《Collected》 Chapter 1 Collected Chapter 1
¡°Apologies mean nothing. But I apologize.¡± Kamali felt her breath hitch. Except she wasn¡¯t breathing. Outside the alleyway she stood in, the market streets were in disarray. Windows shattered. Carts and merchant stands overturned. Brick and cobble buildings smashed into rubble, and coins of little worth spilled over the roads like foam. Screams barely drowned out the hoots and jeers in Virala Town, the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s cries a vile cacophony. Almost as bad as the cacophony in her head. Sibling! Newcomer! Come with us! Join us! Join us. Join! Be us. Her hands covered her ears. Ineffective. The voices yelled as loud as ever, overlapping each other. Kamali stepped back, and felt her foot phase through¡ª Her body. That was her on the ground, a bleeding mess of a dark-skinned girl. An average face and form for a fourteen year old human, but undeniably her. Her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t leave you behind, understand? Look at me, child. Look.¡± A sweet, gentle voice, but it broke through the cacophony in her head. Kamali swallowed, purely on force of habit, unable to turn away from her body. Unable to forget the claw marks ripped through her clothes, the anguish on her face, the memories. Her body still held tight to a small parcel of salmon ¡ª her dinner for the night, and Mother¡¯s. Mother wouldn¡¯t see her again. Nor vice versa. Had the Fervent Indulgent taken her? ¡°You are panicking. Look away, child.¡± The voice captivated her. She barely refused. She couldn¡¯t. Mustn¡¯t. ¡°Look.¡± A command. Her mind disobeyed her. Kamali turned, and felt herself go stiff at the blasphemous creature before her. Dark violet energy, like the miasma of spirits bundled up together, made up his towering, lean form, with lights of flickering colors inside. Shrouds of darkened, bloodied fabric were his clothes. Goblin-like ears and shaggy void-like hair poked out of his head, hidden by a crude smiling mask of stone, with intricate patterns etched around the false smile. It was repulsive, yet bizarrely pleasant to look at. Evil made beautiful. Yet he wasn¡¯t of the Indulgent Fervent. The purple carcasses of two overgrown hounds, mostly mouth and teeth and with only tiny specks for eyes, attested to that. Their giant claws and muscles spasmed still, their necks severed. One was held in the monster¡¯s right hand. ¡°This unsavory creation of Beastmaster¡¯s killed you,¡± said the monster. ¡°I returned the favor.¡± Kamali didn¡¯t feel favored. Doubly cursed, in fact. Paralysis left her still against the horror she faced, unmoving even as a booming explosion rang somewhere far behind her.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°The Collector,¡± she dared speak. The voices babbled louder than ever, Kamali weighed by them. ¡°Did I not say apologies mean nothing?¡± the monster said. ¡°You¡¯re him. T-the Collector.¡± The Collector slowly turned, facing the abandoned street at the opposite side of the alleyway. Shattered. Partially rubble. Corpses strewn about, both the townspeople¡¯s and the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s. The former¡¯s limbs were often severed, even chewed upon, and a few of the latter had bloodied teeth. One of the purple dogs laid still as well. A surviving member ran into the alleyway, face obscured, bloodstained dagger in hand and his cloak and garb the same dark colors as his brethren. Then paused at the Collector, gaping. The Collector instantly grabbed him, twisting his neck and ripping his head off with uncanny silence, Kamali startling at the murder. ¡°Avrom. I prefer it.¡± The Collector seemed to inhale the body for a brief moment, before spitting. He obscured the headless corpse behind a dumpster. ¡°You¡¯ll hardly ever feel pain again, child. Cathartic, isn¡¯t it?¡± The command binding her slackened. Kamali instantly looked down, her ghostly lower half a wispy, translucent shade of purple. Her hands, her legs, her clothes, it was all purple. No skin, no bone nor muscles ¡ª she couldn¡¯t feel herself, period. A spirit was all she was. Her body had been killed, and so she had no body. ¡°You collected me,¡± she whispered. ¡°Please don¡¯t make this harder for us both,¡± the Collector muttered. He half-turned back to her, somehow looking concerned for her. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t what you wanted. Then again, dying isn¡¯t what you wanted either, but here we are. Best you¡¯ll ever get at a second chance is with me.¡± A woman howled in the background, pained. Another howled, gleeful. ¡°I know what they tell you. Not all of it¡¯s true.¡± The Collector began to step forward. ¡°We¡¯ve stuck around long enough. Best to go now.¡± No place here. Leave! Leave! Home? Danger all around us. The voices made Kamali¡¯s lack of a skull throb. Her thoughts spun, processing her tragic situation. Processing the monster who had taken her very soul. The Collector was an infamous being, a Calamity Walker who feasted on the dead and stole their Rules, turning their powers into his. A sadistic killer, a tormentor, a bogeyman who carved the bones of his victims and spared no remorse for his trapped spirits. So why wasn¡¯t he exactly like that? The Collector moved, and Kamali felt him move. She felt his body in general ¡ª distantly, like a little buzz in the back of her head. Her captor moved a few more steps, and suddenly she felt her torso get yanked alongside him. Kamali sputtered and yelped, her spirit ignoring gravity as she floated off without her permission. She somehow fell face-first, against upturned pebbles next to a rubble pile. No pain, no scrapes ¡ª just a little phasing through the pebbles, and a smooth, cushioned smack against solid ground. But the unfamiliarity still broke her. ¡°N-no!¡± she said, facing the Collector, the horror in her voice mixed with indignance. A need to refuse her bindings. ¡°Release me! I can¡¯t do this, I won¡¯t! I¡¯d rather be dead!¡± Almost rather, she belatedly realized ¡ª her cockroach instincts for survival held fast as ever. But she shook that thought out. The Collector hummed, his tune a worn-out one, the kind made by someone who had relayed a piece of bad news too many times. ¡°There is one truth to what they say, however,¡± he said. ¡°The Collector holds you¡ª¡± For life. Forever. Ever. For life. The voices echoed over and over, whispering their cruelties and worming them through Kamali¡¯s ears. She began to quiver. ¡°But please,¡± the Collector consoled her. ¡°We are family, child. I will care for you. They will too. We are all of the same cloth now.¡± He raised his hand in a warm gesture. ¡°My friends inside me will keep you company. You will be delighted to meet them, I am certain. They will work with you, stand with you, be with you, for anything and everything.¡± A chuckle. ¡°We are legion, and we are legend. Each of us, a tapestry of stories weaved together into a new, immortal fable. You like hearing stories, child? You should know, us dead men tell the best kinds of tales. Just ask the corpses around us.¡± The Collector lightly slapped his knee, as if he¡¯d made a hilariously bad joke. The demeanour he had, the way he spoke, it gave Kamali a fatherly vibe. The thought of it burned her further. ¡°Now, I could dismiss your spirit right now, but you¡¯re probably not in the best shape for that. You can behave for at least a few minutes, yes? For dear Avrom¡¯s sake?¡± Kamali bit down the scream lodged in her throat. Chapter 2 Collected Chapter 2
The Collector was unbelievably stealthy, his attire concealing him well enough in the shadows where the afternoon light couldn¡¯t reach. He moved through deserted streets, making his escape from Virala town. Kamali unwillingly followed, wishing she could yell or do something to get another¡¯s attention. It wouldn¡¯t help though. They¡¯d flee on sight. Or die instantly at the Collector¡¯s hands. Her body was entirely transparent right now, Kamali wincing at the hand she knew was in front of her face, yet she couldn¡¯t see. A quirk of being a dead spirit. She could levitate slightly off the ground too, though it felt too alien to her. She preferred keeping her feet on the ground. The babbling voices she shared a space with were probably the most irksome part, a buzz she had to tune out. Drivel flowed out their ghostly mouths like water out of a fountain, their words often meaningless. Broken and clipped too ¡ª she¡¯d probably join them in due time. ¡°Why me?¡± Kamali asked. ¡°A little silence will do us both good, child,¡± the Collector told her. But Kamali couldn¡¯t help it, a boldness overcoming her. ¡°Why take me?¡± she questioned, feeling the need to at least rebel in this small way, against her master¡¯s wishes. To make sense of her predicament too. ¡°Am I the only one you took here? You didn¡¯t take the soul of the guy you killed.¡± The Collector ducked into another alleyway before pausing. ¡°He would sully us. I took meager sustenance from him, nothing more.¡± ¡°But me? Some little girl?¡± ¡°I may call you a child, Shaman, but you are not so young.¡± A laugh escaped the Collector as Kamali flinched. ¡°Yes, Shaman. I can see it in your soul. A curious Role for a town girl.¡± The Collector could see through her soul. It should¡¯ve been obvious, but it still surprised her. Nobody had called her a Shaman in a long, long time¡ª ¡°Is that so?¡± Kamali stilled her thoughts, to the amusement of the Collector. ¡°I hear all my subjects,¡± he said, ¡°and I can peer into the depths of their beings. But I can sense nearby living souls too ¡ª I chanced upon yours that way. You do not utilize your Role much, do you?¡± An explosion, ringing in the far distance. Kamali thought she smelled the smoke, felt the flames. ¡°Ah. My condolences then,¡± the Collector said, and it sounded close to being genuine. ¡°I was hoping otherwise.¡± Out of the alleyway they moved. The adjoining street had more of the big-mouthed purple hounds patrolling it, Kamali almost bolting on sight ¡ª before remembering she was invisible, and untouchable as a spirit anyway. A bloated purple man-creature in rags walked amongst the dogs, eyes crazed. The Collector¡¯s spirits hissed at it. Abomination! Man twisted by man! Goner. Fallen. Once someone¡¯s brother. ¡°Beastmaster loves making his monsters,¡± muttered the Collector. The voices responded with a furious chorus. It was then that her captor¡¯s earlier words finally caught up to Kamali. ¡°Hoping otherwise?¡± she said, feeling something akin to spirit bile coming up her throat. The Collector had run off already, and she sprinted after him. ¡°What do you mean, hoping otherwise?¡± The man creature¡¯s head was torn off instantly. One of the many lights flickering within the Collector¡¯s dark violet form leapt out, and before Kamali¡¯s eyes, it shaped itself into an orange spirit clad in knight armor, with only his head exposed and a scar slashed across his left temple. Twin ghost blades in hand, he moved faster than Kamali could blink, severing the hounds¡¯ necks all at once. But not before one managed a resounding howl, cutting through the screams and noise of the town. The Collector tsked at this. He breathed in the man creature¡¯s corpse, as if sucking in pieces of its soul, before spitting out. ¡°I said apologies meant nothing, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You targeted me for my Shaman abilities?¡± pressed Kamali. ¡°I lacked a Shaman. You were dying.¡± The Collector¡¯s head tilted to the side, a grumble leaving his throat, and he pulled out a yellow light from his body. It glimmered, shining over him, and the Collector shifted position. ¡°No tarrying now, child. I fear we may have been noticed.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The light shone on Kamali as well, her feet lighter than light. When the Collector moved, he moved with unusual speed, Kamali finding herself moving just as swiftly as she ran alongside him. She had turned opaque again, for Kamali could see the way her phantom dress fluttered, as if stirred by a wind. The warrior spirit casually followed with his even quicker movement. ¡°I would¡¯ve taken you regardless of your skill. That said,¡± the Collector said, ¡°there is work to be done. Your Shaman Role should not be left idle like this. It is pitiful.¡± The words incensed Kamali. ¡°What?¡± she yelled. ¡°Lower your voice, child¡ª¡± ¡°Do I look like I care about my Shaman side?¡± Kamali spoke over him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a Shaman! I-I never wanted¡ª¡± She had, once upon a time. The warrior had stepped close to her, blades unnervingly close, but Kamali¡¯s whimper had nothing to do with the silent threat. ¡°Y-you want to better channel your spirits, i-is that it?¡± she managed to say. ¡°C-cause I won¡¯t give that to you. Never.¡± She didn¡¯t know how gaining and refining Rules worked for dead spirits, but no way would she make use of her Shaman Role to gain new powers perfectly suited for a devourer of souls. He¡¯d abuse those newfound Rules in an instant. The Collector would become even more powerful. The monster was sighing. ¡°You are mistaking my words. I can gather powers however I like, but¡ª¡± ¡°I said no!¡± snapped Kamali. ¡°It¡¯ll never happen!¡± ¡°I am not interested in coercing you, child.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t, curse you! Go find another Shaman¡ª¡± Twin piercing howls reverberated through the air, the Collector and his warrior spirit stiffening. Kamali shrieked as a mass of purple mangy fur crashed in front of the narrow, curved road they¡¯d been running down. It shifted, fangs bared from two wolfish heads connected to a massive, sinewy body held up by eight legs. A saddle adorned it, a cloaked figure cackling atop the fiendish creature. ¡°Enjoying the spoils, Collector?¡± came his raspy voice. ¡°My, you¡¯re even more interesting in person. How do the internals of your splendidly wonderful body work, pray tell?