just forget about Dyster or Giyadel. I hadn''t even got the chance to deal with his supporters yet.


    "That was a trap, set, but the two idiot gods are trying to trick you. That would have ended up as a massacre, and it would have given both of them a reason toe down on Healia. Now, we are going to disappear for a while, and when wee back, they will all have gotten stronger, but so will have we," She told me, and we finally walked up to the surface where everyone was standing in a circle talking.


    Lesha was the first to notice us, and she ran over, and I started to open my arms, but the little blonde-haired witch went to Lishtani first. I tried not to be annoyed, and Lesha turned and graded me right away, pushing all my annoyances.


    "I missed you," I said as I buried my face into the side of her neck.


    "Baby? What''s wrong?" Lesha asked me as we held each other.


    "Oh, you know, another one of those days where there just seems like there is more going on than I could ever keep track of," I said with a sigh.


    "You know that you are trying to do too much alone, right? We are all here for you, and we all can help you; you aren''t doing this alone, baby," Lesha told me softly, and I held her tighter.


    I wanted to know it all, I wanted all my memories back, I wanted to know everyst second that I had spent with Lesha from now and until the beginning of time.


    "Let''s go and get the final piece of the puzzle and collect all of our people," I said with a smile as I pulled back from her.


    "How are we going to fit everyone?" Lesha asked as I took her hand and faced the others.


    "We might have to make room," I said with a smile.

 Chapter 124: Beyond Angry

    Chapter 124: Beyond Angry


    Our group walked back to the beach, and I assumed that the path would be different somehow, but it was all the same thing. When I tried to look around, the same thing as before happened, and I couldn''t focus on anything.


    "Don''t bother trying to look, the ind is still asleep, and it doesn''t like to be disturbed while napping," Lishtani told me as the two of us walked, holding our partner''s hands.


    We were almost back to the beach and hall now, and we had a long line of spirits that were following us. Well, they were following Drania in a long line, and I looked over at her, peering into her to look at her me, but I was almost blinded by the countless little mes.


    "Don''t look too hard, my dear, or you might go blind," Dranina said with a small smile.


    "How do you have so many mes? I thought that I wanted the only one that could do that?" I asked, looking at Lishtani.


    "What you do and what is happening to her are twopletely different things. Drania is like a halfway house for spirits, and they developed faster inside of her, but she can''t control them individually like you can," Lishtani exined as we walked up to the Guild Hall.


    "I can also help stretch the space for partners in each person like you can, and then I can imnt one of the spirits. That way, it will be one that I am familiar with, and there will be no idental bindings with pestering or bad spirits," Drania exined, and Victor and Corbit help the doors open for all of us.


    Once inside, na and Trinity got up and rushed over to hug Lesha and me, but they stopped as a chair flew backward and shattered into a wall.


    "AUNTY L?!" Candi screamed, and she moved almost as fast as me to throw herself into Lishtani''s arms.


    "Yes, my little bloodsucker, Aunty L is home now; you and I have a lot of catching up to do, butter, okay? Right now, D and I need to go with K up to the Waystone and get your cousin, and then we can have a good sit down," Lishtani said while looking over to me with a genuine smile.


    Candi was her real niece, another memory that sprang into my mind as I watched them. I wasn''t sure what the real part meant, but that would probably be revealed after getting Healia.


    The other two girls that had paused now started to move again, and I scooped up na and gave her a hug. Trinity went to Lesha, but then the two switched, and I got the sweet and creamy smell of Ice cream that was starting to make me hungry, but for actual food and not blood.


    "Can we get going up top? I want to get this over with, so we can move forward. I feel like thest person to know anything right now, and it doesn''t help that I keep getting these, oh yeah''s every time a new bit of information pops up," I said with a tired expression, and Lishtani nodded.


    "Come, my soulless lover, let''s go get our little girl," Lishtani said with a big grin.


    "I am filled with souls! Red hair doesn''t make you soulless! You are the soulless one, she-devil!" Drania tried to retort, but Lishtani started to tickle her.


    "Did you know," I said to Lesha, leaning over but talking loud enough for everyone to hear. "These two sounded like a pair of old and dying women, but now they act like children."


    That made Lishtani stop tickling Drania, and she rounded on me. I knew that look by memory and the scowl that followed.


    "Who are you calling old, grandma?" Lishtani shot at me.


    "Grandma? You the ancient vampire, right?" I said, grinning at her.


    "Let''s go; you are getting those memories back right now! I am a spring chickenpared to you, dinosaur!" Lishtani said, dragging me up the stairs with Drania.


    I dragged Lesha with me, but we left everyone else down below. I was starting to get excited now.


    Healia was a pain and a pervert; she had been there for me. Helping me since all of this started, even before I got my System.


    The other thing that had me going was Lishtani''sment about her being just a babepared to myself in age. What did that even mean?


    Just how old was I?


    We had reached the spiral stairs, and Lishtani let go of my hand, then turned to me with a worried look.


    "There is something wrong in Healia, hurry!" Lishtani said, turning and bolting up the stairs, three at a time.


    The three of us rushed up after Lishtani, and when we got up to the top, the massive white stone was already glowing, and the image of Healia appeared, but something was definitely wrong.


    "Mothers? I need help; Giyadel is attacking the city!" Healia exined in a rush.


    "What? How or why?" I asked, confused.


    "No time to exin, you need toe now; your father and mother are in danger! They had gone to go see Gastbo just before all hell broke loose!" Healia said in a panic, and my veins turned to ice, and I turned to Lesha.


    "Round everyone up, and get them ready," I started to tell her, but Lishtani stopped me.


    "That won''t work. Even though we control both sides of the stone, only a guild leader can pass both ways. Anyone but you will be forced to stay behind for a week before they could use it again, but that will be impossible without Healia there," Lishtani exined with worry coating her expression.


    "Baby, are you going to go alone?" Lesha asked, but she had no confidence in her voice, and she knew that I had to do this.


    "I can''t leave my parents, or even Gastbo after everything that he did for us on the trip," I said to her, leaning in and giving her a kiss.


    "Pleasee back to us," Lesha said as I hugged her and then turned to the image of Healia.


    "I am ready," I said as molten fury burned into my veins.


    I was beyond angry.

 Chapter 125: Blood Shakes

    Chapter 125: Blood Shakes


    Rage.


    That was all that went through my mind as I was spat out. Inded in the room I had seen Healia in before, and she was waiting for me. I had never seen someone arrive from a Waystone, only people leaving, and it was not a pleasant experience.


    It was like having your entire body squished down to the size of a pinhead, then let go of like a spring. When I stumbled out, Healia was there to catch me, but I was able to get my head straight fast, and I grabbed her by the cheeks.


    "Oh, K, I know you have always had a thing for me, but now isn''t the." Healia tried to say, but the feeling of my teeth sinking into her neck cut her off, and pure sugar filled my mouth.


    Cotton candy was the vor, but I had no idea what cotton was, but then something happened as I pulled away.


    [Blood System] Completed!


    [Blood Queen System] Released!


    [Blood Queen] Activated!


    Power like an old friend ran through my body, and I watched my skin fade to ck, but then I started to feel dizzy. I stumbled, but then Healia caught me and helped me to the ground, I didn''t have time for this, but something was changing.


    "The circle isplete, and you now have the final service. Now, you are changing to your favorite form, but turning into a vampire is hard on the body. You will have to die first, but you won''t be the same person when youe back. I need you to burn all the stored blood, every drop of it," Healia told me as she stroked my hair.


    "But I need to save the others; I don''t have time for this!" I said as I tried to resist the ckness.


    "Where you are going, time doesn''t matter. You will only be gone from here briefly, and then you will be able to get them. I don''t think you can face Giyadel without your memories; we gods are strong, but the it won''t allow me to fight him, and my power is now sealed into you like mothers are, now go!" Healia told me with urgency.


    I burned every drop, but it was different now, like it was burning all the blood parts as a whole. Then the weight crushed me, and I fell through my body and into darkness.


    ---------------------


    [Gameworld 12: The Final Gameworld]


    I opened my eyes, and I was in a cave-like room, and there was a hair-looking man that I felt like I knew. He noticed me and got a big stupid-looking grin on his face, and I also notice red and ck tattoos like vines that covered his arms and neck.


    "You don''t know who I am, do you?" The man asked in a rough voice.


    "No, but I should, shouldn''t I?" I asked him.


    "Ya, but the Zodiac World has your brain all fuckered. Now, don''t ducking kill me, but I need to kiss you," The man said with that same stupid grin.


    "No."


    "Don''t be like that! I don''t want to kiss you either yeah, damn lesbo, but this is going to happen, we have to finish the fucking game, so I can get to my girls. Now, bitch get over here!" The man said, still smiling.


    "You aren''t very good at this, are you? And what did you just call me? A Lesbo?" I tried to ask, but the man rushed and kissed me, and I drove my knee into his groin.


    "OwO! Not the boys! My only weakness!" Hyde said as he grabbed himself.


    "Shut up. Have you been back yet?" I asked as I finally stepped back into my actual mind.


    "Yes, woman. Don''t get all saucy with me! How are the girls?" Hyde asked as he straightened back out.


    "They are good, I have them all, and I drained all my blood to force me toe here," I told him.


    "What? You didn''t have to activate it on your own? What the fuck? I had to build a fucking city. Why did Dave give you the easy way?" Hyde asked in disbelief.


    "I have tits, and I made rules before we came in. unlike you to yahoos, I asked him to modify some things," I said.


    "Oh, like the blood shakes, and having tits is an easy win with my brother even if he doesn''t get to touch them, hehe. Okay, wench, ready to get shit head? He just left, so we might be able to catch him before he gets to the casino," Hyde said as he walked funnily to the door.


    "He just couldn''t let thest of our earnings go to waste; why didn''t you just put him under a rock?" I asked, rolling my eyes.


    Hyde was brother to Dave, and he was the one who created this hell hole gone wrong. But I was still missing something, but maybe seeing Bhan might loosen things up.


    This was my second run through the world. Now we had almost made it to the Zodiac worlds, or that was the ce in time that I was. I had already made it to Pisces, and there were people I care about in trouble, but at the moment, that didn''t exist.


    "You know what he is like; the man is a savage about anything that he likes. Look, there is a whole bunch of monster ants outside, and they are just waiting for us toe out and fuck their shit up!" Hyde said with a fist pump, and I rolled my eyes, but I did follow him out of the cave and into a tunnel.


    This would be good, I had my memories all back now, but It had still been ages since I had adequately burned blood. This would be a chance to stretch my legs and warm up before I fought Giyadel.


    Hyde led me down the tunnel until we came out to a small ledge to a hundred-meter drop, and I turned to Hyde, and he smiled and me with his stupid boyish grin.


    "Ready to fuck some shit up?"

 Chapter 126: Never Be Ready

    Chapter 126: Never Be Ready


    I smiled at him and then disappeared into a blood mist. I could hear him curse as I moved at lightning speeds, but the big dumb olf caught up to me.


    Hyde ran down the cliff face with not a care in the world, like a giant child, but it was good to see him again. It had actually worked this time, and I had made it back into the world.


    I was lucky to find them all, but poor Mei, I would need to talk to her and apologize. That Spike Jack was nted by Jhin, the Game Master, right after he booted me back to the start of the game world.


    I was stuck in a game called Reborn, and we were all trying to finish the game. We had friends and family here, and Hyde''s brother


    [SYSTEM WIDE WARNING]


    [ALL TWELVE GAME WORLD ARE RESTING]


    [ALL PLAYERS IN THE GAME WORLDS OR IN SIMULATION OF THEM WITH BE EJECTED DURING THIS PROCESS]


    [RETURNING YOU TO ZODIAC WORLD, PISCES]


    Suddenly, I was in total ck, but I was no longer in my blood mist form. I was losing back to Pisces, but then the nothingness stopped.


    "AH, HA! What snag! All the luck in this god-forsaken game, praise be to Aegis all might you dickhead!" Said the familiar voice of the nk, Dave''s pet A.I.


    I was in a white room, and there was the god of many names standing with a big smile and open arms. I walked over and gave him a hug.


    "I am not a pet, but I have missed you, girl! Time to get all of it back. I am sorry to have you relive this memory, but it is crucial that you get everything back, but this isn''t from the game," nk exined to me as I pulled away from him.


    "You mean, the time before I entered the game?" I asked, not like the look in his eyes.


    "You are about to experience the worst moment in every person involved in this game. It was also one of the most painful things you have ever experienced," nk said with a heavy sigh.


    I was starting to shake like my body knew what I was about to see, and it was terrified. I sucked in a deep breath and looked nk directly in the eyes with as much courage as I could muster.


    "I am ready," I said, still trembling.


    "No, you''re not, but you will never be ready to relieve this memory, child. Now I will look into your Real Eyes"


    But that was all I heard, and I was gone again.


    *THUMP, THUMP*


    [Real world, 2 years until theunch of Reborn]


    I was going for my morning jog, and the sun was justing up behind me. The frost was being cooked off the ground, but I could tell that the day wouldn''t stay nice like this forever.


    The first rays finally peeked over as I ran up a path from the river. There were a few tarps and tents in the bushes, but that was normal.


    I saw those same tents of homeless people, and it made me feel bad for them, but I was just one person, and I was already taking care of my one person. I ran up to the street level and headed north up the bridge.


    I loved to run near the water in downtown Calgary, and I only had to cross one bridge to get here. It was still early, but I ran back; Lesha would be waiting.


    Today was her big day to get her legs back after five years. When we were just kids, an ident robbed her of them.


    I was the first to get my license, but we were hit by a drunk driver the first night we went out together. I was fine, but Lesha''s side had been hit, and her spinal cord had been severely damaged.


    Almost 6 yearster, Second Life, A full dive gamingpany, started to offer spots in the gamesunch trial. This would be huge for her, and if it worked, we would be able to do this together again one day.


    I was almost at the house, and I made sure to wipe my eyes and clear my face before going into the house. Lesha hated seeing me sad, but these were tears of joy for achieving what we were told would never be possible again.


    I walked into the house, closing the door, taking off my shoes, and heading to our bedroom.


    She was sitting up on the bed, brushed her long golden blonde hair, and looked as beautiful as the day I met her. She turned to me and gave me that warm smile that made me weak at the knees and fall in love all over again every time.


    "Baby! How did you run? Is it nice out?" She asked me, putting down her brush.


    "It is as beautiful as you are, my love, and the run was great. So, I hope you can join me," I said as I came over to stand in front of her.


    I bent down and scooped her up into my arms like the princess she was. My princess and the woman I loved with all my soul, and I would do anything for her.


    *THUMP, THUMP*


    I had been right, and the weather turned sour, and a snowstorm had just rolled in. I got us a taxi van, and we did have much trouble getting downtown, but we did have far to go.


    Once we got dropped off, we were escorted inside, then we were taken to a room filled with weird bed-like machines that I helped Lesha onto. I was shaking, but I wasn''t sure why, and I looked down into her sparkling crystal blue eyes.


    "Don''t worry, baby! Soon, we will run again," Lesha said as I leaned in for onest deep and passionate kiss.


    That was thest thing that I ever heard that mouth speak to me again.

 Chapter 127: Vibrating Uncontrollably

    Chapter 127: Vibrating Uncontrobly


    I was standing outside of the ss room now, looking in and watching with other friends and loved ones of the women going into the game. They were all in the game now, but we couldn''t see anything, and my stomach was in knots; something felt wrong.


    That''s when two men around my age storm into the waiting area and shatter my entire world into pieces. One of them had shaggy dirty blonde hair, and the other was bald; the two had resembling features.


    "STOP THEM, HE''S GOING TO KILL THEM ALL!" the younger blonde man said as a security man tried to stop him.


    The bald-headed man dropped him with a single punch and then started to kick the shit out of every person that came near the blonde. He walked forward with tears running down his face, and my heart broke as I ran after him.


    Please, let him be wrong, but I could see from the unadulterated fury of the bald-headed man, it had to be true. The tears poured down my face as I ran and caught up to the blonde''s steady gate.


    "How do you know?" I asked in a choked voice as I walked beside him.


    I couldn''t go to her; I was vibrating.


    "I worked as a subcontractor for Second Life, and I had got one of the helmets, and I had someone working on it. This is all my fault," The man said as he ambled up to a machine and opened it up.


    I didn''t know what to do as he took her helmet off and checked her pulse but then shook his head no as he lowered the cover over the blonde girl. Frozen, shaking uncontrobly, the tears were unstoppable, and I was having trouble breathing.


    "Let''s go; what was her name?" The man asked, but the tears had stopped for him, and his face was cold as ice.


    "Lesha," I managed to choke out.


    "You don''t have to see her like this. Here," The man dug in his pocket, and pulled out a card, and then handed it to me. "I know that person was incredibly special to you; I can see the hurt and how bad you don''t want it to be true. So, I don''t want you to go see her, you''re stronger than this, I can see it. You will call me in exactly seven days from now, and then I will give her back to you, but I will need a lot from you," He told me.


    That shocked me out of my frozen state, and I was able to get ahold of myself, but I grabbed onto his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.


    "ANYTHING! I don''t care what you want me to do or how hard I will have to work. If you can save her, I will give you anything, even my life, if that''s what it will take!" I said to him, almost shaking him.


    "Be careful; I might just ask for that before this is all over. The girls aren''t dead, only these shells, and now they have be digital, but I need to go and protect them all and get the other gear for you and the others. I won''t let anything happen to Lesha, but I have to go now!" He said, pulling me away from me, but I gripped his shoulders, and he waited.


    "Don''t make me wait; I can help. I don''t know how, but don''t make me go back to our empty home. She is the only person that I have loved since the day I met her, and I just can''t," I said, but he just nodded to me.


    "Sure, I get it. Can you drive? Something tells me that someone will need to go bail my brother Hyde out of jail. My name is Dave, by the way, you are?"


    "Kiada, and yes, I have my license. That monster is your brother?" I asked as we walked out of the staging area.


    There were bodies everywhere, and none of them were trying to get up. The people that hade to watch their friends and family were all standing in the corner in fear.


    I watched and waited back a bit as Dave walked up to his blood-covered brother. Hyde was panting hard and turned to Dave with a fist raised but then dropped it, his body sagging.


    "This is Kiada, and she will take me to the office, and then I will get her toe and get you from the cop station once they post bail, okay. Thank you for what you did, but you know what I have to do now. This was my fault, not yours, and I will spend every second that I have left on this wretched to rescue every one of those girls from this trap," Dave said to his brother.


    "No, don''t y that stupid fucking game, you idiot. You know who is to me, and there won''t be a ce in this world or reality that he will be able to hide from me. Don''t you dare me yourself for this little brother, just go make sure Trinity is safe," Hyde told Dave, and then he sat down on the ground, and Dave turned to me.


    But then the world went ck, then back to white, and then nk stared at me again.


    "How long have we been in here for?" I asked hotly.


    "That does not matter, but what does is that this is the first time that this has ever happened. There is nowhere but forward to go from here, Kiada. You know why the four of you are all in here, and now you have a response-ability to those girls," nk told, but now he was starting to fade away. "Onest thing, I had uploaded the Real Eye Program to you so you can clean the girls out now and get rid of the viruses and blocks Reginold put inside of us all when we entered the game; just look into their eyes and use themand word."


    Then he was gone, and I wasing awake in Healia''s arms, and I was ready to hurt somebody.

 Chapter 128: Blood Bath

    Chapter 128: Blood Bath


    "How do you feel?" Healia asked me as I rubbed my head.


    "Mad, and now I''m going to go hurt some people. I could have done without remembering all of it," I said, but then I turned back to back Healia. "Real Eyes."


    Healia froze and was instantly frozen, and a bunch of messages popped up about blocks and viruses, but I ignored them and waited to the count of five, and the light disappeared.


    Healia was left to blink her eyes, but I didn''t have time for this.


    "The portal is active; get everyone up here. Wait here for James, Leina, and Gastbo, and then leave, and no one will have ess to it," I told Healia, and she nodded as she got up.


    "I will get everyone over, but don''t get carried away; they are both out there. Dyster was able to get into the Iron Bar Guild and used the Waystone to get here like you did. You might be able toe close to defeating one of them, but not two; don''t be reckless like always," Healia warned me; she knew what I was like now, and so did I.


    "Telling the water not to be wet won''t change what you already know. Just do as I said, and do not talk to the other about the past until I get back; that is an order," I told Healia, and she nodded.


    Healia followed me down the stairs, and the four boys were in the mess hall with Gram, Keedo, and Shatter Strike. It had been a while since I had seen any of them, but I just pointed up the stairs, but Mort looked at me.


    "What about dad and the rest of the people?"


    "Go, now, I will get them," I ordered, and everyone, including Gram, jogged up the stairs, and soon I was left alone in front of the barricaded door.


    I could hear the yelling, screaming, and cries as my skin became cker than the darkest night, and I walked forward. I could have misted all the way to Gastbo''s Forge, but that wasn''t my current mood; I was hungry and pissed off.


    I kicked at the debris in front of the front door and shattered the front entrance, leaving a gaping hole where it had been. Outside there were angry-looking faces that were all frozen. My entrance or exit, depending on which side of the shit storm you were on, had gotten everyone''s attention.


    "Who in Gi," A man close to me tried to say, but time slowed, and I walked over to him as he slowly tried to track me with his eyes.


    I ripped his head from his shoulders before he could react, and I let time catch back up, and I absorbed all the blood from the made falling body. People around me scream as the dried husk hits the ground.


    This would have only known Gods, but I was a Demon out for blood, a lot of it.


    I reached out and created Gobby, but with my head up.


    "Hey, K Your back can I kill things now?!" Goddy asked with a crazy look, and I petted him as men and women from opposing Guild rushed me from all angles.


    "I need to borrow you first, and then you can go eat all the bad people you want, but you must follow me after," I said as I pped Gobby down on the ground.


    Hundreds of Blood Steel des shot out in a halo burst around me, cutting every person to death within ten meters. Every de missed the people that weren''t involved and only killed the rogue Guild Members in the area.


    As Gobby reformed, I straight back out and called to the dying and forced them back into service, and my Manbies rose back up. They were still alive, so it felt wrong to call them zombies.


    "Hunt the others," I ordered the corpses. And they all shambled off, and I started to hear the screams.


    "So, rough day at work, hey? Wanna talk about it?" Gobby asked me as we walked forward to the rod to the Forge.


    "I just worked up, and now I know everything that I was missing. I also know why I am here; that does not help my mood," I said as I sent hundreds of blood needles into the crowd that had gathered up ahead near the Forge.


    All of them tried to die, but I called them back. The Manbies would be the escort for this group, and Gobby would go with them.


    I ripped the door open, and I heard James call out to get back as I ripped the door off and walked inside. James dropped the sword he was holding and ran over to me, wrapping me in a big hug, and I gave him a small one back, but then I pulled away.


    "You need to get back to the Guild, Healia is waiting for you, and she will take you to our new home. There is no time for the million questions that you have but just know this. I have changed, and I am not the same girl that you raised," I told him, but he just gave me a confident look and nodded and then turned.


    "You heard the woman, let''s go, you two," James said to Leina and Gastbo, who was staring at me.


    "K why are you so ck?" Liena asked as she stared at me, but James went and grabbed the two of them and ran out the door, telling me he loved me on the way out.


    I listened to them leave, and as I did, heavy Blood Steel te armor covered my body in a full suit of ck and blood-red armor. A massive Bulwark shield formed in my left-hand thatI was able to lift easily, and then I walked out of the Forge.


    I stretched my hand out to the side and summoned a ring while hammer. Thest thing was to summon Firburg, my ride, and I released him with a massive amount of Mana.


    As the massive orange and yellow dragon formed in the air, I jumped into the air and lighted on its back as he took full shape. It was time to find the pair that did this and send them running; I was going God hunting.

 Chapter 129: Harder

    Chapter 129: Harder


    I knew that the two of them wouldn''t be in the city. Neither was dumb enough to think I would offer the challenge and wrecking another god''s city was against the rules Daveid out.


    I headed to the dungeon, there was no other greaterndmark, and if I had my way, I would destroy all of them, but this world needed them to function. The wars would just start back up again, so the dungeons would stay.


    It didn''t matter, I just needed to remove the gods from this world, and then I would be able to proceed, but they wouldn''t go quietly. They were all ANPC, Advanced Non-yer Characters, simr to the Game Master, and they had aplete understanding of how their systems worked, but now so did I.


    I could see them waiting for me, but they were alone, smart. I would have to be careful with no extra blood around and watch how much I burn, but I was full of blood, and light glowed from the cracks of my armor.


    I had one purpose: to take their magic and leave them with just the systems and Gates. They had us believe that some godly power was bestowed on them when they came here.


    The truth was that anyone with sufficient magical power and control could operate a Waystone and seal magic reservoirs.


    "Don''t you want toe," but Dysters words stopped, and they both froze at the same time, and I raised my hand to the sky.


    Drops of blood the size of rain filled the air and became ck and red Blood Steel spears that rained down to the barely moving gods. I leaped and disappeared into a blood mist, letting Firburg go and taking back the Mana.


    I shifted to blood mist just in time as a massive root-like spike speared up from the ground into the space I just was. It wouldn''t have killed them, but they had not escaped without losing some blood, and I pulled it to me, locking onto them both.


    "Come down here, you vile little whore! I will give you what you have," Giyadel snared at me but cut off to dodge a five-meter long blood steel spear that I hurtled at him.


    Dyster had run away, but that just meant that he woulde out and try to get me when I wasn''t paying attention, but I wouldn''t let that happen. I formed on the ground twenty meters away from Giyadel, not wanting to chance get snared.


    I hated the stupid speech part, and I wasn''t going to let him start again. I created des of Blood Steel to cut the attacking growth to ribbons as I ran, raising my hand forward tounch an orb of yellow and orange explosion magic with a lot of Mana in it.


    Giyadel screamed as the orb hit him and exploded outwards, but it did not affect me as I bolted forward. I twisted the light and the boiling rage, mming it into Giyadel just before I was blown back thirty meters.


    I smashed and bounced off the ground but was back on my feet, and I had taken it. Suddenly, I felt Dyster''s presence and targeted him about me, and instantly trees burst from the grounds and covered me as lightning struck them.


    I was just able to get my hands up to block a flying kick from Giyadel, but I was still sent flying. Lightning struck around me, but Giyadel was on me again, and I was smashed to the ground.


    I coated my body with shields as I coughed up blood and smashed into the ground. All the shields smashed, and I rolled barely in time.


    I had to get up, and I leapt out of the way before the ground was pulverized.