¡± Literal shadows concealed his face, save for a murderous grin and glowing brown eyes. A feathered hat adorned his head, one glove holding onto its brim and the other resting against a purple leather whip tied to his belt. His air of authority, the self-satisfied pleasure on his face ¡ª the enraged chants some of the Collector¡¯s spirits babbled at the mere sight of him ¡ª it gave Kamali goosebumps. ¡°Beastmaster.¡± The Collector cocked his head to the side, his warrior spirit tensing behind him. ¡°Does my presence trouble you?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, hardly, hardly! Have you been consuming my fellows¡¯ souls? A waste of life, I confess, but I suppose I can understand the need for some indulgence!¡± Beastmaster let out a titter. ¡°My pet Dupemaw here, however ¡ª how do you like them? It was tricky, turning two twin wolves into this a beaut of a beastie ¡ª they were riled up by your peculiar scent. I thought to humor them, and here we are. Quite a gorgeous mess we¡¯ve made of this town, don¡¯t you think?¡± It was him, Kamali realized. This figure was the spearhead of the Fervent Indulgent raid. The one in charge. A father of monsters and a depraved lieutenant. You have every right to hate him. The voice that rang out was unusually crisp and clear, cutting through the din of whispering spirits. It astonished Kamali. ¡°It makes for an interesting kind of art.¡± The Collector gave a half-shrug. ¡°Not my taste though. Wanton destruction doesn¡¯t suit me, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Ah, we all have our pleasures, my friend. Not my choice of a pastime either, I confess, I much prefer my beastly creations.¡± Beastmaster unholstered what Kamali thought was some kind of firearm, sleek yet oddly shaped. ¡°Still, one can revel in other activities from time to time.¡± He fired. Kamali jumped back, hands cupping her mouth as an elegant house exploded, flaming pieces of wood scattering. Beastmaster eyed her, and she shrank into herself. ¡°New soul for your collection?¡± he said with a chortle. ¡°Why, Collector, you needn¡¯t make her watch her home crumble, you sadist!¡± He tugged the reins of his twin-head mount, making them do a half-turn. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve noticed, but I¡¯m having my regiment do a little sweep of the countryside, and we¡¯re hoping to ransack Elystra City itself. I¡¯ve been itching to get my hands on their dear Lord Terrence ¡ª foppish fellow with lots of power, literally and metaphorically, you know the sort. Rules over a rather isolated piece of land his overseers won¡¯t miss, I¡¯m sure.¡± If Kamali had a heart, she had a feeling it would¡¯ve been racing right now. The screams and chaos of the town seemed infinitely louder to her ears. The Fervent Indulgent were a well-known evil, but nobody had expected them to travel all the way to Virala Town. For Beastmaster to be after the entire countryside? After Elystra City, their governing force? ¡°It¡¯ll make for a good outpost. Maybe I¡¯ll even convince my bosses to get this patch of land reinforced, turn it into a proper wasteland,¡± Beastmaster went on. ¡°That won¡¯t bother you, will it now, oh Collector? We¡¯ll be tearing through Gordius Town on our way to Elystra City ¡ª consider that my invitation to come pick up the spoils we leave behind. Not like I need so many souls myself to replenish my horde, after all. Well?¡± The Collector, to Kamali¡¯s horror, was quick to nod. ¡°Who am I to pass up a free harvest?¡± he said. ¡°Splendid! I knew I saw a kindred spirit in you.¡± Beastmaster tipped his hat. ¡°Well, a legion of spirits, but let¡¯s not get hung up on the wording. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ve a raid to wrap up.¡± He kicked his mount, and the two-headed beast silently leapt onto a rooftop, shingles breaking off as it found purchase. It bounded off to the opposite side, out of sight. Kamali stared for a while. Then slowly faced the Collector, who had dismissed his warrior spirit. ¡°Cur,¡± he said, in the direction of Beastmaster. ¡°You agreed to follow him,¡± said Kamali. ¡°I need souls to survive, child. I refuse to kill innocents myself, but if that monster in human skin¡ª¡± ¡°And you¡¯re supposed to be better?¡± Kamali cut in. What was with her captor, trying to act all nice and understanding with her? ¡°If you really hated him, why didn¡¯t you stop him?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t as simple as you think.¡± ¡°How? You let him go! You¡¯re letting him kill innocents¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. Enough.¡± Kamali¡¯s lips sealed shut. She glowered. ¡°I thought a little time with me would be good for you. But perhaps it¡¯s too early. Maybe my influence only worsens your state.¡± The Collector clutched his stone mask. ¡°Dahlia? Perhaps your company will do her some good.¡± His hand outstretched, and Kamali gasped as she felt herself curl up. The world spun, her body compressing into herself, and the Collector¡¯s form encompassed her. A sea of violet light flared, and she fell in. Chapter 3 Collected Chapter 3
Kamali crashed, and an infinite pool of violet splashed all around her. She sputtered, head spinning. It took a moment for her to adjust, eyes squinting at the violet mist all around. And the violet not-water she floated over. Nothing but violet everywhere, complimenting her lighter shade of purple. The Collector¡¯s essence, she realized. The Collector had pulled her soul into himself. She was now chained inside him proper, stuck for however long he wanted her there. Chances were she might never see the outside world again. It was horrible. It was cruel. It was¡­ better than death? The cockroach in her said yes. A miserable fate, but still a step above death. Death scared her. She didn¡¯t understand death, for all that she had seen of it throughout her life. She wasn¡¯t ready for it. But she wasn¡¯t sure she was ready for this either. The events of the day caught up all at once, and Kamali badly wished she could curl up into a ball ¡ª alas, she didn¡¯t know quite how to do that while floating. She sniffed, though tears failed to form, yet another cruel reminder of her undead state. The Fervent Indulgent had razed her town. She would never see Mother again. A terrible, terrible creature had taken her, probably planned to break her until she agreed to whatever evils he wanted from her. Was this really better than dying? Better than joining Father? The thought pained her. She sniffed harder, hating herself. Hating her weakness. Hating that she¡¯d never lost her stupid Shaman Role¡ª Faultless. Why blame? ¡°You¡¯ve not done anything wrong, little one.¡± Comforting words came from a few of the voices in her head, but the clear-cut sentence was one that was spoken aloud. Kamali shifted her gaze, finding the red spirit of a stout woman with a motherly look, her nose crooked. Her tender smile made her seem radiant, a person sent down to be her sun in purgatory. Kamali shook her head. ¡°You heard me?¡± she said. ¡°No, wait, are you¡ª?¡± ¡°Dahlia. One of the wretches stuck here.¡± The lady¡¯s smile turned sardonic for the briefest of moments. ¡°When the Collector takes his souls, I make a point of being the first to greet and support them. Amongst our loose hivemind, it¡¯s a little difficult not to overhear bits and pieces of each other¡¯s thoughts, you¡¯ll find.¡± Habit? All is one. Darned Broken have the incessant need to comment on anything they sense from us saner souls. Gets on your nerves after a while, if you know what I mean. ¡°Charon, would it not be more courteous to speak in person?¡± Dahlia said, snapping her fingers behind her. For a while the air was still, before a grumble resounded, a gray specter floating in. Where Dahlia¡¯s garb looked fairly standard for a townsperson, Charon was a far more striking person ¡ª an irony, what with his heavily cloaked form. Not a shred of hair nor skin showed, his face obscured with a full-face mask and thick gloves covering his hands. His garb shifted, Kamali spotting weapons behind the layers of clothing. The man gave a bored shrug. ¡°Need I be here?¡± ¡°You have better things to do?¡± ¡°No.¡± Charon moved to the side, blending into the mist out of what seemed like sheer habit. ¡°Well, welcome to the prison of the Collector, young miss. Aggravating place, but beats being a total goner ¡ª pretty sure you agree with me there.¡± Dahlia tsked, bending close to a frowning Kamali. ¡°I can tell you¡¯ve had a rough day, even post-mortem. The Collector, he¡¯s not the worst person you could be dealing with¡ª¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Better than Beastmaster?¡± blurted Kamali. ¡°Beastmaster doesn¡¯t even try. Again, you¡¯ve every right to hate him,¡± was Dahlia¡¯s response. ¡°And there¡¯s plenty to hate about the Collector too, despite his efforts to be above the nature of the Indulgent Fervent. Some demons like to pride themselves in being a noble evil, hmm?¡± Sounded right to her. There was a strange comfort, Kamali found, in talking to this stranger. Maybe because it distracted her from her moping? ¡°The Collector touched on a few sensitive nerves, I noticed.¡± Kamila looked up at Dahlia, her smile tinged with a touch of concern. ¡°My Caretaker Role helps me with that, but really, all I had to do was watch your conversations with him. Careless fool ¡ª he thinks to comfort his spirits, yet won¡¯t pay attention to what topics his souls dislike hearing about?¡± Kamali made no comment. Dahlia hummed, extending a hand to her. Kamala hesitantly began to do the same. ¡°Well, regardless, you¡¯re here now, so I may as well show you the place. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d like to meet the other spirits?¡± Not really, but it was better than nothing. ¡°Getting around might be a little weird though,¡± Kamali said, staring at the lack of ground beneath her. ¡°I¡¯m not used to floating yet.¡± ¡°Hm. No, you¡¯re not.¡± Dahlia pulled her arm, tilting Kamali at an angle. She then let go, Kamali finding herself moving in that direction. ¡°It helps to shift your form wherever you want to go. Not too hard, is it?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kamali managed to tilt herself back, only to overcompensate. She yelped as her face splashed against the violet not-water, then flailed as the liquid inexplicably pushed her back upright. Seconds passed as she got ahold of herself, mortified as Charon chuckled somewhere in the background. She could¡¯ve sworn there were other voices too, mocking and jeering at her. Dahlia shook her head, far more pitying. ¡°Well, practice makes perfect.¡±
It was a little later when Dahlia led her to a small stony landmass in the middle of the violet sea, Kamali holding tight to her arm. The mist parted a good distance away from the area, making it easy to spot the many spirits resting there, each of differing hues and appearances. Some were staring her way, much to her discomfort. Part of it was shyness ¡ª she wasn¡¯t one to enjoy attention. The other part was her being self-conscious of her levitation mishap, a few spirits giggling at her as she approached. She couldn¡¯t see it, but she had a feeling Charon was smirking at her. Jerk. What really unsettled her was the orange warrior spirit from before, however. He stood at the edge of the island, eyes locked upon her. He blurred for a moment, and it took all of Kamali¡¯s willpower not to freak as he reappeared beside them, blades sheathed, coldly regarding Kamali. ¡°You¡¯ve met Earl,¡± Dahlia said. ¡°One of the Collector¡¯s more loyal spirits, for better or worse.¡± ¡°He¡¯s peeved at me,¡± muttered Kamali. ¡°You yelled at the Collector,¡± Charon said with an aloof tone. ¡°Earl found it inappropriate, and bound to attract unwanted attention. Not that Beastmaster showing up was your fault.¡± Earl stared for a long, painful time. Then turned his glare upon Charon. ¡°Not much for chatter,¡± the cloaked spirit told Kamali. ¡°Though I¡¯ll tell you, he hates my ghostly guts. Can¡¯t stand rebellious spirits like you and me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t associate her with yourself,¡± warned Dahlia. Charon simply gave a dismissive wave. ¡°Some of us have to push back at the Collector,¡± he said, staring back at Earl. The spirit scowled but kept still, letting the trio pass on. The island wasn¡¯t much of anything, though it was a small joy for Kamali to finally have a surface her feet could walk upon. Apparently the Collector left it as a location for his spirits to gather if they wished, but it was only a series of small stone outcroppings, making for a shattered plain of rock. Spirits drifted aimlessly, some chatting to each other. Kamali roughly guessed sixty or so spirits were here, less than she expected. Dahlia introduced her to some of the closest ones. The spirits were a varied bunch, ranging from various walks of life. Some were as mundane as Dahlia, apparently having Roles like Fisherman, Florist, and Baker. Others had more interesting ones like Scout, or Monk, or Trickster. A couple gave basic greetings and a somewhat awkward welcome to her new home, while others¡ª ¡°Had some gall, trying to rankle our master, huh?¡± ¡°Your family¡¯s worried sick about you, aren¡¯t they? Hope you weren¡¯t too close to them.¡± ¡°Strange the Collector gave you so much attention, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up about the Shaman business anyway? There¡¯s a story there, am I right?¡± ¡ªwere talkative. And nosy. Kamali had grown paler and paler with each time she had to worm out of a discussion she didn¡¯t want anything to do with, with Dahlia having to bail her out once or twice. Soon enough she was distancing herself from the lot, the Caretaker spirit sighing as she followed her. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I want to meet them,¡± she told her. ¡°I was hoping they would be better than this,¡± muttered Dahlia. ¡°My apologies. In a place like this, they get hungry for any sort of excitement.¡± Kamali could see that. Was this the price she¡¯d have to pay too, just to stay sane? She¡¯d like to think boring suited her just fine, but maybe that would change. She might end up caving in and trying to be a social freak, just to have something to do. Someone to talk to. At least for now, she had Dahlia. ¡°There¡¯s less people than I expected here,¡± she told her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Collector have more souls?¡± ¡°Yes. But no.¡± When Kamali gave Dahila a confused look, she explained. ¡°There¡¯s some that wander out in the open sea of the Collector¡¯s prison. And some others¡ª¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s better you show her.¡± Kamali jumped as Charon appeared out of seemingly nowhere. A chuckle left him, much to Dahila¡¯s annoyance. ¡°No, really,¡± he continued. ¡°She should know of their fate.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Kamali eyed Charon, an errant thought of hers wondering where he¡¯d come from and how. It was quickly dismissed by the more important matter at hand. ¡°Whose fate?¡± Dahlia hummed. ¡°The Broken.¡± Chapter 4 Collected Chapter 4
Kamali had nearly gagged at the sight. A swollen clump of souls floated before her, grouped together in a hideous mass over the violet sea, in the middle of nowhere. They weren¡¯t fused together, but some instinctual behavior had made them group up like this. Their eyes were vacant, many with hung open mouths, and others groaning and babbling broken words. The sluggish movement of arms and legs made it seem like a pulsating ball of flesh was shifting before Kamali, and it was a minor blessing that the mist obscured them to some degree. ¡°The Broken.¡± Dahlia squeezed Kamali¡¯s hand, comforting her. ¡°When us souls lose ourselves, we end up like them, stuck in a hazy stupor. It is effectively death for our sort.¡± ¡°The Collector still can make use of them, though,¡± said Charon. The cloaked ghost spoke with a tone of indifference, though it was clear he felt uneasy about the scene before him. ¡°There¡¯s not much left for him to work with, but he can, if he wants.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a few clusters like these around. Only a few Broken,¡± Dahlia went on, ¡°don¡¯t group up with others. The usual mess of voices you¡¯re hearing? They¡¯re the more awake ones who haven¡¯t completely shut down.¡± Some of the Broken souls were glancing at Kamali, she belatedly realized. One or two were even grinning, and one scowling. Their voices were louder than the rest of the general din. ¡°New friend!¡± ¡°Join us?¡± ¡°Bah! Unwanted! Away!¡± Hands reached out, and Kamali slowly backed away. Partially in fear of the mass before her, partially to keep herself from tripping over in her levitation. ¡°Someday our minds will degrade, and we¡¯ll join them,¡± Dahlia said with a somber tone. ¡°But not yet.¡± It wasn¡¯t really dying. But it wasn¡¯t living. A warped kind of immortality. ¡°It¡¯s horrible.¡± ¡°It is. You have my sympathy, dear, and my condolences that your soul was reaped to begin with. My sorrow, too, that you had to watch your home burn all around you.¡± The imagery of corpses and ransacked streets were all too vivid in Kamali¡¯s head. ¡°Not the first time,¡± she muttered. ¡°Oh?¡± Awkwardness overcame Kamali as she processed what she said, at the spike of concern Dahlia showed. Charon too had shifted a little, staring directly at her, and she could¡¯ve sworn the mass of Broken had become hyperfixated on her. ¡°I, well¡ª¡± ¡°No need to say it, dear. You¡¯ll be one of those sorts that worry me sick, won¡¯t you?¡± A dark laugh left Dahlia, the stout woman tugging her away. ¡°Come along then, there¡¯s better things to waste our time on, and I grow weary of watching these Broken. Charon, some privacy for us ladies?¡± ¡°Not in my interests to follow anyway. By the way, good on you that you¡¯re not letting the Collector walk over you, new girl.¡± Charon put his arms behind his back, head raised and his tone full of charm. ¡°Too many souls here gave in the moment they got claimed ¡ª they ought to be embarrassed a little lady like you showed more defiance than them. Never mind folks like Earl who feel obligated to actually serve the fiend. Maybe you¡¯ll lose that defiance with time, but I¡¯ll hold out hope that you won¡¯t.¡± An impatient tsk came from Dahlia, making Charon leave, his shrouded form fading into the mist. Kamali stared at the spot where he¡¯d just been, unsure what to think. Dahlia, however, was very sure. ¡°He¡¯s troublesome.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°Him liking you isn¡¯t a good thing. I don¡¯t know what Role he has, but it¡¯s focused on secrecy and causing discord. Even the Collector has trouble reading his soul. More importantly, he might try to misuse you for whatever agenda he has.¡± As if the Collector wasn¡¯t enough of a problem. Kamali huffed, keeping Dahlia¡¯s advice in mind. It was annoying she¡¯d have to watch her back even amongst fellow spirits, but she guessed that was just life here. Dahlia led her onward through the mist, seemingly certain of where she was going. Sure enough, a tiny rock island, large enough for only a few people, emerged in the distance. It was a secluded place, pleasantly far away from the main island and its snooping spirits. It was not empty, however. An ocean blue ghost was drifting away from the island ¡ª eerily enough, in their direction. His balding head was hung, arms clasped behind it, yet the thick man had eyes only for Kamali. Sullen, lifeless eyes. He lingered there, observing her idly. ¡°Jarsh,¡± Dahlia said, her voice conflicted. ¡°If you would please?¡± A few seconds of disquieting silence. Then Jarsh shifted, floating off in a random direction, his stiff, woeful posture not changing in the slightest. Kamali shivered, uneasy as his eyes remained on her until the mist snatched his form away. ¡°W-who?¡± she asked. First lord. The fallen one! The fallen one! Madness subdued!This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Usurped. Dead to us. ¡°A Broken,¡± was how Dahlia summed up the answers of the voices. ¡°A story for another time.¡± Must¡¯ve been quite a story. Something about that particular Broken, alone and unchanging in his posture, made him seem special. Never mind the reactions of the other Broken in response to her question. Dahlia took a seat upon the rock outcropping, having Kamali take her own spot beside her. ¡°As you¡¯re new here, it¡¯s only proper that someone explains the extent of your circumstances,¡± she said. ¡°You know what the Collector is, yes?¡± More or less. Creatures like the Collector were considered Calamity Walkers ¡ª terrible forces of nature, typically with Roles unique to them. The Collector was known for his need to eat souls, for example, sustaining himself while incorporating them into himself. Those souls could then be summoned to serve him, or the Collector could directly tap into their Rules for his own use. ¡°Indeed,¡± Dahlia said when Kamali gave her response. ¡°You remember the Collector pulling out a yellow light from his body when escaping Virala City, yes? He was casting Freya¡¯s Haste Rule on you and himself.¡± ¡°Pretty basic Rule,¡± Kamali noted. ¡°But the Collector has many, many such Rules at his disposal. Versatility is his strength. Now, here is something you would not know: the Collector¡¯s Roles are his very own namesake, ¡®The Collector¡¯, and Manipulator.¡± Two Roles? Kamali wasn¡¯t a stranger to having multiple Roles ¡ª plenty of people had those, herself included ¡ª but she was pretty sure Calamity Walkers didn¡¯t have secondary Roles. ¡®The Collector¡¯ sounded exactly like the kind of bizarre, tailor-made Role a Calamity Walker might gain, but Manipulator? ¡°Just keep it in mind. The Collector¡¯s honeyed words have their barbs.¡± Dahlia shut her eyes in thought. ¡°I fail to understand the person behind him. He does empathize with us spirits and look after us, but I find he tries too hard to make us forget that in the end, he¡¯s still our jailer. It works for Earl and others, but not for me.¡± Kamali thought she could hear a rumbling sigh ¡ª the Collector¡¯s own voice, echoing throughout the prison realm and within her own head. Dahlia snorted in amusement. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed by now, but us souls do share a linked mind of sorts with the Collector, and between ourselves,¡± she went on. ¡°The binding makes us hear one another, though it is the Broken that are always the loudest. They do not know how to regulate their voices anymore.¡± ¡°And the others?¡± wondered Kamali. ¡°They are much quieter, careful not to project. The Collector probably wouldn¡¯t stand it if we did, he already finds the Broken irksome enough. Still, you can hear snippets of our minds, if you listen carefully to any one of us. You can also use it to hear the Collector, and even to see what he sees. You wish to try?¡± Kamali couldn¡¯t help herself. Locking onto others was a little tricky, with there being too many voices in the web of minds to choose from. Dahlia¡¯s was familiar, however, and Kamali found herself homing onto it¡ª See? Simple enough, came Dahlia¡¯s words, Kamali found herself awash with bits and pieces of stray thoughts from the kindly woman, and emotions too, notably pride in another person¡¯s successes. A growing fondness too. It was an almost familiar sensation, sensing another being like this. Uncomfortably familiar, in fact. ¡°Shamans often get Rules to do this with spirits too,¡± she thought aloud. Worry muddled the emotions. ¡°Is that so?¡± Dahlia said, frowning. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s fine. Just surprised me.¡± Kamali turned away from Dahlia¡¯s mind. She breathed, then shut her eyes, blocking out the countless voices in her head, the distractions all around her. She felt inside her, searching for her soul, and found its essence reverberating throughout her. Soul gazing was a trick anyone could learn for themselves, but her Role had helped her greatly with this. Her soul touched all corners of her ghostly form, but it was centered around two star-like objects within her, twinkling with light. Touching one gave her the bizarre impression of countless knowledge, studied and dissected, all neatly packed up like a book inscribed into herself ¡ª her Academic Role. The other was much dimmer and far more abstract, but Kamali thought it gave her the impression of something druidic and yet otherworldly. Of life, healing, and nature, but also of remnants and intangible forces. Of spirits. Her Shaman Role. A Role she¡¯d come to shun for what it symbolized to her. Something she had tried to replace, ever since moving to Virala Town. There were a couple paths snaking throughout her soul as well, some linked to her stars and some appearing from seemingly nowhere. They ended in sparkling growths, holding the essence of her Rules. Her Shaman Role was connected to a few particular powers, like her Spirit Call Rule, meant for summonings, and a Disease Cleanse Rule. But the one she silently eyed was her Spirit Empathy Rule ¡ª something she used to understand spiritual beings, once upon a time. She missed doing that. She missed Eseelis Village. Missed Father¡ª Easel? Seals? Condolences. No Father? Bad! Need parent! Wait, wait, what¡¯s Eseelis Village? What happened there? Is this some taboo topic the big bad officials keep hidden from¡ª ¡°Nina, stick your nose elsewhere, you gossip!¡± Dahlia barked, hushing the last voice and making the Broken¡¯s chattering quiet down for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re projecting, dear. Stay clear of having surface thoughts.¡± Kamali started at that. She emptied her mind out, not prepared to have so much of her life story spread out for others to see. ¡°T-thanks,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Think nothing of it, dear.¡± ¡°Kamali.¡± The girl flushed as Dahlia blinked at her. ¡°I-I think I never mentioned my name to you?¡± Dahlia hummed, as if to appreciate the name. Her lips were drawn tight, but tenderness held a nook inside her hard eyes, making for a guarded yet motherly look. It gave a contrast to the strange fatherly vibes the Collector gave at times, except it was far more natural. Sincere. Kamali found herself growing close to her. She smiled, and Dahlia let her face thaw, smiling back. Her circumstances were darn awful, but she could work with this, couldn¡¯t she? At least she had one person she could stick with. Someone to help her from losing her mind here. A lovely thing to hear, child. The Collector¡¯s voice rang within Kamali and around her, making her nearly jump from her sitting place. Dahlia¡¯s smile instantly dropped. I hate to separate you at this moment. In fact, I think I¡¯ll allow you to remain where you are, instead of summoning you out here, if that is fine. Dahlia showed you how to hear me, I see. The interruption annoyed Kamali, but she shoved it down for now. Compared to his spirits, the Collector was all too easy to sense, his presence everywhere. Even now, she realized she could vaguely feel his movements, a tickling sensation at the furthest corners of her mind. She could see through his eyes too, couldn¡¯t she? She tried, reaching out into him and enveloping herself in his spirit¡ª Strong moonlight from a merciful full moon. A wild, forested meadow, spread before her. Assortments of flowers grew among long grass stalks, hills bobbing up and down the landscape. Her eyes ¡ª the Collector¡¯s ¡ª observed it all, his body of spiritual violet energy resting against the rough, scratchy bark of a tree, legs drawn tight to him. Her right vision was oddly blurry, she realized, and she thought she felt his lips curve behind his stone mask, pressed tight against his face. Not the source of the blurriness. ¡°Ah, now I really see. As do you.¡± A boisterous laugh left the Collector, one with that fatherly demeanor that was beginning to grate on her entire being. ¡°This will do.¡± Voices buzzed elsewhere, taking interest in the conversation. The Collector shifted his head, and Kamali found herself looking at Earl, the scarred-face warrior sitting a short distance away on the hill. He watched the nighttime world with little interest, his attention mainly on his master. Her captor. ¡°What do you want?¡± questioned Kamali. The Collector¡¯s lips curved a little more. ¡°A conversation.¡± Chapter 5 Collected Chapter 5