    I needed to leave, this body was still too weak to take this beating, and I was starting to run low on blood. I burned all the blood I had left and then used my remaining Mana to use the explosion magic to shoot me forward into the city.


    Just before the city limit, my body was hit by a bolt of electricity that tore through every nerve in my body, but the blood I had burned absorbed most of it. I stumbled and twitched but kept going as Inded; it was over now, and it was time to go home.


    This was the mistake they made bying to Healia to fight me, and now they weren''t allowed in the city. I could have challenged them and then ran back to the city, and they would have been fucked right off the hop.


    I absorbed blood as I walked and stumbled along, and I was slowly able to heal my internal damage and my seared skin.


    This was still Healia''s city, and once a challenge started, they were not allowed in a city they did not own. Now, but locking the three of us in the challenge, I had sealed them to their own cities.


    They couldn''t enter Healia or do much harm while I was gone. Now, I could train away from the world and not have to worry about them, but that didn''t mean the others wouldn''t try to get involved at some point.


    Three men and one woman jumped out of an alley beside me and tried to attack me, but as they moved, they fell. Each head detached from the body and rolled away as I pulled the blood from all the body.


    I could hear the pulse of their veins and the heavy rasps of their lungs, and I released four des at the same time to shear their heads off, quickly and quietly. I straightened up, but I was still exhausted, this body needed to be harder, and I would have to work the others back into shape.


    I was here, and as mad as I was, I had her, and she could walk, so that was all that mattered to me right now was getting home.


    The thought made me pick up my speed, and I was back at the guild hall in no time, but the ce was trashed. I misted to blood and went to the top floor and reformed, scaring the life out of Healia.

 Chapter 130: Dancing On My Heart

    Chapter 130: Dancing On My Heart


    "Jeebus! K, why do you have to do that?!" Healia started as I formed.


    "Is everyone gone now?" I asked, not answering her.


    "Yes, we can go back now; everyone is through, even those walking corpses you send with Gobby. That''s what you wanted, right?" Healia asked.


    I nodded and pointed at the shimmering image. I wasn''t in the mood to talk right now.


    I had to go let her relive all of this, but she was strong, stronger than I could ever be. She always thought that I took care of her, but I wouldn''t have made it without her.


    A heaviness yed over my heart like a dancing lead te as I walked into the rift and felt my body contract and then expand again. We were both shit out of the rift, but I caught Healia, so she didn''t fall, but then we were rushed by everyone, but I was only looking at the person standing back.


    Like the connection between us became a real and tangible thing, the girls and our friends and families all parted. I walked forward, not keeping the steel from my eyes; it was the only thing that I could hold onto right now without falling apart.


    "Baby?" Lesha asked me as I took her hand.


    "Let''s talk in our room; there are some things that we need to talk about," I said quietly as I pulled her along to the stairs.


    The room had gone silent, and that one made the deafening pound of my hammering heartbeat that much louder. Lesha followed along quietly, and that was good because I didn''t think that I could speak anymore without getting a hitch in my voice.


    After we went to the room, we went in, and I closed the door behind us. I led Lesha over to the bed and sat down on it with her, I was trembling, and I couldn''t stop it as tears filled my eyes.


    I wished I could just let this go, she didn''t need this, but there was something wrong in each one of us from the asshole that started all of this. I had to do this and get past it.


    "Baby, what''s wrong? Why are you crying?" Lesha asked with a worried look on her face.


    "It''s because I love you so much, and I hate myself for what I have to do to you right now, but there isn''t any other way. No amount of me trying to exin this will work, so I need you to know that I love you and that each of the girls will have to go through this just like I did," I exined, forcing steel into my voice to steady it.


    "I trust you, baby. If you have already done it, I will do it too," She told me with her face moving to a more determined look.


    "Then look into my Real Eyes," I said, and instantly Lesha froze and was encased in blue light.


    While the scan messages scrolled across my HUD, all I could hear was the thundering of my heart in my ears as I waited for an eternity. I had no idea how she would react to the memories, but I knew she was very strong, and I shouldn''t have been surprised that she would be smiling after.


    "BABY!" Lesha Squealed as she tackled me to the bed and started to rain down kisses on my face.


    Okay, I had not expected this, and kind of a hammering heartbeat reced the old as I wrapped my arms around her. I pulled her into a deep kiss as hot tears ran down my face, and we kissed for what felt like forever, but when we stopped, I knew that I could never get my fill of her.


    "You did all of this for me?" Lesha asked me with a small cute smile.


    "And I would do it again, every time. There isn''t another soul in any world that loves you as much as I do. The day it all happened, I told Dave that I would give my life to be with you. He told me that he might ask me for it in the end, but Lesha, there is no me without you, and I refused to live a life that didn''t have you in it," I said to her as tears streamed down both of our faces.


    I pulled her into my chest, and she tightened her grip around me. I would never let her go, and I would never give up on us. Till the end of time itself, I would fight; nothing could ever keep us apart, not even death.


    The two of usid in each other''s arms with our eyes closed. I just wanted to enjoy this, but I had to get to Dyster and get the rest of the people.


    "I know we have to go," Lesha said as if to read my mind, but I must have be tense.


    She always seemed to beagle to read me like a book without me even trying to give her a clue.


    "Yes, I need to go get the others and then do the rest of the girl''s, but I am not excited for Trinity because I have no idea what is going to happen to her," I said as the two of us sat up and wiped our faces off.


    "She is just an A.I., right? ? it shouldn''t hurt her, and the real one is with Hyde, right? Dave wouldn''t have left her with Bhan; none of us but Hyde can stand the guy!" Lesha said with a smile, but I shook my head as we went to leave the room.


    "That''s not what I am worried about; I am more concerned about how she and Candi are going to act after this. Candi will have assumed that this was the real Trinity, and it should have been, but I know why Dave would have left her with Hyde. There is no safe ce in this game then by that monster''s side," I said as we walked out and headed back over to the stair.


    "True, she is safer with him, but you''re right, and I am not sure how Candi is going to react. It''s almost cruel to do this, but They had never been an actual couple until after they got into this game. So really, she has only ever been in a rtionship with this girl, but I think we might have to change her name," Lesha said as we started up the stairs.


    "I will go and get the others. Then, I will get you to bring me the girls one at a time and not tell them what we are doing. I don''t want to give Reginold the chance to do anything to them," I said as we neared the top of the stairs.


    The two of us stopped talking as we reached the top and entered back into the room, but only Healia was in the Waystone room. I was only partially surprised; it wasn''t like they could just wait for me.


    "Everything is okay with you two?" Healia asked as we entered the room.


    "Yes, just a bit of a shocker to remember everything, and a bit bleak for how many times we have lost. Still, from what I can remember now, this is the farthest that we have ever made it, and we have never been able to get our memories back like this," Lesha exined to Healia as I stepped forward and let go of her hands.


    "I will go back now and get the rest, but I will also be trying to bring the Laughing Crow with us, so prepare for a big load of peopleing through. It will no longer be safe for them there now that I have stirred up the pot," I exined as I stepped up to the rift.


    Waystones, that was just another fancy name for Rift Portals. They could be used with linked artifacts to return to or travel between ces if you controlled both sides. I would be destroying the rift at Dyster. Even if they couldn''t make it here, I was taking no chances.


    I had seen these idiots in other games, and their powers were far from average, and they had a real bad habit of pulling things out of nowhere. So, destroying the Guild was the best option to keep everyone here safe.


    I turned back to Lesha, and she ran over to hang me and give me a kiss before I left.


    "Please be safe! I remember all the fun things we did, so don''t you go dying on me before we get to do them!" Lesha whispered into my ear, and then she bit my earlobe yfully, sending waves of pleasure through my body.


    "Don''t worry, my love. I will be back to make you squeal after I am done getting our boys, okay?" I asked with a devilish smile, and Lesha gave me the same one back.


    "Get a room for you two!" Healiained as I turned and stepped into the rift.

 Chapter 131: Microwavable Dinners?!

    Chapter 131: Microwavable Dinners?!


    Getting spat back out from the Rift for a third time today was starting to y hell with my stomach, and I was surprised to find most of the men up waiting for me. I looked around, rubbing my head, but then Tim and Hershal stepped forward.


    "Why are you all up here? It''s good, but I am surprised to see you all ready to leave," I said look at the gathered men.


    "We were all worried about you, but about an hour ago, we heard arge thump up here. We came up to look and found arge rock with a note that said for us to be ready. The members of Laughing Crow, including Jester, are here," Tim exined to me as I wave the big smiling shirtless men into the Rift.


    "Good, that will save me a lot of time, and I would have to deal with Dyster. Where are the rest of them?" I asked, only seeing a couple faces that I didn''t remember.


    "Don''t worry, we areing! Just bringing some toys with us," said the familiar voice of Milo called out as he entered.


    I felt any stress that I had melt away as Milo, Dean, and arge number of other men entered the room. Most of the men were holding heavy bup sacks that were filled to splitting.


    "I am very pleased that you are all here and you decided toe. Are there any others that we need to collect? What about Crass? I can''t," I started to say, but Gastbo''s brother cut me off as he entered the room from the stairs.


    There were three of therge shirtless Guild Members behind them, and they were all carrying some cumbersome forge tools, including an anvil. I looked the group over and frowned at Crass.


    "I think we have an anvil and most of the tools you will need at the Guild," I told Crass as he waved the men to go through the Rift.


    I had stepped off to the side so everyone else could start going through, and Crass came over to me. He had a big and stupid smile stered all over his face that even cracked my steely facade and forced a smile on my face.


    "Ha! That''s better! You know, for a person that has been cut to pieces, blown up, drowned, and mauled to death by a savage monster, you look like you''re doing well, hehe. So, from the note that was sent, I got that my brother will be there, right?" Crass asked, grinning maniacally.


    "Yes, why?" I asked, losing my smile and eyeing the man suspiciously.


    "Good, now I can show that little shit who the best is!" Crass said as he got fire in his eye and clenched his fist in front of him.


    The others were still pilling into the Rift, and I had to force myself not to roll my eyes. I needed to hear the rest of this; I didn''t want to have these to cause havoc, but some healthypetition might be good for the ce.


    "Come on, spit it out already. What is this about?" I asked, trying to not sound as unimpressed as I actually was.


    "That little shit beat me in a smith forging contest right after we had opened the forge in Dyster. The two of us have always beenpetitive, but the little shit won and then ran off to Tiagelia, so I couldn''t ever have the chance to rechallenge him! The little bastard won''t even step into the back of my forge when hees to sell me all the shit he has made!" Crass said, shaking his fist at me like I was the one that wronged him.


    "Oh, I would pay to see that, and I will see it. Don''t worry, I like your brother for the aid he gave me, but you''re right about him being a nasty little shit. I will set something up on the way to the first dungeon, but I think that my Father, James, will want to join you in this," I said as thest of the Guild Members filed into the Rift.


    That left only us two and Tim, and Hershal, and I turned to them.


    "Everything we need is taken from here?" I asked, looking directly at Tim.


    It still felt weird to her that the two of them look so young now, but they both nodded to me. So, I waved them through and sent Crass with them, only leaving me.


    "KIADA! I KNOW YOU''RE UP HERE!" I heard Dyster yell up, and that made me smile as I stood in the light of the window.


    "I am up to her, little Godlet. Have youe to see me off?" I called out as Dyster banged up the stairs.


    Freiburg was already crawling onto my hand from inside of me, but he looked like a newt with wings. That was by design, and by making him smaller, I could control the st radius, but I was still going to cause some damage.


    Something like this couldn''t be helped, but the best part was that Dyster couldn''t do anything about it. Oh, he could try, but without his powers, he was no match for me, and I didn''t think that he would be stupid enough to let me take his magic.


    "YOU COW! WHERE ARE HALF THE WORKERS IN THE CITY! YOU CAN''T JUST COME AND STEAL MY PEOPLE! THEY ARE MINE!" Dyster screamed at me as he entered the doorway but not entering the room.


    "Your people? Since when did you own them? You should be happy, fewer mouths to feed, and all of my supporters are gone with me. I would think that this should make you happy, no?" I said, giving him a pretend sad face that made the liquid green fire pour down his face from his eyes in rage.


    "No! You''re taking them all, not just one! All the scuba shops are gone, and why the hell can I call it a scuba shop wait a fucking minute. What did you do? Tv? Cellphone? MICROWAVABLE DINNERS?!" Dyster shouted out in surprise at himself.


    "Really, you can finally use your brain, and those are the first three words you decide to shout out? Whether you can remember or not doesn''t matter. We are all still stuck here, and you all still have to do your jobs and try to stop me, but know this. If you and Giyadel keep fucking around and killing NPC for your perverted fun, I will be using this world''s restricted weapon of you when I find it, and there won''t be enough bits left for even nk to put back together; understood?" I said with menace, causing the room to bleed to a violent shade of red.


    "Fine, I will stop, but I don''t think using a God killer on some of them will be a bad idea. Do you know how long it has been? I have remembered every game, but this has never happened. I can only hope that it means you are getting closer to what everyone had originally nned, right?" Dyster asked, letting the green fire go out of his eyes.


    "Yes, that is the n, but there is no point in making false promises. You and I both know that the original n is so far gone that there is no point in trying to mull it over. Do your job, be a dick, but keep it in your pants, or lose it," I said as I tossed Firburg into the air, and then I turned my head to look back at Dyster with a smile. "You also have about five seconds to get out of here before I level this entire guild."