Kamali was in two worlds. One, set upon a small rock formation in a sea of violet, in a foggy mist of violet, sitting beside her one companion in her fallen world. The other, a beautiful hilly meadow under a watching moon, a slight breeze tickling a body she had no ownership of. An illusion, at least at this time. ¡°I fear our initial meeting went all too sourly,¡± the Collector said, and Kamali had the phantom sensation of lips shifting with his words. ¡°The result of our conditions at the time, the circumstances of Virala Town, and a series of other mishaps. Never mind my own mistakes. I hope to correct that.¡± Kamali turned to Dahlia, and the stout red spirit gently took one of her hands. ¡°His summons cannot be ignored,¡± she said. ¡°Engage him for now, but stay wary. The Collector has his own desires, and we spirits cannot read him like we read each other.¡± ¡°You wound me, Dahlia,¡± Kamali heard the Collector say aloud, through his ears. ¡°Why must my Manipulator Role make others oh so cautious of my tongue?¡± Dahlia glared. So did Kamali, a glare that pierced through the illusions and past the Collector¡¯s mask. It only humored him. ¡°No, no, you¡¯ve every right to be guarded. I won¡¯t begrudge that.¡± The Collector waved an arm, as if tossing away the matter. ¡°It is custom for me to do this ¡ª Kamali, you call yourself? ¡ª that I introduce you to my mad court of souls, and explain the nature of your new life.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Kamali was already questioning the whole point of this talk. ¡°And I need to hear this from you specifically?¡± ¡°A different perspective helps to better inform others and let them rise above their biases. As you know, I am the infamous Collector, he who reaps souls to sate his own hunger, and to empower himself with the strength of many. A fairytale monster you may have heard of in your education, or from rumors. They are not wrong, of course, about my need to absorb souls ¡ª I cannot survive otherwise.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t take the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s souls.¡± As I said, they would sully us. Do you realize all my souls leave a collective imprint on me, that they would leave me unstable with their addition? I took what little I could leech from them, nothing more.¡± The Collector¡¯s souls could affect his state of mind. Something to remember. ¡°And since you¡¯ll likely ask,¡± the Collector went on, ¡°I do need to absorb souls in whole, not simply lap up their energies as I did with those of the Fervent Indulgent. You¡¯ve not noticed, but right now I am siphoning a sliver of your soul¡¯s energy to fuel me.¡± Kamali gave Dahlia a wide-eyed stare. ¡°Used to be worse,¡± groused the woman. ¡°Much worse, when there were only a few souls in store. The draining was torturous ¡ª too many Broken made that way.¡± Try as she might, Kamali wasn¡¯t feeling any drainage. Maybe a little prick here and there? Dahlia, she noticed, didn¡¯t seem to hold any real ill-will toward the Collector despite her recollections. As if she didn¡¯t blame him for being drained of so much of her lifeforce? That she only hated the fact that it happened at all? ¡°The more souls I hold, the more full I become, and the less I need to find new souls to absorb. The more I can passively drink, and the more stable I become,¡± the Collector stated. His legs folded over one another, head laid against tree bark in a rather lazy posture. ¡°Once, I was always ravenous, always hunting for spirits, but now I only feel peckish on occasion. Past a certain point, I believe I won¡¯t need to consume souls, and be self-sufficient without causing harm to my spirits.¡± ¡°Without harming your spirits.¡± ¡°Child, I have rules.¡± Kamali suppressed the urge to joke about how the Collector obviously had Rules, same as everyone else. ¡°Really?¡± she instead questioned. ¡°The soul-eating murderer has a moral code?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Must I repeat myself so much?¡± the Collector shot back. ¡°I do not kill innocents¡ª¡± ¡°Do you?¡± The stories of the Collector¡¯s misdeeds sprung up in Kamali¡¯s mind. ¡°There¡¯s a body count¡ª¡± ¡°I know those tales,¡± came the deflection. ¡°Those were the Collector¡¯s earliest days, when he was a madman. No longer.¡± ¡°You let Beastmaster walk away!¡± ¡°I do not think I could defeat him.¡± The madness of such a statement floored Kamali, leaving her speechless. A chorus of confused noises came from a plethora of the Collector¡¯s souls, sane and Broken alike. The Collector stared out into the meadows, appearing worn out just from the words he¡¯d uttered. ¡°Despite my large bag of tricks, child, I am but a creature of ambush. I could perhaps overwhelm Beastmaster with spirits, but I sense he is more dangerous than he lets on, and possibly prepared for such ploys. Frankly, I am too fond of life to risk my neck against an elite of the Fervent Indulgent.¡± Earl himself had looked askance at the Collector, disbelieving that his strength could not compare with Beastmaster¡¯s. A shake of his master¡¯s head, however, and he backed down. Kamali turned to Dahlia, and she shrugged, uncertain of what the outcome would be in such a battle. ¡°But.¡± Kamali returned to the Collector, who had shut his eyes. ¡°I do not have qualms for picking away at his underlings ¡ª convenient sources of food, even if I can only nibble at their departing souls. I worried the Beastmaster catching wind of me would ruin this, but on the contrary, it seems the sadist¡¯s given me free rein to continue doing so.¡± There was something swaying about his words. Something that made Kamali want to take his words at face-value, if not for Dahlia¡¯s warnings making her extra cautious. Even if the Collector was crippling the Fervent Indulgent, how meaningful was it? Surely he could do more¡ª ¡°But I do not do more, because I am too fond of life,¡± the Collector cut in, reading her thoughts. ¡°The region fears me, but they know me as but a fairytale monster, and I am content with the peace it gives me. I do not wish to attract attention, nor to be a martyr, whom the Fervent Indulgent would chase to the ends of the earth because I killed and possibly stole the soul of Beastmaster. Never mind the other Four Horsemen, or other Calamity Walkers, or the nations of the region, all who¡¯d seek to either use me or else eliminate me from the board.¡± A part of Kamali wanted to call out the Collector as a coward. The other, begrudgingly, understood his want. The cockroach part of her, the part that hated to die. That had seen the destruction of a whole town ¡ª twice now ¡ª and refused to be amongst the casualties. Well, she was dead, sure, but not dead. Though whether that was a good thing was another matter entirely. ¡°So if I¡¯m getting this straight,¡± Kamali said, ¡°you don¡¯t kill, but you let bad people kill. Then you take their leftover souls and eat them, trapping them without their consent.¡± ¡°Now we¡¯re just going in circles,¡± asked the Collector, shaking his head. ¡°Yet again, apologies mean nothing. For goodness¡¯s sake, I know full well I am a monster, I know full well being bound to me for what may be eternity is a miserable alternative to death, but I¡¯m trying to fix all that.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Not enough for you, clearly, but you¡¯ve only been here for a scant few hours. Shall we change the discussion? I¡¯ve been meaning to speak about what I intend to do with you¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Kamali immediately said. ¡°May I finish?¡± ¡°Nuh-uh. Not helping you.¡± In a sudden mood to spite the Collector, Kamali let herself feel her Spirit Empathy, calling upon the Rule. Then felt the presence of the Collector, swirling all around her. Considering his form and abilities, would he count¡ª? She tried. And raised a brow as it worked, taking in a feedback of emotions. A desire for reconciliation, for one, and a want for mutual understanding. Frustration, seemingly directed more at himself than at her. Flaying patience that was being chipped away at. That patience waned further as she felt the emotions, pierced by a sensation of being ticked off, and Kamali couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Oh, what gall,¡± the Collector deadpanned. ¡°Using abilities you¡¯ve not used in oh so long just to bother me. Is this the part where I threaten you? Put you in solitary confinement, or maybe just refuse to let you leave my personal realm of souls no matter how much you beg to spend some time in the sunshine?¡± Leaving the Collector¡¯s prison wasn¡¯t something his spirits could normally do, as far as Kamali sensed, not without his allowance. But it made Kamali think. She looked at herself briefly, a purple spirit devoid of flesh, then let herself take in her Spirit Call Rule, meant to bring forth spirits from their plane of existence. And she wondered. The targeting would be rather simple. But it wouldn¡¯t work, surely. And yet, when Kamali tried, she found two viable options close to her. Dahlia, and herself. Oh. Dahlia was contorting her lips beside her. ¡°You needn¡¯t needle him further, you know,¡± she said, before backing up as Kamali glowed, activating her Rule. ¡°Dear, what¡ª¡± A summoner¡¯s light infused itself with her, purple as she was. And another light layered itself on top. The light of the summoned. Something shifted, the world twisting around her¡ª A shove and Kamali hurtled out of the mist, out of the prison realm. She yelped as she burst out of the Collector¡¯s body, her captor scrambling as she toppled right beside him. Some ridiculous instinct made her face phase through the tall grass blades, but her nose softly impacted the earth, thankfully. The illusion had become real. Kamali raised her head, and it was like she had some kind of mirror-vision, her eyes making contact with the Collector¡¯s eyes that she saw through. Earl had been quick to draw his blades, nicking Kamali¡¯s neck. No pain, but Kamali didn¡¯t want to risk learning if Earl did have ways to inflict actual harm on her or not. The realization of what she¡¯d done, the murmurs of the Collector¡¯s many souls, the blade on her neck ¡ª it left Kamali mute, her face as stiff as the mask worn by the Collector. ¡°Well,¡± he said, pulling himself upright. ¡°First time a soul¡¯s gotten out on her own. Now that is truly annoying.¡± Chapter 6 Collected Chapter 6
Sword pressed against her nape, check. Wind breezes ruffling her back, check. Actual dirt and grass around her and not a trace of purple mist, check. It was not something Kamali expected to succeed at, but here she was, back outside. The Collector stood over her, grumbling to himself. Unhappy about this particular development. His hand gestured toward her. ¡°Never pull that trick on me again.¡± Kamali felt the command choke her. A sliver of her managed to lock in on Dahlia¡¯s alarm, along with a mixture of bafflement and gleeful amusement from a variety of souls. Charon, she sensed, was cackling like her escape from the Collector¡¯s prison was the greatest thing he¡¯d ever seen, his laughs competing with those of the Broken. Escaped! Escaped! Tricky girl! Pest! Much fun! The Collector ordered Earl to move his blades off Kamali, the warrior doing so after a moment¡¯s hesitation. The girl almost laughed then, a nervous kind of laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Spirit Call had a movement component, meant to ensure a spirit ended up where a summoner wanted the spirit to be. Of course, it only affected the summoned spirit, and the location couldn¡¯t be too far away. Except now Kamali was a spirit. And due to some quality of the Collector, she guessed, his realm was technically bordering the outside world at all times. ¡°If I¡¯d known spiritual-based Roles could be this difficult to handle, I would¡¯ve avoided taking you,¡± the Collector said, looming tall over the girl. ¡°Charon irks me enough, need you do the same?¡± Her voice returned to her in that moment, the want to inconvenience her captor warring with her cockroach need for survival. ¡°N-not really,¡± Kamali said. ¡°B-but I had to do it once.¡± More grumbling from the Collector. Her action had gotten under his nerves even more than she thought, for he began pacing about, head turned to face the sky as if searching for answers. It was almost silly, seeing a Calamity Walker do such a thing, a soul-leeching horror of violet energy left stumped by the antics of a mere girl. ¡°You didn¡¯t strike me as troublesome when I first found you,¡± he said during his pacing. ¡°The quiet and studious sort, really. Didn¡¯t expect such a stubborn streak from you.¡± ¡°You cornered a rat,¡± said Kamala. ¡°A pittance I did not notice the snout and whiskers.¡± ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°I wish I knew, child.¡± Earl fidgeted where he was, the Collector¡¯s demeanour making him uneasy. He shot glares at Kamali, but they were worn out, haggard, almost leery of her. Kamali shrugged, despite herself. ¡°My Manipulator¡¯s touch, sweetening my words, and none of it helps because you¡¯re too stubborn to listen to me. Yes, I¡¯m admitting to that.¡± The Collector plopped down at last, a groan leaving him, and Kamali felt his stare in the back of her head, trained upon her. ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m too stubborn for my own good too. Anything more you want to say? Any insults or condemnations?¡± He seemed subdued, and yet he was still trying to talk. Why the obsession? ¡°Just send me back,¡± Kamali said, remaining where she lied. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± The Collector¡¯s body had a peculiar shine in the night, she decided. The strong moonlight obscured it, but his body of violet energy made him seem colorful, moreso with the colorful lights floating around his arms and anywhere his dark layers of cloth didn¡¯t cover him. ¡°Hm,¡± he said after a while. ¡°I need your help.¡± ¡°I already said¡ª¡± ¡°I need someone who can remove souls from my body.¡± Kamali jerked her head. The many voices in her head went hush. ¡°There. Said it. Don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t start with that in the first place.¡± The Collector rubbed the bridge of his mask, looking terribly, terribly tired while doing so. ¡°My reasons are entirely and absolutely nefarious, of course. I¡¯m obviously doing this to perpetuate my cycle of endless hunger, and not to free the spirits within me who¡¯ve found this form of existence so miserable.¡± ¡°You want to free your spirits.¡± ¡°I want to have the power, at least.¡± A hoarse laugh left the Collector. ¡°Well, you¡¯d have the power, I¡¯d just borrow it. Nothing would stop you from using it yourself and emptying me entirely, really¡ª¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°You could just command me?¡± ¡°My commands don¡¯t last forever.¡± It was such an off-putting change in tempo, and such an unexpected desire, that it threw Kamali askew. It was clearly unexpected for the other spirits too, judging from their surprised murmurs. Why would the Collector admit his weaknesses? No, never mind that ¡ª he wanted to free his souls? Free? ¡°It¡¯s only fair I give the unwilling a way out, if they wish. The Broken deserve it most, they¡¯ve been stuck in their madness for too long. But try as I might, my Role seems reluctant to help grant me such a kindness.¡± The Collector hung his head. ¡°Am I pushing too much on you? I took your soul, believing a Shaman would have better luck with this, but knowing your dislike of that path¡ª¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not a big deal, I-I¡ª¡± Kamali tripped over herself, unsure where to go with this. Could she say no? Why would she? Being able to liberate the Collector¡¯s souls, it was important. But why would the Collector himself ask for it, when he stood to lose so much as a result? She couldn¡¯t reconcile the idea. ¡°T-there¡¯s a catch, right?¡± she asked, an odd whine to her voice. ¡°That I¡¯m not going to free literally everyone. That would bring the Collector back to that point of starvation and insanity, where all souls became fair game to him.¡± There was a disassociation there, like the Collector hated thinking of himself as the killing fiend he once was. Kamali pondered over his request for a while, wracking her brain for some answer to why he wanted this. A ploy to make her utilize her Shaman Role again, and possibly stumble upon other powers he could exploit? But that somehow seemed far-fetched. Was there something hidden in his words? But Kamali couldn¡¯t find anything off about his words. The Collector was a Manipulator too. It was really all that kept Kamali from accepting on the spot, but it wasn¡¯t like she could find any ill intent hidden away, either. A Shaman didn¡¯t have an inherent skill in sending off spirits, but there was probably some Rule that existed. It would take a long while to gain, she suspected, but it was doable. ¡°You seem to be in disbelief.¡± Kamali felt the smile behind the Collector¡¯s mask, his posture relaxed as if he¡¯d freed himself of a burden. ¡°That is fine. Take the time you need to process this. It is a long-term project, but I believe it will be good for us all.¡± ¡°Or I could ruin you with such a power,¡± muttered Kamali. ¡°I¡¯ll pray you¡¯ll be less hostile to me by then.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like that this is outside your expectations of me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Kamali held her head, dropping all attempts of rationalizing the Collector¡¯s request. ¡°You wanted a Shaman to give you a power which she could use against you? Either this is some trick, o-or you¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°Too naive for my own good?¡± Kamali held her silence. ¡°I am very much a monster, child. But I am not evil. I could drain your soul dry if you did act against me,¡± the Collector said, ¡°but I¡¯d hate to do so. You¡¯re a pleasant soul, for all the woes you¡¯ve caused me, and I get the strange impression you¡¯d find a purpose in doing this. That it will make you ¡ª well, not happy with me. Not content with my morally dubious actions. But at least, generally happy.¡± This was messing with her head. The Collector was a creature of darkness. The stories said so. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be this. ¡°Oh, and if I dangle carrots in front of my souls, it keeps them in line, and helps stabilize my mind. There, evil plan exposed. Does that help?¡± That weirdly did. Unable to help the urge, Kamali used her Spirit Empathy, staring into the Collector¡¯s spirit. And blinked as she felt the honesty, the deep desire, of his wish to exorcise spirits from himself. She turned to Earl. ¡°What did he offer you to be his loyal henchman?¡± The scarred warrior raised a brow, ever so slightly. His response came in a single word. ¡°Life.¡± Survival. Life. Seeing the world. Purpose. Second chance. Eggplant? Life. Knowledge. Power. Life. Life. Too many voices, Broken and sane alike. Kamali all but staggered at its tempest, pressing down on her. Wishes and desires, condensed into the simplest of phrases. Except the eggplant. Kamali could¡¯ve sworn the Broken who said that was getting hissed at by other Broken. ¡°I tend to take souls who have something they want. Life and survival in particular, my dear cockroach.¡± Kamali could tell the Collector was giving her a knowing look. ¡°If you could, mind you, it would be convenient if you could possibly do something to allow the freed souls to somehow persist ¡ª some of my spirits would love to live on in this world, free from my filthy claws and the deplorable acts that I do.¡± A pause. ¡°What do you think?¡±
Purple mist and seas all around. Kamali found herself beside Dahlia again, the woman giving her an indecipherable look. A small group of other spirits had gathered, but only Charon she recognized. He said nothing, but there was a smugness in his posture, with hints of something else she couldn¡¯t read. Perplexment? Consternation? ¡°I don¡¯t know where to begin with you.¡± Dahlia was first to speak, a hand raising to pinch the width of your nose. ¡°Though if anything, the Collector will sleep less soundly after that stunt of yours. Go figure that a spirit channeler would find a way to freely move his souls in and out of his prison.¡± Already Kamali could feel the command stopping her from using her Spirit Call loosening ¡ª the Collector really couldn¡¯t enforce it at all times. Or perhaps he was letting it happen on purpose, as a gesture of good will. Of trust? ¡°He confuses me,¡± she admitted aloud. One of the other spirits chuckled, a burly figure of jade. ¡°Avrom¡¯s a bit crooked,¡± he said in a baritone voice, ¡°but our dear Collector makes for a poor villain deep down, if you ask me. There¡¯s plenty to dislike, yes¡ª¡± ¡°But he¡¯s willing to let us go,¡± said a magenta spirit, pointing at Kamali. ¡°Through her.¡± The gazes of many weighed down Kamali¡¯s back. The gazes of those present, and those not. The Broken babbled a little quieter, in a more solemn tone, her name spoken in their whisperings. None of them had expected the Collector to plan on giving them the option to go free, to escape his cage and die peacefully. Not that they all wanted to ¡ª there were others with her mentality here as well, people too afraid of death. Content with their current shabby state. But the fact that they could soon choose to stay, instead of being forced to, still excited them. Maybe the Collector did have ulterior motives. Kamali wasn¡¯t sure. But she was sure of two things. One, that there was something noble in the Collector after all. Something she could appeal to. And two? Kamali let herself feel her soul. Then the souls of the others, amplified through her Spirit Empathy. Feeling their uncertainty, with hope thrown into the mix. In some cases, a yearning. ¡°Guess I have some work to do,¡± she said. Her Shaman side, useless and unwanted, had a purpose again. Chapter 7 Collected Chapter 7
¡°So you were planning to be a Historian!¡± ¡°Never said that,¡± Kamali muttered. ¡°I mean, if you were so interested in history¡ª¡± ¡°Nina,¡± snapped Dahlia. Nina, a rosy-colored spirit with a mouth that gushed out words like a river, gave a sheepish smile. Their trio sat on a cliffside jutting out of the main stone island in the Collector¡¯s prison, away from all the other spirits conversing with each other. The Collector himself was currently in motion ¡ª using his eyes, Kamali watched as he sprinted through a rocky, rugged series of hilly terrain, passing by sparse groupings of trees and berry-laden bushes. Dawn had just come about, the sun shyly peeking over the horizon. Spirits didn¡¯t really sleep, but as it turned out, they could fall into trances, their minds left to fog up and wander about in various tangents and idle thoughts. Almost like dreaming. A pity that it wasn¡¯t a dream, that she really was dead and stuck with the Collector¡ª ¡°But seriously! You gotta be shooting for something if you¡¯ve got a nifty Academic Role! Could never make myself go through that life, honestly, studying¡¯s such a pain!¡± ¡ªand Nina. A perky, talkative girl a few years older than Kamali, but with a face and height of someone younger. Really, though, what was up with that? Even in undeath, she couldn¡¯t escape short females with too much personality! ¡°Like that¡¯s why I stuck with the family business, you know, being an Innkeeper¡¯s easy stuff! Don¡¯t have to be book-smart to¡ª¡± ¡°I wanted to be an Accountant,¡± Kamali cut in. ¡°Or a Translator.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nina pursed her lips. ¡°Ooh, so math and finance and language stuff! You know multiple languages? I mean, almost everybody knows the common tongue, so I¡¯m pretty sure Translator¡¯s a dying field¡ª¡± God, this was why she was an introvert. The Collector was headed in a roundabout path to Gordius Town, where the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s warband were headed on their way to Elystra City. There, another round of looting, plundering, and criminal evils would be carried out. And the Collector would be there to have his feast. Kamali abhorred the thought. The Collector, as it turned out, was not a complete fiend. That much she¡¯d learned when he gave her the tall task of gaining a Rule that could let her free spirits from his body ¡ª how she¡¯d start whittling away at that, she had no clue. Her Father would¡¯ve helped her, but¡ª Nope. Never mind that. What was she thinking about? Oh right, the Collector wasn¡¯t a complete fiend. But he was still letting the Fervent Indulgent live, only choosing to sabotage them in secret. And he was still taking more souls. Kamali had started to sense his hunger. A peckish sensation, right in the gut. Not starving, but still looking for snacks, or even a small buffet. Sure, the Collector had no choice but to eat, and she¡¯d one day be able to free his captured souls, but was this right? Especially when the souls he took came from the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s misdeeds, which he had the power to stop? ¡°¡ªlike it¡¯s too late now since we¡¯re dead and whatever, but yeah, Accountant¡¯s better by a long shot, and when I say long shot, I¡¯m talking about a supercharged siege catapult of doom here, and hey, you still listening, Shaman girl who came out of magical retirement? Hey!¡± Dahlia harshly prodded Nina, beginning to chide her, to Kamali¡¯s relief. She noticed the Collector had idly turned his head toward a slender, four-legged beast darting amongst the boulders and rocky hills. A monster? Kamali paid close attention to its shape¡ª A strangled yell tore out of her throat as the giant fire salamander paused, its skin a bright patchwork of black and red hues. Creepy frog-like eyes stared back at the Collector, but it seemed like they stared straight past, right into Kamali¡¯s soul. ¡°Ash-covered blight!¡± she cursed, panting for air she didn¡¯t need. Her nose clogged itself, overwhelmed by the stench of fire and smoke. Of burned wood and charred corpses. Nina had gone wide-eyed, hands over her mouth. ¡°Dear?¡± Dahlia said, holding her arm even as Kamali scrambled back, as if her movements would somehow make the Collector move back as well. ¡°You needn¡¯t fear, it¡¯s just¡ª¡± Dahlia paused. The Collector did as well, squinting at the beast. It made a gurgling sound, foolishly trying to intimidate the devourer of souls ¡ª and successfully doing so to the latest of his victims instead, Kamali shrieking at the noise. Her arms went up to block a flame that didn¡¯t exist.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Eseelis Village.¡± Dahlia shook her head. ¡°Oh, you poor thing, I knew that name was familiar.¡± Nina¡¯s wide eyes went wider, beginning to understand. The Collector huffed, before pulling out an orange spirit, basking in its glow. The next moment, he¡¯d blurred right beside the salamander, sword in hand, and sliced the creature¡¯s head off. It gurgled for a brief moment and kicked, before slumping to its side. ¡°Invasive species, these troublemakers,¡± Kamali heard the Collector mutter. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a story behind it, Silas?¡± Some adventurers disturbed one of their grounds in the wetlands east of here, an aging man¡¯s voice came, slaughtering a large number and making the rest flee far away. Heard those ones became extremely jumpy and hostile to everything ¡ª caused a few incidents, I believe. It took a while for Kamali¡¯s mind to settle, the sight of the dead fire salamander helping a little there. ¡°Careless fools,¡± spat the Collector. ¡°Children do not deserve such misery.¡± Kamali¡¯s throat burned. She gave a numb nod, dimly aware of Dahlia squeezing her shoulder. Nina slowly got up, stepping away. ¡°Maybe, uh, I should come another time?¡± she said. Voices consoled her, Broken and sane alike. The Collector moved onward, Kamali catching him glancing back at the slain fire salamander. She swallowed. Well, it couldn¡¯t hurt her now, at least. Not much could. Eseelis Village was gone, Virala Town was razed, but what was it that people said? Third time¡¯s the charm? She had what may as well be an eternity to spend with her fellow spirits, just as nigh-untouchable as her. The cockroach in her liked that.