    "You what? HEY! Don''t put a big hole in my city, you witch!" Dyster stout at me as I turned back to the Rift.


    "Sorry, you''re the bad guy, remember? I''m not supposed to do what you say, right?" I said as I snapped my fingers, and the world exploded behind me as I was sucked into the Rift and then spit out the other side.


    Lesha was there to catch me, and I was thankful for that. Four times through that shit strainer was too much for anyone, and I had to fight to keep the food in my stomach, but then that reminded me that I was hungry.


    "Are you okay, baby?" Lesha asked me as she helped me up.


    "Yes, my love, but now I want every girl in a separate room. Healia, you will go with Candi and wait for me, the rest of you go find separate rooms. I don''t want any questions or talking, understood? That goes for you two as well," I said while looking directly at Drania and Lishtani.


    The girls all looked at me strangely, but all of them started to move after a moment''s pause. I had a brief moment where I thought that I was going to have to order them to do it, but I was relieved when they left, and it was just Lesha and me.


    Candi had looked troubled, which made me worry more, but that was why I sent Healia with her. Lesha was looking up into my eyes, and I could feel the heartfelt emotion in them.


    "It''s going to be hard, but Drania and Lishtani will join her, and we will all do it together. We need to get this part of things out of the way so we can start moving on," I said as I took Lesha out of the Waystone room and down the stairs.

 Chapter 132: Best Dad of All Lifetimes!

    Chapter 132: Best Dad of All Lifetimes!


    I went to the kitchen downstairs where Drainia was first after sending Lesha off to go sit with Trinity. Drania was my long-time friend through all the games as my guide. She had been affected by what Reginold did the worst.


    She had been forced to lie to me and distract me from my goal with small and seemingly innocent tasks, but they started to add. Thankfully there was always Lishtani to help straighten out the lies.


    Lishtani had not been directly affected like all of us had. She was loaded into the game as my quirk, and for some reason, that protected her.


    Even then, there were restrictions put on the entire game. Now the main restrictions were gone, and even the disposable desk jockey gods restrictions had been lifted.


    This meant that Dave had done something, a reset or a wipe that cleared out all the old blocks that had been restricting what we could talk about. That still left the ones that had been affected directly, all my girls, but nk/Gripton gave me the program to fix that.


    I walked behind the bar where a smiling Gram was, and I stopped to give the old furball a hug. I wasn''t a bitch; I just knew what I had time for and what I didn''t.


    "So, you started out with a measly five Guild members in a run-down little hall? Now, a monthter, and boom! You don''t even look like the same girls that I had met then," Gram said as he stroked himself.


    "That''s because I''m actually more than ten times as old as you," I said quietly as I leaned in conspiratorially.


    "What?!" Gram started, but I put a finger to my lips, and his eyes went big.


    I turned and left him, heading into the kitchen, and smiled when I saw Liena with Drania and Gobby. While I didn''t really approve of Gobby helping with food preparation, seeing the three of them together like that was heartwarming.


    I first walked up to Liena and took her into a hug that she seemed very startled by but returned immediately without a second thought. The stupid me from before never truly appreciated the things that this woman had done for me, and she deserved some recognition for it.


    "That you for everything that you have done for my father and me over the years. I have never truly told you how grateful I was to have you in my life growing up," I said as I felt Liena''s grip tighten on me as she began to shake and cry softly.


    "I have waited a long time to hear you say those words, and even if you weren''t really that girly, you always treated me with respect and listened to what I told you, even if you never implemented," Leina said as she pulled away from me and whipped her eyes.


    "True, but now I have changed back to what I consider my real self. So, my personality will be different than what you are used to," I exined, but then I turned to Drania. "I need to see your Real Eyes."


    She froze, and blue light Instantly encased Drania, and the screens started to load up with the virus scanner. Liena had jumped back in shock, but I put a hand out, signaling for her to slow down and just wait.


    I waited, and soon the blue light vanished, and I set forward to catch her. She was alright, buting back from those memories and finding out the truth of it all was still going to beplicated.


    "Are you okay?" I asked as Drania leaned into me for support.


    "Yes, it was just a lot to take in after being without my own mind for so long. I''m dead in the ce that we call the real world, and this is a game that was supposed to be repurposed as our new home," Drania said out loud.


    "Yes, but the same person that killed you all is in this game trying to take it over. Now, are you going to be okay, Drania? I need every one of you girls at one-hundred percent, so if there is anything that you want to talk about, I and everyone else are here to help you and talk with you if you need. You are not alone," I exined to her as I held her close, and she nodded her head.


    "I will be okay, but can we go do L now? I really just want to see her, and we need to talk. I was forced to lie to her so many times and talk poorly about her. I love her more than anything, and I didn''t mean to do these things," Drania said as we pulled apart, and I nodded to her.


    "Yes, and L knows that. She is the next one on the list, but I will send her down to you when I am done, okay?" I asked, and she nodded at me.


    I turned to go and almost tripped over the arms that were sweeping the floors awkwardly. I had almost forgotten about them, but I stepped around them and made my way out.


    In the near future, I was going to have to do some more expanding, but I needed to deal with the girls first. Then wake the ind up and get this beast moving to the first dungeon that we would need to start grinding.


    The dungeon had the Soul Gems and the other raw materials we would need to make special weapons and armor. We also needed to start getting more people to the cores, but that was a whole other question itself.


    If I brought more than one person to the Dungeon Core, could more than one person activate it? There were no Dungeon Cores like this in the Game Worlds, so I didn''t have much for a reference.


    I had reached the top of the first flight of stairs. This was the smith shop level where Lishtani said she would be, and I turned to the door, but I could hear muffled shoutinging from inside, and I rolled my eyes.


    I walked over and opened the door to the sounds of the twins fighting, and I could see the two yelling at each other with bare centimeters between them. As I walked in, I saw my father and Lishtani each sitting on an anvil stump with the anvils on the floor beside them.


    "You''re nothing but a useless cheat that ran away after you won, so you never had to face me again!" Crass shouted, but Gastbo retorted back.


    "You just can''t let that go? Twenty years now, and all you want to do is bicker like always! You can''t even just say that I beat you fair and square!" Gastbo smeared back, making Crass''s face turn red in frustration.


    "Fine! You bet me! But no, it''s time to see who has improved the most over the years! You did win, but you and I both know that the judges have an extra day just to pick from the two of us to be the winner!" Crass shouted.


    "Pft! Why should I ruin my perfect score? Just so I can humiliate you in front of everyone, AGAIN?! I am your brother, not some heartless vagrant off the streets! I would never dream of doing a thing for my own brother," Gastbo said with sarcasm.


    "Ah, see? Your cowardly nature always likes to show up for the challenge? I didn''t really think you were man enough to ept the challenge anyway, but I bet James would, right?" Crass asked as he looked over to my grinning father.


    "Yeah, but you boys quit your bickering while my daughter is up here," James said as he stood up from his stump.


    I walked over and gave him a hug, but I looked over James'' shoulder and into Lishtani''s eye and spoke the activation words. She was frozen in a smile as the blue light was instantly covering her, and I heard the twins shout out.


    "Hey, what the hell is that?!" Gastbo shouted as he noticed the light.


    My father pulled away from me to see what he was talking about.


    "K, What''s going on with the goddess?" James asked me, looking over Lishtani.


    "I need to do this to each of the girls. We are all yers in a game that is outside of this world, and there are many other worlds that we have already traveled to, but something happened when we first came in," I exined to him, but stopped there after seeing the total and utter confusion on my fathers face.


    That was right, he was an A.I. specially created for the Zodiac worlds. James only had knowledge of this world, so I might as well have been talking in anothernguage as I tried to exin it to him.


    "Just know that I will still treat you as my father since I have not really had any good ones that were around in my memories with all the lives. That I have lived, "I exined to him, and the confused look disappeared, and he got a big grin.


    "So you''re telling me you''re some born again god?" James asked me.


    "Something like that," I said to him.


    "And I''m the best dad you had in all the lifetimes you have lived, right?" he asked, getting a thoughtful expression on his face.


    "Yes" I said, letting my voice trail off as I raised an eyebrow at him, but my father wasn''t even looking at me.


    "Yup, going to get that put on a cup! Best Dad of All Lifetimes!" James said to himself as he walked away from me.

 Chapter 133: Point My Anger At

    Chapter 133: Point My Anger At


    I rolled my eyes at him after I pulled back from him, and that got a giant smile from him, but that was about the time the light disappeared. I looked at Lishtani, and she looked at me.


    "Ugh, finally, you finished her already, right? Where is my woman? She is about to get a tongueshed that she won''t forget!" Lishtani said, cracking her knuckles and licking her lips.


    "You know that none of this was her fault," I said, putting my hand out to stop her.


    "What? I am not going to beat her specifically. No, I am going to give her Kitty a tongueshing; why am I exining this to you?" Lishtani said as she threw up her hands and walked out of the room.


    Oh, well, there is that too I looked around the room at the three wide-eyed and ck-jawed men.


    "Close your mouths, and Gastbo, stop acting like a child and just participate," I said, ring at Gastbo, but then Crass was about to pipe up, but I whirled on him. "Don''t, or you will be the one cleaning the furnaces and ovens!"


    That made his mouth snap shut, and he found somewhere else to study as my father chuckled.


    "This new you isn''t too different from the old you, but now you just know more. You also seemed to have matured greatly, but you also look like you have a lot more left in your day! I''ll get that other James guy to help get lunch out and ready," my father told me.


    "Oh, what is he doing? I was surprised that I didn''t see him in the kitchen with the others, but I also need to get on top of expanding the guild again. So many things to do," I said, rubbing my hand on my forehead as I walked out of the forge.


    "Oh! Yeah, that''s right! Your friend Drania gave Leina a little green guy, and I guess the Captain already had one. They were out gardening, I think, or something like that. The two started talking about nts, so I left toe in here after giving her a kiss," My father told me as we left the forge.


    "Lunch would be nice, but I will probably need it sent or brought up. I can''t remember if I put an elevator or not?" I said as I turned to go up the stairs.


    "Sure, I''ll get them to send food up," James called to me, and I made my way up to the girls and my rooms.


    I wasn''t excited about this part. Now, it was time to see the one that had been waiting from the beginning and had gone through the most challenging time. I walked over to Mei and Gloria''s room and knocked on the door lightly.


    "Come in, K," Mei called from the other side of the door.


    I entered the room, and she was waiting there, sitting on the bed. She had changed into a cute pink dress, and her long flowing blonde hair spilled down over her shoulders.


    "So, now I get to see how it all happened?" Mei asked me, and I stopped in surprise.


    "What do you mean?" I asked, not wanting to say more until I figured out what she was talking about.


    Something about this felt weird, and Mei seemed far too calm right now and together. I was starting to get a cold feeling inside of me, and I was getting worried that I hadn''t removed all of the Spike from her foot back by Tarcord River.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I am the one that should be looking at you like that. Since you are the first face that I remember when I woke up in this world. Then, something happened, and I was wondering for years in that small body until you found me again, but you weren''t the same," Mei exined to me.


    "Can you remember when I first entered the world? Does that mean you have known this entire time who I was?" I asked in confusion.


    "No, and there is still arge hole in my mind about you and why you appeared and then disappeared for almost three hundred years. Do you think you will be able to fill me in on that? My feet still hurt," Mei said with a smile.


    I had to remind myself to breathe, and I stepped into Mei and wrapped her in my arms. Three hundred years of wandering, and she could still smile andugh.


    It broke my heart to think of the way that Lesha and I had found her; I just hope Gloria could forgive me for failing her. I let go of Mei and looked into her eyes.


    "Real Eyes," I spoke as she was encased in the blue light.


    I waited as the scanner did its job, removing all the harmful things and blocks that the monster had ced in her, but now I was even angrier, but this time I had a ce to target my anger, Jhin.


    Reginold may have bought the block and affected our memories, but I couldn''t get at him right now. I could get at Jhin, the Game Master of this world; he was the one that did this to Mei, and I would have to keep watch on them, but the Game Master couldn''t touch us here.


    "Oh, my brain, K. You did it!" Mei said out of nowhere, throwing herself into my arms.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, hugging her tightly at me.


    "Yes, mama. What happened isn''t your fault. You and I both know that Dave couldn''t change the Game Masters too much, and it''s their job to try and stop us, but I hope we have a better n for going into the next world after this one. I was not kidding before when I said that my feet still hurt!" Mei joked, and I was thankful she was still able to.


    "Alright, wait here, and I will send Gloria back to you; I am sure we will have a lot of catching up to do," I said as I pulled away from Mei.


    "Yes, please, Send me my tall amazon! I have an itch that needs some heavy petting!" Mei said with a Lewd smile that made me roll my eyes as I left the room.


    [Sorry for the short chapter today,ptop is dying so i need to go get a new one right now lol. THANK YOU FOR READING! you guys are the best]

 Chapter 134: Destressing

    Chapter 134: Destressing


    After leaving the room, I headed over to my room where Gloria was. I could smell the chocte mint even with the door closed.


    I could also smell Trinity''s ice cream vor in the next room, and that was a bit bothersome. I just hoped that things would go all right between the two of them.


    I walked into my room, and Gloria was pacing back and forth as I walked into the short hall. When I got to the part where she was pacing, I smiled at her, but she frowned at me.


    "What''s with all the cloak and dagger business and keeping us apart? This isn''t like you," Gloria questioned me, but I just looked into her eyes and spoke.