Kamali had eventually recovered, and not a moment too soon. Gordius Town was close now, as was the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s raiding party. They¡¯d left breadcrumbs behind in the form of waste, both trash and¡­ otherwise. Kamali knelt in the grass, making a face at the splinters and broken pieces of a crate left behind. With defecation inside. It looked a lot like someone had answered the call of nature on a rather spontaneous whim. She turned away, toward another leftover pile of feces hidden amongst the grass, and felt grateful that spirits didn¡¯t need to walk. Or worry about getting dirty either. ¡°They¡¯re actual degenerates,¡± she said. ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± the Collector said, moving away from a pile of emptied bottles left behind alongside a dirt path, winding between the rocky hills and trees. He had been unamused when Kamali had summoned herself to the outside world, with the excuse of wanting to practice her Shaman-related powers, but let the act slide. ¡°They are of the Four Horsemen. On a cardinal compass of alignment, they are corruption taken to its extremes, just as their rivals, the Purity¡¯s Whimsy, are purity gone too far. It is only natural that the Fervent Indulgent is composed of the vilest scum, the sort who find pleasure in doing the foulest acts they can. This act of defiling the land, it is but a typical morning for them. ¡°That said, I¡¯ll point out that Beastmaster leads this group. He¡¯s known for making armies out of monsters and bestial forces ¡ª see these droppings here? Dog droppings, from his hounds.¡± The Collector gestured at the crud beside his feet. ¡°Last I checked, hounds do not think of hygienic practices when doing their business.¡± Fair enough. Kamali got to her feet, watching as the Collector pulled out a yellow spirit from inside him, casting him in its light. From the Collector¡¯s eyes, Kamali saw his vision shift, and gasped as she beheld a swarm of grotesque forces. Dark-garbed bandits, shuffling amongst bloated purple humanoids, with some mounted upon the big-mouthed hounds that had killed her. Horses of a blemished brown hue, with claw-like nails that had burst out of their hooves and bladed horns on their foreheads, dragging along wagons full of supplies. And Beastmaster himself, caressing one of Dupemaw¡¯s necks, the two-headed and eight-legged wolf leaning into the touch. A grin adorned his face, filled with exhilaration. One many of his fellows shared. The gates of Gordius Town had entered their sights, and their group cackled with discordant cheer. One of their men had cast some Rule, engulfing them in light, and the group charged onward with unnatural speed. Beastmaster moved to the forefront, raising his firearm and firing at the gate. The explosion could be distantly heard even with Kamali¡¯s own ears. ¡°Oh no,¡± she said. Evil incarnate. Murderers! Scum of earth! Hate! Why raid? They spread hurt. Hurt back? The Collector hissed, clutching his head as the Broken grew frenzied, and ended the vision. ¡°It is as good as theirs,¡± he said with a growl. ¡°Perhaps there will be souls to save, though.¡± ¡°If you can call what you do to souls ¡®saving,¡¯¡± said Kamali. ¡°Depends. Either way, I¡¯m afraid I must sustain myself. But for your sake, Shaman, perhaps we¡¯ll make a few extra ¡®accidents¡¯ for the Fervent Indulgent, hm?¡± An offer meant to appease her. ¡°Trying to get on my good side?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be wise if I didn¡¯t.¡± Kamali sensed the Collector smiling at her. ¡°You may as well be my heiress, with the power you¡¯ll one day hold. Perhaps you would do better, were you to swap places with me?¡± Being the Collector herself? Kamali thought of it, and instantly felt grateful she wasn¡¯t him, too horrified by the burdens it would impose on her. She allowed the Collector to pull her spirit back into him, mist appearing around her as she fell from the sky of his prison realm. She managed a clumsy flop to the ground of the main rocky island, yet again thankful that she couldn¡¯t feel physical pain. To her surprise, Charon was the one and only spirit nearby, a bitter chortle escaping the shrouded man. He turned his masked head toward her. ¡°Try not to bleed your heart out too much for the townsfolk,¡± he said in a cold tone. ¡°You¡¯ll only hurt yourself in the process. On the bright side, new roommates are always a pleasure, aren¡¯t they?¡± He walked away without a care in the world. Kamali frowned as he approached another spirit and began whispering to him. The Collector had just crested a hill, she noted, getting a small glimpse of Gordius Town ahead. Its gate was smashed open, and smoke billowed out from somewhere within the town. Screams rang in the distance. Despite Charon¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but hope the town would come out of this disaster better than Virala Town did. Chapter 8 Collected Chapter 8
It was not looking like Gordius Town was getting out of this situation better than Virala Town did. Soldier corpses had lined up to their deaths beyond the gate, some with their faces burned and with shrapnel poking through their bodies. Others gored and pummeled. Then there was the general town itself. Gordius Town had these elegant, well-paved streets with a rustic charm to it ¡ª except it was being ruined by the Fervent Indulgent trashing the place. Homes broken into, furniture thrown out, decorative bushes set ablaze, and cultists running amok with killer smiles on their faces. Hounds running about as well, seeking targets to hunt down and chew on. From the Collector¡¯s eyes, Kamali thought she saw a body mutilated with what looked like runic carvings, sliced into his face and half-uncovered chest, and tried not to gag. The Collector himself was slinking through the streets as if he belonged there, and had for decades on end. A mantle of shadowy energy had cloaked him as an extra layer of camouflage, the Collector holding onto the light of a tannish spirit in his hand and using the Rule it provided him. In a wayward alley, a group of the Fervent Indulgent had tied up a terrified family of four, the cultists staring at them with warped glee. The Collector grunted in distaste, before twisting each one¡¯s neck, killing them in succession. The last had just enough time to look over in confusion before his head was snapped too. The Collector took a quick intake of their forms, Kamali swearing she could feel a trickle of something entering his throat, before spitting out. To the family, it would¡¯ve looked like the air itself had twisted upon them, seeking vengeance ¡ª a mercy made all the stranger when their ropes were ripped apart, courtesy of their unseen benefactor. The Collector dismissed the sword he¡¯d summoned from his spirits¡¯ powers, quick to leave the foursome. ¡°You do have a heart, huh?¡± Kamali said from her spot on the rock island of the Collector¡¯s prison, having watched it all with wonder. ¡°It still beats, yes,¡± the Collector wryly said, ¡°despite my unusual form.¡± ¡°Maybe you could¡¯ve escorted them out though?¡± ¡°Maybe I should go and take Beastmaster¡¯s head while I¡¯m at it?¡± The Collector stopped to pull out Freya¡¯s soul, casting Haste on the bewildered family, before continuing to move on. ¡°There. That might help them escape this ruined town. My own presence, I¡¯m afraid, would not be as welcome of a boon.¡± Duh. It would be ridiculous to think anyone wouldn¡¯t freak out at the Collector, even if he was assisting them. Something he could work on changing, perhaps? Bah, fool likes his poor reputation. Now, if he really wanted to¡ª ¡°Charon.¡± The Collector made an irritated clicking noise. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for you to start something again.¡± I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, came Charon¡¯s voice, as charming as can be. But you do have such a spotty track record and so little interest in cleaning out the stains¡ª ¡°Charon.¡± ¡ªsetting yourself straight and all that good stuff. Really, behind all these hollow attempts at making us complacent is a criminal who knows he¡¯s better off dead¡ª ¡°Be silent for several hours.¡± The command muted Charon¡¯s voice from the network of spirits, but Kamali had the impression he was all smiles right now. Smiles of the slimy sort ¡ª his words had provoked tensions and unease amongst his fellow spirits, some taking offense at him and others silent, if not in hesitant agreement. Strange as it was, Kamali leaned slightly toward the first group. The Collector returned the tannish soul into his form, taking off his shadow mantle ¡ª apparently it sapped at his stamina, keeping it going for too long. ¡°Reeks of the dead,¡± he dryly said as he came upon a narrow street, deserted save for a couple corpses, cannibalized with several bite marks each. ¡°A place like this would weigh heavily with their laments, would it not?¡± The Shaman within Kamali stirred. If she tried, she could feel around the Collector, her senses picking up on something imperceptible. An otherworldly pressure. She felt it, and felt them. When a soul departed the realm, it departed for good, leaving to whatever destined place it belonged to. A place no man nor woman in this world could hope to glimpse, a mystery they could only know the full truth of through their own deaths. That said, there was still something left behind, a trace of the former individual. Something that Channelers, Necromancers, and the like often called upon. Shamans too. Eseelis Village had a terrible pressure surrounding it, when it had burned down. Probably still was there, Kamali figured. She¡¯d been keen ever since on not opening herself to the feeling, but Virala Town surely had a weight on it too, just as Gordius Town did. But where Eseelis Village had been burdened by the sorrows of the dead, Gordius¡¯s agony was mixed with a sense of loathing. Fury.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°They¡¯re angry.¡± ¡°No surprise, what with the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s savage ways. But I¡¯d wonder if Lord Terrence¡¯s inaction has fed their rage as well. Elystra City could¡¯ve sent out its elite troops to combat their advance, after all.¡± The Collector knelt beside one slumped man, and Kamali¡¯s eyes widened as his chest rose with labored effort. ¡°But he¡¯s held back.¡± The man gave no reaction to the voice, too weak to even bother opening his eyes. On the verge of death, clearly, with his chest fighting a lonely battle to stall it. The Collector sighed. ¡°Some will do anything to live, despite the price. Isn¡¯t that so, new friend?¡± He reached for the man¡¯s soul, consuming it all. Not a morsel. Not a sliver. All. If Kamali tried, she thought she could taste it, bottled with the spice of anger unrequited, of the sourness of a dead man¡¯s woes. She felt the solemnness shared amongst the others, heard the Broken¡¯s chants¡ª New! Another, another! Rebirth! Your misery. Ours. Misery, eternity. A soul, snatched from death, fell from the Collector¡¯s throat and into his prison. A few spirits moved, Dahlia notably ahead of the rest as she moved to intercept the newcomer. Kamali turned and rubbed her eyes as she found Jarsh, the Broken ocean blue spirit, wandering the violet sea in the same direction as the welcoming party. His posture hadn¡¯t changed a smidge, his head drooped as ever, arms hung behind him. His gaze shifted to her for the slightest of seconds, before continuing his march onward. ¡°Help him settle in. I cannot spend time myself, regrettably.¡± The Collector¡¯s lips curled into a frown. ¡°Hmph. Flea-ridden cur.¡± Too many conflicted thoughts were running through Kamali¡¯s mind, from horror to strong aversion, with a smidge of reluctant acceptance of the Collector¡¯s soul theft. But the moment he cursed, she dropped her feelings to focus on his condition. One of his other spirits spoke in concern, and the Collector replied instantly. ¡°Beastmaster. Doing his usual, tormentor that he is.¡± Criminal! Violator! Viler kin! ¡°Do not compare us,¡± snapped the Collector, quieting the Broken. Clearly his soul sense was what let him feel the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s leader. Kamali could not feel it herself, not with her skillset, but she tried to see through the Collector¡¯s senses. It proved fruitless at first, but she pushed herself, letting her merge as much as she could with his body. The Collector gave out an odd, strangled noise, and Kamali for a moment picked up on whatever Rule he was using, sleuthing out an area where a notably strong soul with a sense of wrongness to it rode upon twin souls of even greater wrongness. And with them, a tearful, youthful being of innocence¡ª ¡°Stop that,¡± growled the Collector, and Kamali felt the sensation brand her as it slipped out of reach. But too late. She¡¯d seen. ¡°He has a child.