    "Real Eyes."


    Gloria''s face froze in a what the fuck expression and then was capped with blue light. I walked over to the bathroom and went inside to wash up.


    It felt like ages since I have been in the walk-in bath Lesha, and one of the times would need to happen again and soon. I wanted to go back to the way we loved before all of this started before I had to die to live again.


    "K!"


    "In here, I am just getting washed up," I called to Gloria.


    "Cool, good job on getting us here and stuff. Kudos, but, uh, yeah" Gloria said, but I cut her ramblings off.


    "I don''t need you for anything; just try not to scare the locals or tape her MOUTH SHUT!" I tried to tell her, but I had to yell thest part because she all but ran out of the room.


    I signed, but that couldn''t be helped, and most of the women would be indisposed for a day or two, which was only fair. We had all been through a lot, and we had never nned for something like this to happen.


    I sshed water up into my face and then dried off and left the bathroom. There was no point in trying to put off the inevitable, and I didn''t think that Trinity was going to be the problem.


    I left my room and went over to Trinity and Candi''s room, knocking on the door as I got close. After she called for me to enter, I opened the door and entered the room to find her lying on the bed on her side, holding a pillow.


    I closed the door and then went over to sit in front of her. Trinity crawled around to put her head on myp.


    "Hello, my dear; how are you feeling today?" I asked, still not having a good view of her eyes, and I didn''t want to take any chances.


    "Is there something wrong with Candi and me?" Trinity asked, catching me off-guard.


    "Wrong? No, I wouldn''t say that. Something happened, but exining it right now is pointless; I just want you to look me in the eyes so I can tell you something," I said to her and waited for her to look directly at me, and then I quickly spoke. "Real Eyes."


    I waited and closed my eyes but then opened them again. When the program was scanning Trinity, closing my eyes only made the message windows that popped up stand out that much more.


    I waited in silence, but soon it was done, and the light left her. I held my breath, waiting to see what was going to happen with her, but she just cuddled into me more.


    "Do you think that she is going to hate me? I didn''t know that I wasn''t her, but I still love her," Trinity said from myp, and I patted her soft hair and scratched around her ears.


    "Candi won''t hate you. I am more thankful that you havee out of the scan still fully intact. With you being an A.I. created inside the game, I wasn''t sure how you would react to the scanner. As far as I know, Trinity and Candi were only friends outside of the game, but they were very close, so I think it will be okay," I said while smiling down at her.


    "I don''t have any memories before the game; I can only remember Candi," Trinity said quietly.


    "Come, let''s go and see the little bloodsucker, and get this over with," I said, getting up and helping Trinity up.


    She smiled weakly up at me, and I pulled her into my arms. I brought her in for a hug, smothering her with my breasts.


    This was every one of the girl''s favorite ces to destress. Lesha even slept with her face squeezed between them forfort.


    Trinity melted like ydough in my arms. I leaned over and pressed my lips to the top of her head.


    Candi was going to be a bit out of sorts at first, and I didn''t want Trinity to see the witch like that. So, I would have to get Trinity to wait inside until I got her cooled down.


    "Come, I will get you to go help with food, and I will go get Candi, okay?" I asked her as I let her go, and she nodded to me, so we left the room.


    Both of us smiled at the lewd sounds of Mei and Gloria''s muffle pleasure making noisesing from the closed door as we headed for the stairs.


    Once we got down to the bottom floor, I hugged trinity again and sent her off to the kitchen. Now was time for the grand finale of reset. I really hoped that this wouldn''t create problems between the two girls, but I was concerned.


    The real Candi was a snobby little witch, and it might actually be better just leave her this way. If the little shit started to give me attitude right off the hop, I was going to fling her in the ocean to cool off.


    I took a deep breath as I walked to the front entrance of the Guild and headed outside. I would try to go in with a reasonable attitude, but I could remember her a little too clearly, and her foul mouth; this would be interesting.

 Chapter 135: Only Getting Started

    Chapter 135: Only Getting Started


    I walked out of the Guild Hall fully prepared for this. I had dealt with all the others, and now it was time to deal with the brat.


    Candi now had a bratty personality, and this was going to get worse before it got better. All I could bank on was the fact that she had not been romantically involved with Trinity before that.


    All of us knew that she had a Crush on her, but she was very friendly with everyone and never made it clear what she wanted. That had always made Candi angry, but they were put as pairs when we came into the game.


    At the time, I had no idea who everyone really was; I was just saving them. Now I had all my memories back, and it was time to unlock thest one, even if I didn''t want to.


    I could see her and Lesha standing on the beach near the water. Neither looked to be talking, and they both had their backs facing me. I took a deep breath and let it out before proceeding forward. I wanted this to all be done fast and without a chance for her toin.


    "Candi," I said when I was almost right behind them, but only Lesha turned to me; Candi didn''t move.


    "I am going to leave you two to talk," Lesha said before giving me a kiss and walking back up the beach wordlessly.


    Exactly what I didn''t want to do, and I found myself wanting to grab the girl by her shoulder and spinning her around. I just wanted to get this over with, then she could try to give me the rough side of her tongue.


    I calmed myself and tried not to let my past emotions get in the way. With another long and deep breath that I exhaled, I spoke.


    "I am sorry for making you wait and keeping you from the others," I said, but she still didn''t budge.


    "What is up with you? Since you came back, you seem different, like something changed. What are you hiding from me?" Candi asked me, still unmoving.


    I grabbed her by the shoulder and tried to wrench her around, but she didn''t budge. I had to stop to keep from tearing the skin and clothes tight off her shoulder.


    Now I was pissed, and I walked around in front of her. Candi had her head was down, and I could see that her eyes were glowing red violently.


    I hadn''t been able to see them from behind, but upon seeing them, my body stiffened, and I instinctively burned blood.


    "Look at me," I said to her, I didn''t want to order her, but if she lost it right now, I might have to hurt her to get her under control.


    "You are doing something to all of us, and you''re not the real person that you were before," Candi said through gritted teeth, and her hair began to rise with her anger.


    "Imand you to look at me," I said in a no-nonsense tone, and she was forced to look at me with her burning red eyes. "Real Eyes!"


    I shouldn''t, and then breathed out a sigh of relief as Candi was encased in the blue light, but this was far from over. I hoped that she would be reasonable, but I had also hoped that I wouldn''t have to put her into this in a blood rage.


    I got ready tomand her to stop, but she was just too fast when the blue light dropped from around. The second the light left, I tried to order her, but she punched me in the face and sent me flying to smash into the long boathouse attached to the Guild I had built.


    "YOU KNEW AND HID IT FROM ME!" Candi screamed at me,unching herself at me as I got up.


    I backhanded her, and she was sent skipping across the water. She got her shot, but I was feeling the blood in my veins rising up, so I refrained from ordering her to stop.


    She needed to get some of this anger out, that was okay, but this was not the way. I needed to teach her a lesson for striking me, but I didn''t want to seriously injure her.


    Whether she is angry at me or not, she worked under me, and I would not have her start setting a bad example with the other Guild Members.


    I had been having authoritative trouble with everyone before. None of my Guild Member seemed to take to me seriously, but now that was going to change.


    I wasn''t the type to let anyone push me around; I was understanding, and there was a difference between the two.


    I looked, and Candi had disappeared, but I could feel her swimming around under the water at incredible, and then I groaned as it hit me. I summoned armor to me, brought out my prismatic hammer, and created a buckler shield for easy mobility.


    Candi''s specialty was her Thrull Legion, an ability that let her stab her victims with her nails rather than her teeth to inject them with her venom. This allowed her to create many at once, but she could only give them one task, and right now, just to target me would be more than enough.


    I prepared myself to fight, but as I waited, nothing came at first, but that kind of made sense. There were a lot of monsters in the water she could convert, and the big ones would be too much for her.


    I could feel my fire start to cool as I waited, and I did see here up for air a couple times, but she didn''t seem to be having much luck with it. Terrifying ability on the battlefield, and in most situations, but I had her at a severe disadvantage.


    Since fish didn''t have legs and there just weren''t enough things like octopus and starfish around to pose a challenge.


    Now, she was about ten meters from me with just her nose and typically eyes above the water. I could tell she was ring at me, so I let my armor and weapons all disappear until I was just in my shorts and shirt, letting the sun soak into me.


    I stared back at her, but I also took control of the Water magic inside of me and started to walk forward to her. As I did, I forced the water back and all the life in the water as I walked toward her.


    I made the water bring her to me, and she didn''t fight it as I made the ocean bring her down to stand before me. It was like standing in a ss aquarium, to the life of the shallows still moving around us mostly without a care, while some came forward to probe.


    I watched as even a few swam right through the wall andnded on the open sand and flopping around; those would be good for supper. I turned back to the angry Candi in front of me and sighed.


    "Don''t be obstinate, and do not make this harder than it needs to be. I get it you think that I did this for some crazy reason, but you werest because you act like this. Now, how are you going to treat Trinity?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level.


    "Don''t call her that," Candi said.


    "Then what do you want to call her? Give me attitude, and I''ll be sticking only your head back in the water, understand?" I asked, again trying but not seeding to keep the anger out.


    "I don''t know, and that''s not really for me to decide. I know it''s not Trinity, she didn''t like me back like I did her, but I love this girl. I''m not an idiot, but you should have let me be there with her; this cant be easy for her," Candi said, looking up at me, and I let out a sigh.


    "Good, don''t act stupid, I am d for this sudden maturity, but that doesn''t change how you acted before the game. I am d that you have grown up a bit, but I had every reason to lease you till the end. Trinity is fine, and you can go see her now after you drop these fish off in the kitchen," I told her, and Candi rolled her eyes at me but did as I said.


    I told Candi to send Lesha back out to me as she left; she would enjoy this view.


    Most of the fish had stopped swimming to their deaths, so I sat down cross-legged, facing out to the vast ocean.


    It was bright out, and I could see life for hundreds of meters around me. I was left with a feeling of peace, and I was about to close my eyes when I noticed something far ahead of me out in the deep and darker part of the water moving towards me.


    I watched, and a massive creature like a whale, but with tentacles, moved towards me at impossible speeds. I wanted to get up and move back, but I was frozen in ce, transfixed by the horror approach.


    The massive mouth opened thirty meters away to reveal a slightly smaller version of the head. That one stretched out almost seven meters and then opened up to reveal the next Matryoshka head.


    The entire time the tentacles were closing in around me but not breaking through the water walls. When thest head reached me, it opened up to reveal a face that I didn''t recognize very well, but I had seen before.


    "You might be safe and have your memories back for now, but know that time is running out for you, and I am growing stronger every day with you in this world. Soon it will have enough power to unleash the Monster Realm Gates. Will you have the world ready by then, or will you just sacrifice it for the win?" Jhin, The Game Master, asked me, but for some reason, I couldn''t speak.


    "Baby?" Lesha asked me, and I was still in the ce where I just was, but Jhin and the monster were gone, and Lesha was Kneeling in front of me.


    I leaned in and pulled her into a sweet kiss, and took her into my arms. That had been a wake-up call, but I needed to get my people ready before I could take on the world''s problems.


    "I am okay; I guess I was just rxed in here and dozed off," I said after we stopped kissing, but I still held her in my arms.


    "Let''s go back and eat, the food is ready now, and you look tired. I think you need to take a break after this and put your feet up. You have been doing a lot of running around, and you and I both know that this is only the beginning," Lesha said, pulling out of my arms and standing on her own, an action that still sent waves of emotion surging through my body.


    "Yes, you are right, my love, and I think that I want to do something other than rxing after we eat," I said with a devilish smile, taking the offered hand Lesha gave me to get up.


    There would be a lot of challenges and trials ahead of us, but it was good to know that everyone was themselves again, and so was I.


    I told Lesha''s hand as we walked back to our new home, filled with both new and old friends, and every one of them ready for an adventure.


    [This marks the end of the first volume, I will take another day''s break just to get the next part of the story in line, and then I will go back to updating daily! Thank you for the continued support, and thank you for reading my books! Bee sure to check out my other 2 novels, Epic of Bee and Monster Girls Ranching in Another World!]

 Chapter 136: Setting Out, Again

    Chapter 136: Setting Out, Again


    The next few days went by in a blur for me and everyone at the Guild. The girls and I got things back in order among us, and now we were all headed to the underwater dungeon temple.


    It was only going to take a couple days, but in that time, Drania and I had carved spirit slots for everyone, and not everyone had a spirit with them. No one had progressed far enough yet to use the spirits for helpful anything yet.


    In time, they would be able to use the spirit to work in pairs with their own ss, but for now, they were just a bunch of useless glowing turds that were running around. It wasn''t like they were harmful, but they don''t always stay with the person they were bonded to.


    This meant that on most days, there would be countless of them roaming around the Guild. This didn''t get into too much trouble, but they also weren''t that helpful at this stage.


    I had woken the ind Dragon Turtle, and now it was headed straight towards our target, but when I had woken it up, the ind had changed. The jungle that had been a single path was now spread out into many different sections, and I was curious to explore them.


    I had been on one of these inds before, but this one was different from others I had been on. For one thing, some sections had monsters in them, and that wasn''t normal.


    There shouldn''t be any kind of monster that could appear outside the dungeon, but it could be part of whatever Jhin was trying to do with the gates. I had a rough idea of what he was trying to do, and it would not be good for anyone.