¡± Pure one to twist. Corruptor! Innocence into guiltless. ¡°Beastmaster makes monsters.¡± Kamali considered the humanoid fiends she¡¯d seen, the many comments people had made about their master, and paled. ¡°He¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Turn her into one of his beasts, as he¡¯s done to countless others.¡± The Collector began walking off. ¡°It happens.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a child.¡± ¡°Many of his victims have been.¡± ¡°Her soul¡ª¡± ¡°Will be trapped in a beast that uses her as nothing but fuel. Her spirit, doomed to spectate its evils.¡± Kamali shook herself, beyond horrified at the thought of it. Beyond disgust. ¡°And you¡¯re leaving her?¡± A scream rang out, fighting amongst a sea of screams that fell on ears rendered deaf by their noise. The Collector moved a little faster, for he seemed to be an exception. ¡°Did I not warn that the Beastmaster is above my capabilities?¡± ¡°You could¡ª¡± ¡°No. I cannot.¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Innocent. Destined for heaven, I¡¯m sure.¡± The Collector chanced upon two hounds chewing on a corpse like a toy, and with uncanny strength, grabbed one¡¯s leg and smashed the yipping beast into the other, over and over again. As if it would absolve him of wrongdoing. ¡°I save more lives by thinning his ranks.¡± Do you? The Collector growled, slamming the dogs one last time, their skulls bashed in and their breaths stilled. ¡°Charon,¡± he said, and Kamali recoiled at the anger in his voice. How was Charon talking? He was just silenced a moment ago! Drop in the bucket, that¡¯s all you¡¯re doing. But fine, I get it. Beastmaster¡¯s too scary for you¡ª ¡°Several days!¡± barked Collector, and Charon¡¯s voice was sealed away again. ¡°You make me wish I had the nerve to suck you dry, but you¡¯d be far more aggravating with a Broken¡¯s chatty mouth. Keep this up, however, and¡ª¡± He gasped, as sensory input from other spirits chimed in, unhappy at his refusal to do something. Phrases like It¡¯s a child! and Do something about it! flooded in, peppered with off-key statements from the Broken. Kamali furrowed his gaze as she felt the violet sea and mists shifting, the Collector straining from the noise. ¡°Stop!¡± he commanded, groaning in relief as their chaos subsided. ¡°Yes, I know you¡¯re emotionally hurt by this! But what can I do? I¡¯m a soul thief looking after himself, not some suicidal savior¡ª¡± He paused, then backed up as a mess of paws slammed down a distance before him, dislodging road tiles. The two heads of Dupemaw sniffed at Collector, one growling at him, before Beastmaster soothed the head with a gentle rub of its cheek. Collector and his collected spirits stared onward at the unwelcome guest, an arm tightly holding a girl no older than ten years of age. The child¡¯s face, stricken with tears, blood, and snot, grew graver at the sight of the Collector. Kamali¡¯s soul cracked at the sight. ¡°I knew you¡¯d show yourself around, Collector!¡± Beastmaster said, giving a tip of his feathered hat and a wink of his glowing brown eyes. The girl didn¡¯t bother struggling against him, even as he stroked her hair. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve been having a wonderful time?¡± Chapter 9 Collected Chapter 9
There was this ominous silence that roared within the Collector¡¯s prison. The mist and seas were set aflame by that silence, the gaze of many soullessly watching the Beastmaster as he presented his kidnapped girl like an exotic bird at a traveling zoo. The Collector, most soulless of all. ¡°Don¡¯t mind my guest, she¡¯s a little broken inside after I did some unpleasant things to her family.¡± Beastmaster gave a sorrowful smile, the kind that pretended to care but really, really couldn¡¯t be bothered to. ¡°Too self-sacrificial, those lot, hard to keep them alive when they¡¯re trying their hardest to kill themselves for each other, you know? Though on the bright side, she¡¯ll make for a far better experiment by the end of this all!¡± The Collector was frothing on the inside. Kamali could almost imagine him trembling, a quiet hate building in his chest. Hate for the Beastmaster himself, or the decision he was thrusting upon him, by showing his face? Behind his stone face, stonier eyes shifted ever so slowly toward the child Beastmaster held. A joyless husk of whatever she¡¯d been, perfect for being stuffed with new, hideous purpose. ¡°I do have a finite supply of underlings, you know, so I have to stock up wherever possible. Got minions saving a few folks here and there for that purpose, but I think I can do something really special with this little one. Ah, but pardon my rudeness!¡± Beastmaster lounged a little in Dupemaw¡¯s saddle, the spitting image of a contented sinner. ¡°Have you been enjoying the sights, dearest Collector? Having fun with your latest additions to your group? You are such a quiet one, you know¡ª¡± ¡°You have my Myra.¡± Spirits didn¡¯t breathe, but a collective intake of breath overtook the Collector¡¯s prison, Kamali amongst the loudest of them. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°That girl.¡± The Collector folded his arms. ¡°Her name¡¯s Myra. I had her marked to claim later.¡± Myra grew astonished, gaping at the Collector. ¡°Really now?¡± said Beastmaster with a tilt of his head. ¡°My dearest apologies. I cannot really give her up, you know. She¡¯s too good a vessel to pass up.¡± ¡°She¡¯s too good a soul to pass up.¡± ¡°You do not need her in specific, surely? There are countless others¡ª¡± ¡°Would the same not be said for you? I marked Myra, Beastmaster, well before you made your move. Specifically her.¡± Dupemaw took offense at the aggressive stance the Collector had taken, fangs bared. It took a bit of cajoling from Beastmaster to settle them down. ¡°An impasse then,¡± he said, his smile cold. ¡°Your indulgence seems to conflict with my own. Please, Collector, I do insist that you reconsider. This is not a fight we need to pick¡ª¡± ¡°Yet you do not back down?¡± questioned the Collector. ¡°I have few joys, Beastmaster, and you are denying me one of them.¡± ¡°What could be so special about a broken child to you? The novelty? Some Role or Rule she possesses?¡± ¡°In truth? She badly yearns for life.¡± The Collector faced Myra, the young girl quivering at the attention he gave her, and yet the tiniest of nods came from her. ¡°Your act only intensified that. You want a broken soul? You can make them anywhere, anytime. But a gem like her represents everything I stand for.¡± Kamali couldn¡¯t stop herself from gaping, too engrossed in the war between the two monsters. The Collector made no attempt at comforting Myra, but Kamali thought the girl was ever so slightly inclined toward him, seeing him as a lesser evil. Beastmaster shook his head. ¡°Passionate of you. But I still struggle to understand why you must double down on this.¡± ¡°Ditto.¡± Something nudged Kamali¡¯s back, and she turned to find a yellow spirit, a cloak around her form and her face set with conviction. Freya, she assumed. Earl stood a distance too, the scarred warrior¡¯s eyes filled with steel. Neither spoke, but their minds were bare, open for Kamali to read their intents. And she understood at once. The Collector took a step forward. Beastmaster¡¯s firearm raised in the same instant, his arm clutching Myra tighter. ¡°I really do not want to fight a fellow brother,¡± he said, holding Dupemaw back as their two heads began barking at the Collector. The soul eater tilted his head again, neck twisted so much it looked like it could snap. ¡°Brothers?¡± he said. ¡°An interesting allegory, if it is meant to explain your selfishness. Do not test me, Beastmaster, I¡¯ve already had a poor day and that girl¡ª¡± ¡°She is my treat! I¡¯ve earned her!¡± Beastmaster blurted, like the whiny little ¡®brother¡¯ he was, his finger tapping the trigger of his firearm. ¡°I can¡¯t let you touch her, Collector.¡± ¡°Why would I touch her?¡± the Collector calmly replied. ¡°I have friends.¡± And he pulled into himself to grab a soul. Beastmaster fired. The explosive shot demolished the paved road behind the Collector, a clear warning shot. ¡°Your spirits can¡¯t take me so easily!¡± he yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t try it!¡± There was an undercurrent of anxiety within the Collector. But the cold rage burned through it. ¡°Drop the girl, Beastmaster. You know this isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°I know it isn¡¯t! I apologize, I truly do¡ª¡± ¡°I apologize too.¡± The Collector let his soul drop back into his body. ¡°But apologies mean nothing.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. That was when Freya and Earl struck. One with daggers, the other with his two swords. Summoned quietly behind by Kamali¡¯s Spirit Call, their weapons pierced, Beastmaster letting out a pained howl. His hold on Myra loosened just a tiny bit, but enough for Freya to yank her away, the little girl yelping on instinct. She glowed with Haste¡¯s power, as did Earl and the Collector. Earl swung again, only to be caught off-guard as Beastmaster grabbed his arm and kicked the tangible spirit away. One of Dupemaw¡¯s mouths turned upon him, and Kamali felt a chill as unnaturally white electricity fizzled inside its maw. The resulting beam of lightning cut through brick and stone, Earl screaming as it clipped his arm. The other mouth had aimed at Freya, but she had disengaged already, as had the Collector, horror in his concealed eyes as he immediately recalled Earl back into his prison. ¡°My treat!¡± snapped Beastmaster as the pair bolted, electricity blasting a spot a few paces behind them. ¡°Return her!¡± The situation was bad, Kamali quickly realized. Though the Collector and Freya moved quickly, so did Dupemaw. They bounded onto rooftops and snaked through streets, trying to lose their pursuer, but Dupemaw managed a breakneck pace roughly on par with theirs, following close behind. One always had a snout sniffing about for the Collector¡¯s scent, foiling their attempts to slip away under Beastmaster¡¯s eyes. They once barreled past a group of soldiers fighting against Fervent Indulgent recruits, with both pausing to gawk at the sight of the Collector himself, seemingly rampaging through town ¡ª a sight made all the more unsettling, if not a little confusing as well, when a fuming Beastmaster rode past on Dupemaw. The purple hounds with big mouths kept popping up wherever they moved, as if they¡¯d been summoned there to intercept them. The Collector swatted them away, and Freya slashed, but more kept coming to block them off. The Collector released a scarlet soul from his form, condensing into a robed spirit that raised a burning staff, firing out bouts of flame that made the yipping beasts scatter to either end. Freya cast her Haste on him too. Still not enough. An explosive shot turned a narrow street ahead into rubble, and the Collector¡¯s moment of hesitation was rewarded as he spasmed, electricity washing over him. Dupemaw slammed into him, Kamali feeling the vertigo as the Collector tumbled and smashed through a brick wall. In the distance, Freya cried out in agony, and then so did the little girl, Myra. Kamali couldn¡¯t take it then. Calling on her Spirit Call, she hurtled herself out of the Collector¡ª ¡ªand right behind the crumbled wall, yet another minor sign of the town¡¯s fallen state. Her mind instantly froze over, peeking over to find Dupemaw savagely biting down on Freya and appearing to actually harm her, despite her spirit nature. ¡°I warned you, Collector!¡± Beastmaster said, his whip uncoiled and snapping toward the scarlet mage spirit. It too sparked with unnatural white electricity, the mage crying out as it struck true. Myra, for her part, looked like a traumatized mess as Dupemaw¡¯s paws shoved down on her chest, squeezing the breath out of her. She wanted to fight that? What was wrong with her? She wasn¡¯t a fighter, and Beastmaster and his mount could kill her! She couldn¡¯t die, wouldn¡¯t die, she had to get to safety¡ª But then nobody would stop Myra from suffering a fate worse than death. Dupemaw¡¯s free mouth carefully gripped Myra at Beastmaster¡¯s command, tossing her into his waiting grasp. ¡°We¡¯re done,¡± he yelled at the prone Collector, failing to notice Kamali hiding not too far from him. A group of the bigmouthed hounds joined Dupepaw, growling as they made a protective circle. ¡°You¡¯ve plenty of other tragic humans to find around town. Bother them instead and let me have my fun, will you?