    Game Masters were A.I. that had been created by Dave, the creator of this Game World. None of the Game Masters could use systems. What they could do is summon monsters into the world, and that must be what he was doing now.


    If he is able toplete what he needs to before I have this world ready to resist, not even the other gods will be able to stop him. When that happens, everyone would be lost, and I would be forced toplete the game, but I would leave this world to be destroyed.


    Yes, this was only a game world, but Dave had told me about the far-reaching effect of losing one of these games.


    "If you lose the world, but still win the game, the people of the next world will hold resentment against you, and none of them will even know why, but they will haveck of trust in you," Dave had exined to me in one of his routine spouts of information that he likes to spring on me anytime that I looked ideal.


    So, monsters in this world were helpful for my cause as we traveled to the first dungeon. It also marked the beginning of the end for this world.


    Everyone would need to fight when the gates started to open up. They would start to appear around this world, and the monsters would begin to start pouring in.


    Crass, Gastbo, and my father James were all set up in the Forge on the second level, but they were all kept bust almost non-stop. I had convinced Crass to hold off on thepetition until after the first dungeon was cleared.


    There was too much for them to be doing to start up thepetition at the moment. I promised the men that the girls and I would judge for them when the time came.


    For now, there was more than enough for them to do. The way that the Marines were burning through weapons and armor, all three needed to be working to keep up.


    After I had gotten the ind woken up, I used magic to stretch the haul-out, giving the inside a much longer appearance. The Guild Hall was almost twice as long as the previous one, and the Mesh hall was sorted into sections.


    I was sitting at one of therger tables, and I had the girls sitting around me, but there were also other men sitting around the table with us. Jester, Tim, Braum, and Hershal, and my four brothers all sat together across from me.


    I was pretty surprised when I first saw them, and they all gave me hugs. Each of them looked to have grown and matured even more over the month since I saw themst.


    "So, ording to what you predict, it will take about three more days to reach the ind, right?" Jester asked me, and I nodded to him.


    We were trying to decide what to do with our time on the way over at the moment. Almost all the people had been training, but there were other things on this ind, and the monsters here were all weak, so killing them wouldn''t do much good for the girls and me.


    "During that time, everyone will be responsible for gaining experience and getting stronger. Regardless if we have the Resurrection Tree, everyone is going to have to get strong enough to fight on their own when the timees," I exined to everyone gathered.


    "What are your ns in the meantime, then? You had said that it was pointless for you and the girls to train with the monsters here, so what are your ns? Anything that we can help with?" Braum asked while leaning forward.


    "The girls and I still have some catching up to do, and your right; fighting the monsters here would not be helpful for us, but they will help the men that are training right now. There is also the problem of thinning out the monsters too much if we start to kill them. No, I think that the girls and I will do some exploring and look around the ind," I exined as the food was brought over to the table by na.


    Her brother Victor and boyfriend Corbit had gone out with the other men training right now and wouldn''t be back tillter. She was also training with Drainia, but she enjoyed being able to help out with the meals.


    I think it might have been that she just enjoyed the way that Leina fussed over her so much. Leina had been hoping to get a girl to be a mother too, but now Candi, Kari, and na were constantly in the kitchen at meals helping out.


    Kari was Trinity''s new name, and I agreed that it was only proper to give her a name of her own. Though I wished she would have picked something that didn''t end with the same sounds as Candi''s name.


    The two girls were getting along well, but Candi was still irritable to me, so I just stayed away from her. She would need to cool down, or there would be some serious ass swatting to be had.


    Gloria and Mei both spent training together, and they had only now juste back to eat, and then they would go right back out. Since I took Mei''s magic, Gloria had been training her to get used to using a knife again for her new Earth Rogue ss.


    The ss utilized the abilities to move through the earth and also strike with it. Mei was basically a Geomancer ninja now, and she was trying hard to get up to fighting strength.


    I wanted to force Kari and Candi to train, but I decided to leave them. After a couple of run-ins, I ended up being more work than I had the patience for at the moment.


    It was to the point that I had almost pped her off her feet, so I left the two be for now. She was obviously in good fighting shape, and Kari was a werewolf, so she should be fine.


    Still, I was going to need to get control of her soon, but that could wait. Everyone was eating, and there was no need to wreck a good meal just to bring up a problem like this.


    I felt a soft, warm hand slip into mine and then soft lips on my cheek. The feeling of her hand and lips was enough to melt away any stress that I was building up, and I turned to smile down at her.


    "You haven''t touched your food yet, and you are making everyone ufortable with your dark and brooding gaze. Calm down, baby, we will get everything in order," Lesha said to me with her beautiful and magical smile.


    She was right, but that didn''t change the things that we had to deal with or what wasing. Still, I was not doing any good by looking angry all the time, something I was doing more often now.


    "Sorry, there is just a lot that still needs to be done before Jhin tried to end this world on us, and all I can do is think how unprepared this world is going to be for all of this," I said to her with a sigh, but Lesha just smiled warmly back up at me.


    "You will figure it out, and you have all of us to help you out. Remember that you don''t have to take the whole world on by yourself. Even though Candi isplex and the world is moving faster than you would like, we are all here together, and we will figure it out together, Lesha told me, and I leaned down and kissed her beautiful face.

 Chapter 137: Shaping The Wind

    Chapter 137: Shaping The Wind


    It was time to start spirit training. Not everyone had a spirit, so that would be the first task, but I wanted to go and check to see how Gloria and Mei were doing.


    "Do you think the two of them are getting it on? Maybe we should just leave them be?" Healia asked as I walked with her and Lishtani.


    "The girls won''t be messing around. Even if Mei and be a little off sometimes, you know that Gloria keeps her on the straight and narrow. Gloria told me that they wereing out to the far northeast corner of the ind.


    "Yes, Gloria will not be messing around; they do enough messing around when they are in the bedroom with their giggles," Lishtani said with a smile.


    Lishtani and Healia decided to join me after Drania asked if she could work with Lesha and na. Drania was helping the two girls train with their spirits, and she had also offered the same to the mean, but they all slowly collected their own spirits.


    At first, I was against it and told them that they should be getting help from Drania so they wouldn''t get stuck with a wild spirit that might end up being overly troublesome. The problem with spirits wasn''t that they could bother others.


    Once a spirit was bonded with you, they weren''t able to go within a certain distance from you, but they also can''t affect anything but us unless we merge with them. To merge with them, we have to ept the spirit to gain partial control of your body.


    For most, the process will be shaken and a lengthy trial, and for some, if the connection is good, they will sync well. If the partner is not in sync with the bonded spirit, it can end up making everything a lot harder than it needed to be.


    "Yes, I don''t think that the two would be wasting time right now, but I want them toe in so we can start showing everyone at once and finish cing the rest of the spirits," I said as we rounded the beach.


    "Does that mean that you will finally take some time out of your busy day to find me one?" Healia asked, rubbing into me, and I could feel the me that was her magic burning deep inside of her.


    Healia had changed, but only slightly, and now she was more attached to me. Lesha didn''t seem to mind, but the way Healia looked at me left me feeling weird.


    "Yes, after we are done talking with the girls, L will take the girls back, and you and I will go into the waterfall area," I said to Healia, and she smiled warmly at me, but I also saw Lishtani roll her eyes at me.


    "You two better not be too long. If I have to get everyone into one group and go down to get the Soul Gems all by myself, there will be hell to pay," Lishtani said in a t voice, but that made meugh.


    "Oh? You are going to be the ones to go down and get the Soul Gem? Are you able to carry the eight crates that we have up all my lonesome?" I teased Lishtani.


    She would have someone else, or more specifically, she would get some of the men to do it. The woman had no interest in men, and they still all treated her like a god, but I guess that was a gift with her having a good status.


    I was really hoping that she would have had magic that I could have taken, but she and Drania had not been around when the Mana Wave hit from the entrance of the gods. Healia still had her healing magic, but I wasn''t about to take that away anytime soon.


    Even though that would cause Healia''s spiritual growth to be stunted until she had itpletely removed by me. I had talked to her about it, and after exining myself, she more than agreed.


    When I had told her with Lesha, Healia had crept over to sit across Lesha''s and myp as we had talked. I had difficulty getting her to stop, though, because it didn''t bother Lesha; I think she might even like it.


    I would have been a lot more worried about Healia and the way she acted if it was only with me, but she had been acting the same with Lesha as she had with me. This was interesting, but I wasn''t really sure what to do about it.


    Lesha and I have had lesbian friends in the real world that were quite free with their rtionships, but I had never wanted something like that for us. Yet, I really enjoyed watching Lesha and her act cute around each other, and I never asked her to stop when she was horsing around.


    I wasn''t sure what I meant, but we would just let Healia stay close with us for now. Unlike before, Healia no longer tried to make sexual advances on me or any of the girls, but it was funny to see Healia apologize to Lesha for back in the guildhall when She had been making advances on me.


    We could see the girls now, and I could also see the glowing spirits with them. Mei and Gloria both got mischievous little wind spirits that neither Drania nor I approved, but like most men, these two girls had thick heads.


    If the two girls got it in their heads that this was the spirit that they wanted, then that spirit had betterply. I think that the spirits were a good match for them, but there was also the chance that they could be harder to control.


    "K! Mei called out, waving to the three of us.


    They had been working with the wind de technique that I had shown them, and they had a couple stakes stuck in the ground as targets. Every spirit had a primary element, and they could be used as that element in a fundamental way like the Wind de or Step.


    Other elements like fire could create small balls of fire and coat themselves in burn armor that causes damage to the attackers. There were many other basic ways that spirits could be used, and it was another way to train your body and build up the bond you have with the spirit.


    "How are you girls doing today? I saw some good cuts as we wereing up," I said as I gave Mei a hang as she ran over to me.


    Even as a full-grown woman, I still always picture Mei as a child in my mind, but there was no denying how much she had matured and grown in thest week. Gloria came over, and we kissed cheeks and then parted with a smile as Mei went over to slip under Gloria''s arm.


    "You guys have a nice quiet and secluded space out here," I said to the grinning couple.


    "Yes, and we are slowly making some progress, but these spirits don''t always want to train. It''s almost like they get bored with the idea, and then they be nearly impossible to," Gloria had started to say, but I reached out and ripped the Dancing spirit off her shoulder, cutting her off.


    "This is why Drania and I had told you two to wait; no, you and the rest of the men will fight with them instead of having a good easy-going partner," I scolded the two of them.


    I had expected the men to be hard-headed about this, but I guess that I shouldn''t be surprised by them acting like this. In fact, the only ones that I expected to act somewhat normal were Listani and Drania. Still, it would have been nice for these two to listen,


    I had the struggling spirit in my hand, and I started to mold it against its will. The thing was more than challenging, but I had my own spirit that was much stronger.


    I pulled a hand back and let it reform, but as it did, I let Firburg stick his head out of my palm. Seeing my fire dragon, the other spirit covered in fear.


    All spirits in this world lived below the next in terms of power, and they feared and respected the ones that we''re stronger than them. Firburg could be a massive dragon, but he was different than the spirits that the rest had.


    I pulled Firburg back, and the Wind sprite melted into my hand, and then I poured the puddle back onto Gloria''s shoulder where it stayed, calmly. The spirit would be good now, but it would be up to the girls to get control of them.


    "You two decided that you wanted to have these ones even after we had told you that it was a bad idea. Now you will have to sleep in the beds that you made, but I want you to go back with Listani and help her get set up. Healia and I are going to the Waterfall to find her spirit, the proper way," I said while ring at the two girls, but they just rolled their eyes at me.


    "Yes, Mama K, just try not to get lost or distracted while you two are ying. I don''t want to sit around all day and wait for you two. I want to get back to training," Gloria told me with a giant smile that made me roll my eyes as the three left.


    "Ready to go, Mama K? Or can I call you Mommy?" Healia joked as we headed into the jungle.

 Chapter 138: Pirate Monkeys

    Chapter 138: Pirate Monkeys


    I watched as Lesha and the girls walked down the beach and until they were out of sight. Hopefully, everyone would be gathered around by the time we got back, and then we could take care of showing everyone how to start training their partners.


    "Ready to go, my fearless leader?" Healia asked,ing over to me and giving me a warm smile.


    "Yes, but did you bring a weapon, or do you need one? Do you still have ess to Meatheads Gates?" I asked her as I turned back to join Healia.


    The gates were Hyde''s quirk, just like the Blood Queen Gene my body always started with. No matter how many times I would be reborn, I would alwayse out with being fully Vampire underneath, but a particr edited version of one.


    I was not weak at anything, and I could eat normally, and I could absorb blood instead of drinking it. All of these things would make me an unstoppable monster, and they paired my powers, but there were the girls and the people I was responsible for here.


    "I can only break the first Gate, but that strength should be good. Plus, you taught me how to fight with my hand in Second Life before we even came to Reborn," Healia said as I joined her, and we started to walk.


    I burned some blood and created a pair of ck and red Blood Steal knuckles for her to slip her fingers into. After giving them to Healia and seeing them fit her handfortably, I burned more blood.


    I let my skin go ck and let the Blood Queen out, and blood started to leak from my skin as we walked. The blood coagtes in the air in front of my skin to start creating my Blood Steel Armor ting and a War Door style medium tower shield.


    After the tall rectangr shield grew out from my hand and slightly curved back to me on the sides. Thest thing was to summon a weapon, but I used sharpened and reinforced the tips of my gauntlets.


    "I will walk in front, but you need to cover me when they starting," I said just before my helmet grew over my head.


    "Yes, I know, I will stay," Healia tried to say but had to cut off to punch an armored monkey in the face. "Oh no, not these again!"


    The ind was built simr to a dungeon, but not entirely the same, over really close, just simr. We learned that if you traveled into the jungle in an evenly leveled pack of people, the monsters would stay the same level, but traveling with me was different.


    I forced the Basophils to stop from burning automatically to slow time; there was no need. I could see the Pirate Monkeys perfectly well, so I burned almost all the blood in my tank into the red.


    "Stayed shielded and cast walls to divert the flow of them!" I shouted through my helmet, but Healia was already erecting her barriers andyers of Holy Shields.


    Pirate monkeys were a strange race on this ind, and by themselves, we were just thieves to start out with. We had learned the hard way, and now all of the Pirate Monkeys were wearing out armor and using our weapons.


    I slowed to a stop and got myself nted and ready with my shield up, then I let the rage out.


    A wave of pure malice rolled off me, but it wasn''t to scare them away. Since there were so many of the beasts, I couldn''t control more than five right now, and that wasn''t nearly enough.


    White walls of light started t0o appear around me, almost making a maze, but it would guild the Pirate Monkey into me, but now from only two locations, and I could force five to hold that side, but the was only suitable for thirty seconds, and then I needed to have enough blood to talk on every one of them.


    "COME AND GET ME!" I screamed, activating my battle cry that was now at level five, and every Pirate Monkey converged on me.


    I stepped into a line of seven, and then activated my shield Bash, and shot into the group like a rocket, causing blood to spray into the air. I pulled the blood into me as three heavy arrows bounced off my back.


    I turned and dropped my empty right hand and let all my magic create a swirling massive two-meter-long sledge. Right then, an arrow bounced off my head, and all the monkeys stopped to look at me and my massive hammer that was not going to be good for their health.


    "Oh, DON''T STOP NOW!" I screamed as I activated one of my newest skills, Call To War.


    This was like a super version of the Battle cry, but a lot more dangerous to use. This affected all monsters within fifty meters, and that was arge area, so using this could bring a lot of people down on you, and itsted for an entire minute.


    I swung my massive hammer in an arc at three monkeys and then brought it up into the air and smashed it down on another pair. The entire time, I was absorbing more blood and getting almost back to a full tank.


    I blocked three attacks with my shield and then choked up on my hammer as I spun. The head of my hammer smashed and ripped into them at a disgusting speed, tearing their bodies apart.


    None of it mattered, and I let my hand slide down the handle as I turned to face the next four, but I could see three moreing up behind me.


    "K, Behind you!" Healia called, and I dropped my shield, letting it disappear, and grabbed the end of my massive hammer, and started to spin.


    I killed the seven in a drain of blood and entrails, but the bodies were no more than dried husks, but they think that they hit the ground. I turned to take on the next group, but then I noticed something.


    Shield Walls started to break, and there must have been over a hundred of the little devils to start out with. Instead of trying to get them to hold one side, I decided that I made ones that were in the middle of groups to start attacking.


    "Are you ready now?" I called out to Healia.


    "Suck me dry, Mama K!" Healia called to me as she came running over, making me roll my eyes, even in the heat of battle.


    I let the hammer go, and all my armor fell off as I did, and I drained my entire tank, which also took arge amount of blood from Healia. She gasped out in pleasure as I did, but I was too dialed in to get hot from it.


    My body was ice cold, and the ultra-ck of my skin started to pull the light in around me. Healia muscles and body were rippling from the Frenzy, but the world around us had calmed and slowed down to a near stop.


    [Blood Queen] Activated!


    Healia let the walls of light shatter like shards of ss, and then both began killing in earnest. I needed to collect a full tank in order to get a full thirty seconds of time slowed to a near stop, and that would pass by in their second for them.


    The two of us tore through the Pirate monkeys like they were paper dolls, neither of us giving any quarter. Within twenty seconds, all one of them was dead, and I let the time snap back and then wholly refilled my blood storage.


    Healia came over to me panting, and with a little bit of blood on her, so I burned some red, and then I absorbed what was on her. She looked tired, but using the Basophils for even twenty seconds would be extremely tanking on her body, even with the single Gate open.


    "Thank you for cleaning me up, I still don''t get how you can do that all the time, and it has almost no effect on you," Healia said as I let my skin go back to its standard color.


    "It is my power; you are just borrowing it, just like the Gate. It will always be harder for you to use someone else''s power, and that is why you and I are going to the waterfall," I said as we started to walk ahead to our destination, which was still another ten-minute walk.


    Now that we had faced our daily challenge, there would be no monsters for either of us to fight, and joining another group would just make it, so no one got monsters. It was almost like the ind was telling us that, hey, look, this is all we have, so stop trying to farm me.


    "Do you really think that there is one there for me? Why are we even going here anyway? I thought you told everyone to stay here?" Healia asked as we walked.


    "Yes, I did, but I am not everyone else; I am the one that told everyone to stay here. You will see when we get there by what I mean. The spirits there are extremely powerful and dangerous, and they don''t like outsiders, so you need to stay close and keep that wandering tongue of yours in your head, okay," I said to Healia in a no-nonsense tone.


    "Yes, Mama K, I will keep my lips sealed," Healia said with a smile.

 Chapter 139: Carrying The World

    Chapter 139: Carrying The World


    "So, what is the n after this? I get a spirit, and you? Go back to ordering people around and looking angry all the time? I mean, I think that is how the guild leader in stories tends to act, but." Healia said, letting her voice trail off, and I rolled my eyes.


    "Oh, and do like what? Do you think that I should be some drunk that sits around and assaults her guild members? Or maybe just sit around and let everyone else do the work?" I asked as we walked down the path to the waterfall springs where the elder spirits were residing.


    "I think that you should take a look at yourself in the mirror. Maybe I wasn''t the best guild leader, and maybe Gram wasn''t much either, but we still allughed and had fun. Now you are you again, the real Kiada that has a stick shoved up her ass, the same one that lost the love of her life," Healia said to me and then stopped walking, forcing me to stop and turn to her.


    What was I supposed to do? This was who I was, and I have always been a hard-ass about things. Why did I need to change all of a sudden?


    "Yes, but now I have her back, and she can walk again, but now it''s not just her! I have to keep all of you safe and prepare this world for a sh with the Game Master that is going to tear most of this world apart," I said, throwing my hands into the air, but Healia shook her head at me.


    "No, you don''t have to, and Lesha deserves more from you! You are the one that just said it! You have everything that you two have ever wanted, but you are the only one that is acting like the world is going to end! Don''t you see what I am getting at?" Healia said, throwing her hands out to the side.


    "Maybe you all should start acting like this! Why do I have to be the only person that is working to end this all? WHO DO YOU THINK I AM DOING THIS FOR?! ME?!" I screamed, all cool leaving me.


    Healia took a step back, and I turned away, reigning the anger back inside of me to make my eyes stop glowing. I came into this game intending to save the woman that I loved more than anything else in the world.


    I agreed to help everyone else to get what I wanted and nothing more, but now, I was still fighting. The exact number of times that I could have stood in this very spot was unknown, which bothered me because I had no way to deal with it or stop it from happening again.


    "Did you ever think that you are trying to force the game to do what you want? We can''t make it do this that Dave didn''t design into it, and everything takes a certain amount of time and exploration. Since even before your memories came back, you have been rushing through everything. Now, you don''t have any time for the girls or Lesha. How long will you keep this up? Or is this the you that we are stuck with?" Healia asked, and I sucked my emotions before turning on her.


    "I don''t know what you want from me! I am trying to help everyone!" I said as I pulled to keep my anger from slipping out.


    "Stop, they don''t need help; they just need your direction! We have lots of people that can do the jobs that you do. Your job is not to run around and try to do all the tasks; it is to direct others to be able to deal with them, so you can deal with therger one, and still have time for everyone one else," Healia exined, and I put my hand to my face.


    I didn''t want to talk or argue about this right now, but Healia wasn''t going to let this go. Maybe she wasn''t entirely wrong about the way I started acting, but this was me.


    The day that I found out that Lesha would never walk again, I had stayed by her side until the doctors told me I had to go. Then I had gone home to my parent''s house and cried all night, but then I woke up and made a promise to myself.


    I would not leave her side, no matter what happened, and I promised her parents that not even death would keep me from her. They had called me crazy, but over time even her father started to like me.


    I wasn''t the man he had dreamed Lesha would settle down with, but I kept my word even today. Now, Lesha didn''t need me to pamper or push her around, and I was still carrying the world on my shoulders.


    "Then what am I supposed to do? I just stop being guild leader and start spending all my time with the girls?" I asked, trying to keep the bitterness and frustration out of my voice but not doing a very good job.


    "Take it one step at a time, K, we are here with you, and right now, there are three previous guild leaders, three cksmiths, and plenty of other qualified people that are all more than excited to help out. Though, spending some time with your beautiful wife might not be that bad of an idea, just saying," Healia said, giving me a light push that seemed to take some of the stress with it.


    "Fine. Then you are going to deal with the training of the spirit with the gods, and I will spend some time with Lesha and try to talk to Candi. I don''t know how well thest one will go, but I will try," I said, and Healia locked elbows with me and pulled me forward.


    "That is all that we ask; I know that you have had a far rougher go than most, but we are in Reborn now. Let the Earth pains fade away, and embrace the new you in Reborn, and stop holding on to the pain," Healia said as we started moving again.

 Chapter 140: Needing To Slow Down

    Chapter 140: Needing To Slow Down


    I continued with Healia at my side, but I wasn''t paying attention to her, but I stuck to the words that she had said.


    I felt like I was holding the world upon my shoulders with this game, even though I knew that the other three idiots were having just as rough a time. We had made a n, but they were only good if everything worked perfectly, but it didn''t.


    I needed to let that go and start living in the here and now, but that was hard for me. I constantly reminded myself about Lesha; though I knew she would never have that life again, it still scared me.


    We wereing up to the waterfall now, and I let out a long breath and cleared my head. Thest thing I wanted was to get lectured by Sylvia, so I needed to empty my mind of all


    "You know that won''t work, or have you forgotten already?" Sylvia, the elder Spirit, asked me, snapping me out of my daze, and I cursed.


    She was a beautiful Nymph-like woman with long vine hair that created a dress for her. The Nature Spirit could read minds, and I was had.


    I was already too close now, and Sylvia was sitting on the rock in the middle of the pond staring at me, so there was no walking away now. The trees started to rustle around me, and small spirits started toe out and move around both of our feet.


    "There are so many of them here! They are much bigger than the ones we saw before, aren''t they?" Healia asked me as she squatted down.


    "Yes, this one spends too much time around this one and gets the crystals she would get from killing the monsters on this ind before we came. Saliva is one of many Elder spirits on this ind, but she is the only one that will speak to me. The rest don''t recognize any of us yet because we are too weak," I exined, and Healia nodded.


    "So then you brought me here to pick one of these?" Healia asked as she caressed a Tiger Wind Spirit.


    "No, she brought you here because she doesn''t want to take me. I am looking for a strong partner, and I can see that you are not weak, but you have a long way to go. My name is Sylvia, and I am a Nature Spirit; and I can see your potential, but before I agree to anything, I would like to see you in action. Kiada, since you are so strong, why don''t you give me a little demonstration?" Sylvia asked me, and I red at her.


    "Why don''t you just fight her or me?" I asked with gritted teeth.


    I was not in the mood for this Spirit''s game.


    "No, it''s fine, I am not weakling, and I don''t need a weapon to beat you. We could both use the exercise, so don''t hold back; I want to see who is better," Healia taunted me, and I rolled my eyes at her.


    "Fine, I will even give you a boost," I sneered and then pulled blood from her neck, making Healia''s eyes burn red, and I burned telets.


    Blood Steel te covered my body, and my shield formed in my left hand and my hammer of light in the right. The te covered my face, and I rushed Healia as I burned Red Blood.


    Healia threw up her hands, and a massive golden gate appeared made out of light.


    "Golden Gate Barrier/Reirrab Etag Nedlog!" Healia called out.


    I smashed into the barrier but only slightly cracked it with my Hammer of Light, so I pulled the elements out of me and poured them into the hammer. I swung at the gold barrier again and smashed it, but Healia had time to prepare, and I pulled my shield up barely in time.


    "Golden Lance/al Nedlog!" Healia called out, and a massivence of like smashed into my shield, cracking it.


    I burned more Red, but Healie rushed me and was about to punch me in the chest, but stopped when Sylvia called out, thankfully.


    "Enough! Very good, you are very fast, but you need to slow down to think a bit more. In a real fight, you would be seriously injured or dead if you would have continued," Sylvia exined, but Healia was frowning.


    "I would have done it that hard," I said, taking the Mana from my armor that I had piled up in the center of it.


    If Healia had hit me, she would have been blown back and maybe had her hand broken. It could have been anything in a real fight, and Healia assumed that she knew it all because she was a goddess and very strong, but I had already fought two of them.


    "I didn''t know you knew how to do that; when?" Healia asked me when she looked at my chest as I took the Mana back into me.


    "There are many things that we don''t know, and it is dangerous to ever assume that you know everything about an enemy. I have been working on some training when I stumbled on Sylvia, and she asked me to be her partner. I am not looking for a Nature Spirit right now, but I think that she would do really good with you," I exined, and Healia looked over at the glowing green woman on the rock.


    "Would you be willing to take me as your partner?" Healia asked as she turned away from me and walked over to the edge of the pond.


    "If you are willing to learn, then yes. I can see you bing something great in this world, and I would like to join you and finally leave this ind," Sylvia exined as she walked from the rock across the water, reaching out a hand to Healia.


    I watched as the beautiful green Spirit absorbed into Healia and then carved the ce that Draina preparedrger. Healia gasped, and then her eyes shed green as Sylvia settled into her body.

 Chapter 141: What Is The Worst That Could Happen?

    Chapter 141: What Is The Worst That Could Happen?


    Healia turned to me with a bewildered look and panting after Sylia had wholly settled into her.


    I had guessed that it wouldn''t be easy, but it looked like it had taken a lot out of her. I would have to consider that before I went searching for the ancients that were hiding here.


    That could also be the reason why none of them have approached me. I had spent some time alone walking and looking for new paths and fighting monsters to get stronger, but I felt like I was missing something.


    "How do you feel?" I asked Healia as I focused on her.


    "That was not what I expected. It was like my insides were getting scraped. When Drania did it to me, it was just pressure and not really painful, but this was not the same. Sylvia says that she needs to stay inside of me now for a while to let my body get used to her, but I will be able to use her abilities to a degree," Healia exined to me, and I nodded with a smile.


    "Good, now let''s get back so I can deal with the things that I need to," I said as I turned to take the path that we just came from, and Healia jogged up beside me, looping my arm in hers at the elbow.


    "Sylvia agrees with me, you know," Healia said as we walked, and I shot a re at her, but that didn''t stop her. "She thinks that you are carrying too much baggage around. Sylvia also thinks that is part of why the ancients don''t want to speak with you. They have to share your mind, and I think it was like my aunts were for you."


    "So what are you trying to say? That because I care so much about all of you and want to keep you safe that I am holding myself back?" I said, gritting my teeth.


    I was trying not to get upset, but it was hard when it felt like no one understood what you have done and continue to do.


    "No, that is not what we are saying! We all know what you have done and continue to do. You need to let go of all of the pain thates with it from our pasts. We are all dead out there, and you are, too, if I am not mistaken. That ce doesn''t matter anymore; we just want the caring and loving Momma K back that we all love and adore," Healia said with a smile and a tear in her eye, and then she kissed my cheek.


    I was silent because I wasn''t sure what to say or if I could without getting emotional, so I stayed quiet for a bit. I wished that I never got all these memories back, but at the same time, there were so many great memories mixed in with the bad.


    I needed to put that extra drop into my cup, or I would start to grow apart from all these people that I cared about so much. I needed to start being more pessimistic about things.


    Yes, an A.I. Program was trying to end this world, and there was the same bastard that killed my wife trying to mess everything else up. That was all true, but I had all the girls. I also had the woman I cared most for by my side, so what else could I ask for?


    I leaned over and kissed the side of Healia''s temple and then squeezed her arm.


    "Thank you, I think that I will be better now, or at least I will try to have a more positive outlook. I shouldn''t be dwelling on the past. I don''t want things with you and the rest of the girls to change," I said as we came out of the jungle and on to the ce where we had found Gloria and Mei.


    "Things will take time, but together we are stronger, and we will make it through this world and on to the next. I think that you and Lesha should take some time together when we get back. The two of you have both been very busy helping everyone else and training, but I don''t think you have spent any time together since." Healia''s voice trailed off, but I knew what she meant, and I sighed.


    "I have been just scared, I guess. I feel like I will not know what to say, and it''s almost like we are meeting for the first time again, but not. I don''t know how to exin it," I said with a bit of frustration tingling my voice.


    "Well, you are just going to have to rip the bandaid off and get it over with. There is really no other way you are going to do it, right? Just go ask her to go for a walk down the beach, and then find somewhere nice and private to sit down and rx with her," Healia said to me as we started down the coast.


    "What about everyone else and the other things that we have to prepare for? You know that the ind is moving to the next dungeon, and we still haven''t found the dungeon on this ind!" I said, rolling my eyes.


    "Don''t give me any of that! The rest of us will take care of things while you are gone, and we still have more than just today. What is the worst that could happen? You go out and have a really great time even if you don''t talk, but you and I both know that won''t be the cause," Healia said to me, and I knew that she was right.


    "Fine, when we get back, I will go find her, but I want you to try and deal with Candi. I can''t take that little brat anymore with the attitude, and you are pretty good and dealing with miscreants, right?" I asked Healia, and she nodded to me and then replied in an annoying regal voice.


    "Your wish is mymand, and I shall deal with our little problem child!" Healia dered, striking her finger into the air, making me roll my eyes and scrub my face with my free hand.

 Chapter 142: Did Someone Hit You On The Head Again?!

    Chapter 142: Did Someone Hit You On The Head Again?!


    To my surprise, the two of us got back to the Guild and went inside, but the ce was empty on the lower level. It was around lunch, but not quite, so I expected everyone to be waiting, but the ce was a ghost town.


    "Everyone is out training, but Lesha is upstairs with your father right now."


    I looked around and then saw Gram jump up on the bar countertop.


    "Good, K is going to take the rest of the day off to spend with Lesha, so I would like for Leina to make a pic lunch for them if she doesn''t mind," Healia said before I could open my mouth.


    Before I couldin, my stepmother was poking ahead out of the kitchen.


    "Oh? You and Lesha are finally going to go and have some alone time? I will make sure to pack the wine that you like!" Leina said and then disappeared back into the kitchen.


    "Don''t even try topin! We just talked about this, and now you are going to find your wife and take her on a cute date!" Healia scolded me as she turned back to me, and I sighed.


    It wasn''t like I didn''t want to do it; I just felt resistant to it for some reason. I was still worried in the back of my head about having to talk to her about everything.


    I shook my head, walked to the stairs, and headed to the second level, where my father and the twins'' workshop was. I was curious to see what Lesha was doing up here, and I also wanted to know how things were going with my father, Gastbo, and Crass.


    Goby jumped off my boot in his weird fashion from nothing more than a red smear that looked like dirty mud. He was dirty and would need a bath tonight, but his smell wasn''t horrible yet.


    "K-K-K-K, what are we going to do today? Go get some bad guys!? Maybe search out the best spirit watching spot for a pic?!" Gobby rambled off as the dirty walking blood clot walked over to the door to the workshop.


    From out here, there was no sound, but I knew as I walked forward to prepare myself. The magic of this Guild sealed off each area like its own separate space, so no sound escaped when you had the door closed.


    "Something like that. I am going to get Lesha, and we are going to spend some time alone and go for a walk. You should go have a bath, and try not to get stuck in the drain, or I will have to summon you again, and who knows when I will get around to doing that," I teased Gobby with a smile, but that made his one eye almost cover his body.


    "Are you okay?! Did someone hit you on the head again?!" Gobby asked from where I wasn''t sure because his eye covered his entire face.


    "What? Yes, I am fine; why?" I asked, confused about what he meant.


    "You don''tugh and smile like that! Or you haven''t since you built this ce! What had gotten into you??" Gobby asked as he leaned towards me.


    "I am just trying to take a more cup half full approach, but I do see what you mean. Maybe it''s too much? I''m not sure." I said, with my voice trailing off.


    "No, No, No! This is good! Keep this up, and I will go get clean and meet you back down here when it''s time to go!" Gobby told me with excitement and then turned, running up the stairs as fast as his little legs would carry him.


    I was going to stop him to tell him I wanted to go alone, but it wasn''t that much to have him around, and Lesha loved him. I took a deep breath and then closed off my ear the best I could and pulled the door open as I let the breath out.


    The sounds of many people yelling and hammer smacking down filled the air as I walked into therge workshop. There were many more people in here than I had expected there to be; I counted six of the sailors/marines.


    "K! Over here!" I heard my father call, and I took another deep breath as I went over to him and Lesha and hugged him.


    James was surprised at first, but soon he embraced me back in a tight hug. I had been distant since I got my memories back, and that wasn''t fair to him.


    This man had raised me my whole life in this world before I knew any of this, and I still loved him like a father. I had a far better rtionship with Leina and him than I ever had with my real parents, who didn''t ever really ept me for who I was.


    "Nice to have my little girl back, I hope," My father said as we pulled apart, and I smiled at him.


    "I just had and still have a lot of things going on in my head," I said and then turned to the beautiful smiling blue woman in a leather smock that I loved. "What are you doing up here getting all dirty? I should have told Gobby to wait, and then two of you could have gotten cleaned."


    Lesha just came and kissed me, and my arms closed around her. The world closed off, and all the hammers faded into the background as I became instantly lost in her kiss.


    It had only been since this morning that we had kissed, but this time it was different, and it was like she could read me like an open book. I guess Healia was right, and I really needed to lighten up and start to feel more.


    I ran my hands through her soft blonde hair, caressing the back of Lesha''s head as we slowly kissed. I could have stayed in this moment for the rest of my life, but Lesha was the one to slowly pull away, even as I tried to chase her lips.


    "You were asking me a question, silly, and if you keep this up, I will never get to answer you," Lesha said to me in such an adorably cute voice that I couldn''t do more than grin in reply.

 Chapter 143: That Special Moment

    Chapter 143: That Special Moment


    "I came up here to spend some time with your father to get to know him better, and he offered to forge me a new sword!" Lesha said and then kissed my cheek.


    "And I asked her if she wanted to help! Ha! Guess what? She wanted to! A girl, and not even one of my own four children! Could you imagine that?!" My father dramatized, and I rolled my eyes but then let out a horrible squawking noise.


    Lesha had started to attack my side, and I almost burned telets for protection from the witch.


    "Don''t roll your eyes at your father! I can''t believe you five! I would have killed for my father to have asked me to spend time with him or offer me training!" Lesha said with a serious face, and I held my eyes fiercely tight in my skull.


    Lesha''s parents had epted her, but they didn''t like me at first, and they always told her that she could do better. That all changed after the ident, and I soon became their second daughter after I left home, started working, and moved in with them to help take care of Lesha.


    She wasn''t wrong, and I really should have spent more time with James, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty. I would work on that, and we didn''t need to rush out for a walk.


    "Okay, I will help, but after I asked Liena to pack us up a basket to take on a walk. So, once we are done here, I would like to take you for a date? I guess that''s what it''s called," I said, sounding far more awkward than I had intended, but Lesha lit up like the sun.


    "Really?! You nned a pic just for us? All on your own?" Lesha asked as she grabbed me in a hug, and I sighed.


    "Healia suggested it, so it really wasn''t my idea," I said as she let go of me, but Lesha shook her head at me.


    "It''s okay, Baby. You might have not thought of it, but you agreed to it and put the n into action; that''s what matters! Yes, Baby, I really do want to go for a pic with you! It''s been so long since the two of us have had a real date! Remember when you used to take me to that little cute bar Stephens Ave?" Lesha asked me, and then the question cut right into my heart and old memories.


    The ce had closed down just before this had all happened, and the owner had given us a special table at the back and apologized to us profusely. I can remember it like yesterday because that was the day that I had proposed to her.


    We had never gotten married because of what happened after, but I will never forget that night.


    Marco, the owner, had taken us to a table in the back that wasn''t essible by wheelchair, and he had even had wooden ramps built for us. I could have carried Lesha up, but we had beening to La France since we were sixteen, and we came every two weeks like clockwork.


    After we were seated, I noticed there were no other people in the ce, and I asked Marco where the patrons were. I had already found it strange that he was the one to seat us; Marco came out every time we ate there, but usually just before and after our meals.


    "Tonight is a special night, so we had everyone cleared out for your seven o clock standard reservation. I regret to inform you that tonight is ourst night of being open. We only got the news of apany buying this entire building, so I wanted to n something nice for my two favorite girls!" Marco had told us.


    That was when they brought out a bottle of the cheap Moscato, Viniq that we both loved so much, and then went in the back. I had been carrying around the ring that I gave her for over three months, waiting for a perfect moment.


    We had been served a grand meal, and the service that we received was out of this world. Just before we had finished, I covertly handed Marco the box that had the ring, and he had gone to the back with it.


    I had no idea what he was going to do, but after how perfectly amazing the night had been for us, I felt like it wouldn''t matter; the night was already perfect. I was wrong, and it seemed that Marco knew me better than I did because he had called Lesha''s parents ahead of time.


    I had told Marco after I had gotten the ring while I was paying for our meal, but I had never expected him to remember. All the staff and Lesha''s parents had bothe out, and Marco had slipped the box back into my hand.


    "Kiada, you have been almost like a second child to us, and the effort that you give every day for our little girl is more than we could have ever asked for her," Lesha''s mother had said.


    "Yes, we are both thankful for you to be in our daughter''s life, and we fully support you both!" Lesha''s father had said, mping a hand on my shoulder. "Having you around has almost been like having the son that I never had!"


    "Baby? What is going on? Why are you crying?" Lesha had asked as the tears of joy poured down my face.


    Everyone backed up from me, and I went down on one knee in front of her, and Lesha burst into tears. I remember having to force each word out; we had been through so much together, but this was really just me saying that I was ready to keep going, but it was so much more to us.


    "I''m sorry, Baby! I didn''t mean to bring up painful memories!" Lesha said, putting a hand to my cheek as I opened my ssy eyes, but I grabbed it and pushed it into my face, and then kissed it.


    "No, I just remembered that special moment," I said to her, and her eyes went big.


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