¡± She wasn¡¯t a fighter, true. But Kamali didn¡¯t have to be one. Lingering spirit remnants were choking out the town at this point, the cries of the recently deceased a maelstrom of hate ¡ª her Shaman Role told her this. And with a touch of her Spirit Empathy, it told her they were itching to unleash that hate on someone who deserved it. So Kamali gave them that. She cast Spirit Call. And with the natural powers of her Role, she directed them to a target. They responded all too eagerly. A purple haze misted into being overhead, and the shades of fallen townsfolk broke out from their spiritual plane of existence. ¡°What?¡± said Beastmaster, before flailing as the spectral, demon-like creatures swarmed him, screeching and raking away with clawed hands. ¡°Gah! No, stop!¡± Dupemaw¡¯s heads cried out in unison as the shades struck them too. They tossed Freya¡¯s spirit body away, firing out small sparks of electricity that drove back some shades, but not for long enough. The other hounds whimpered and ran tail as well, repelled by the wrathful spirits. Myra was yelling out as well, even as the shades ignored her, their loathing all centered on the chief architect of the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s raid. The Collector had pulled himself to his feet, giving Kamali the slightest of nods, before charging in himself to take the girl. Beastmaster fought to stop him. His soul-shocking whip flew about, warding off shades, and the Collector leapt to the side as his weapon struck the air beside him with a snap. ¡°Quit this game already!¡± yelled Beastmaster. ¡°You won¡¯t deny me my indulgence!¡± The Collector came at him. Beastmaster urged his steed, but they were too busy thrashing their eight legs about. The Collector vaulted over, shoving him off, the two grappling for the girl. Shades clawing at Beastmaster didn¡¯t stop him from wrestling with the Collector, nor did his tight grip on Myra. ¡°Mine!¡± he yelled, striking with his free hand and legs. ¡°Mine!¡± Dupemaw had finally vaporized a good number of the shades with their electric breath, and was moving to assist their master. The scarlet mage spirit stopped him though ¡ª having recovered, his flames kept the wolf monster and the other hounds at bay. Freya was still prone, however, much to Kamali¡¯s worry. More horrifying still was the savagery of the Collector¡¯s tug-of-war with Beastmaster, with a yelling Myra in the middle. ¡°Give her,¡± rumbled the Collector. ¡°No!¡± protested Beastmaster. ¡°You cannot!¡± The young girl¡¯s duress overcame her, her eyes squeezed tight and her breath coming in stuttered gasps. The Collector noticed, and Kamali thought she felt his emotions go hollow. Cold as death, and just as calculating. Apologies mean nothing, a lone thought rumbled throughout the network of spirits. And Kamali gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she said. A sword manifested in his hand. The Collector beheaded the girl. Even Beastmaster was stricken into silence by the deed, briefly forgetting the shades tearing at him. Plucking Myra¡¯s soul, the Collector gave one last kick that shoved the Fervent Indulgent¡¯s leader back, before swallowing whole. The splatter of Myra¡¯s blood was what made Kamali finally notice, in extremely late fashion, the complete lack of bleeding from Dupemaw¡¯s many cuts inflicted by the shades. Beastmaster too. Only the hounds bled, if only a little. ¡°My pet!¡± Beastmaster spun his whip in a frenzy, scattering the shades. ¡°You took her! YOU TOOK HER!¡± A tug yanked Kamali, and she found herself being whisked away into the Collector¡¯s prison. She felt the Collector run like the wind, just as she felt herself fall away into his spiritual world of sea and mist. Just as another spirit, new to the realm, was falling in too for the first time ever. It made her sick to her core, an illness that her Disease Cleanse Rule couldn¡¯t hope to cure. What had the Collector done? Her head throbbed, the sudden uproar of spirit voices making her mind crack. The Collector groaned, but his pace never faltered, leaving a livid Beastmaster behind in Gordius Town. His vessel denied, for there was no reclaiming the soul needed to power it. ¡°But I apologize,¡± the Collector finished. Chapter 10 Collected Chapter 10
Murder! Hypocrite! Like hippo! Is purple! So much for your self-imposed rules! ¡®No killing innocents¡¯, my foot! Rulebreaker. You had no right, you scum! You had no right! Took life! Never gives! Look that girl in the eye right now and try to explain yourself! We dare you! Broken and sane voices were merged as one, to the point that Kamali couldn¡¯t differentiate between the two. She¡¯d managed to drag herself over to where a small group of spirits had congregated on the large rock island, with Dahlia in the center. With her was the man whom the Collector had consumed in Gordius Town, his eyes sunken and darting about with a level of scrutiny. And the other? Myra. A child that seemed lifeless inside, hardly responding to anything. Dahlia was practically dragging her around, whispering to her in kindly words that went through one ear and out the other. Just looking at her made too many feelings well up in Kamali. She turned away at once, clutching her chest, before pressing her lips at the other unfortunate sight a distance away from here. Another group of spirits had congregated, with Earl a notable figure amongst them. Their bodies blocked her line of sight, but she got glimpses of Freya lying still among them. Her voice echoed over the spirit network, babbling to herself. Failed her. Failed everyone. Should¡¯ve finished him first ¡ª the pain! Have to get up, have to save her¡ª Dupemaw had left her delirious. Her words were somewhat more coherent than other Broken, but she was still clearly teetering on a ledge of no return. Chances were the woman wouldn¡¯t make it. Earl had been luckier. He only had been grazed by Dupemaw¡¯s electricity, but he still gripped his shoulder tightly, burn marks on his transparent orange body. It spooked Kamali. ¡°Not often that someone has the ability to directly hurt us.¡± Kamali turned to find Nina of all people, the short rosy ghost watching the scene with a somberness that didn¡¯t fit her. ¡°It¡¯s horrible.¡± ¡°This?¡± asked Kamali, before gesturing to Myra and the other man from Gordius Town. ¡°Or that?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± Nina let her head droop. ¡°Don¡¯t have the energy to be angry at Avrom like the others, honestly. I¡¯m far too exhausted, and all I did was spectate. Innkeepers aren¡¯t any good at fighting, and anyway, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m as brave as you were.¡± Her, brave? ¡°I only made shades of the dead attack Beastmaster.¡± ¡°And you could¡¯ve been killed for being out there to do that. You were brave.¡± The thought muddled Kamali¡¯s head, unable to see what she was talking about. That wasn¡¯t her, she was just a cockroach. Cockroaches weren¡¯t brave, they were just survivors. All she did was help Myra survive. And she failed. ¡°Jarsh¡¯s here.¡± A deadpan chirpiness entered Nina¡¯s tone as Kamali took notice, the Broken spirit floating onto the stone island in his usual slumped posture, eyes on Freya. The other spirits had stirred at his approach, blocking him from getting close, and a furious Earl had brandished one of his blades. ¡°Hah. Old jerkface seems to forget he¡¯s nobody¡¯s boss now.¡± Kamali raised a brow at Nina¡¯s phrasing. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he wasn¡¯t with Dahlia¡¯s group,¡± she muttered. A sardonic chuckle. ¡°He did that thing where he drifted toward Myra and that other new guy Avrom collected, I¡¯m guessing? Probably gave you the creepy look too when you first showed too, yeah? Bunch of us think he¡¯s still got some instinct to hunt down fallen souls or whatever, brute¡¯s too stuck in the past.¡± Nina folded her arms behind her head, laying back. ¡°Makes me realize I¡¯ve been here for too long ¡ª unlife really sucks for a socialite like me, darn it. You¡¯re itching to interrogate Avrom?¡± ¡°Nina?¡± Kamali looked between the girl and Jarsh. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Eh, somebody will tell you eventually. Have fun up there!¡± Nina winked, before rushing to another spirit that stood aloof, instantly engaging her in conversation. Kamali groaned, before looking skyward. Forget Jarsh for now. There were bigger things to deal with first. The Collector had taken refuge in a place amongst the woods, a distance from Gordius Town. Kamali left his prison with Spirit Call, warping herself into a small glade under a sun that had begun its descent from noon. Birdsong tweeted out, a lovely melody in a lovely forest that Kamali found no appreciation for ¡ª the solemn cries of crows would¡¯ve been far more fitting.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A huff made her spin around to the Collector, sitting in the grass with hands clasped tight around his head. Kamali could feel the pressure he exerted on it, the way his eyes squinted ¡ª she was getting pretty good at sensing what his body did. The rage of the various spirits he held prisoner seemed to affect him poorly. ¡°Come to belittle me, I see.¡± The Collector turned his head her way. ¡°A tiny torment compared to what you think I deserve, isn¡¯t it?¡± He seemed vulnerable, the way he was right now. Kamali stared, waiting. The Collector sighed. ¡°You know I am a monster.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t an excuse.¡± ¡°I do not feel like excusing myself.¡± ¡°But you had a reason for what you did.¡± Silence. The birdsong began to feel uncanny in the back of Kamali¡¯s mind. Her stern expression broke into something softer, revealing how lost she felt inside. ¡°Why?¡± The Collector gave a deep rumble. ¡°Could you not tell?¡± he asked, with utmost seriousness. Kamali could guess. It fit in a way with the nature of the Collector. ¡°You meant the whole thing about Myra being a survivor.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Her Role and Rules?¡± ¡°No Role. But I believe she¡¯d make for a good Telekinetic Mage someday with her skills.¡± The Collector shook her head at a wide-eyed Kamali. ¡°Maybe Beastmaster cared about that, but not I.¡± A budding psychic. People who could move things with their mind were not that rare, but still notable enough. At Myra¡¯s age, with her lack of a Role to help, she was arguably a prodigy. ¡°But you cared more about her survival?¡± she questioned. ¡°The girl¡ª¡± ¡°You killed her.¡± Kamali buried her face for a moment, feeling emotions well up in her. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t kill innocents.¡± ¡°She has no family to go back to. Her soul was screaming for a way out, a way to live and be free. She didn¡¯t want to die there¡ª¡± ¡°So you forced her into yourself?¡± yelled Kamali. ¡°You added to some little girl¡¯s trauma, thinking she¡¯d prefer you over everything else?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± The Collector grew steamed, pulling himself to his feet. His arms left his forehead, his own anger seemingly shrouding his spirits¡¯, and Kamali involuntarily took a step back. ¡°It was one life! One amongst many others I could¡¯ve far more easily saved, but I did what you asked! I put myself and my spirits in mortal danger, put Freya on her undying throes¡ª¡± ¡°And?¡± And? And? And? Kamali¡¯s voice overlapped with several other spirits, the now it was the Collector who stepped back, groaning in mental pain. ¡°What do you mean ¡®and¡¯?¡± he said. ¡°Beastmaster and his mutant wolf pet have anti-spirit abilities! Freya couldn¡¯t so much as phase out of Dupemaw¡¯s maw, for goodness¡¯s sake! Was I supposed to send you all out to strike him, and put your lives on the line?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse to throw away hers! There¡¯s far better ways you could¡¯ve handled¡ª¡± Kamali went stiffer than a gargoyle turned to stone as the Collector threw off his smiling mask. All the heat within her frozen over at the sight of his true warped face ¡ª complete with fanged black teeth and demonic eyes. One violet one on the right, and far, far too many tiny ones on the left, all of varying colors. An unnatural fear branded her from those eyes. ¡°Was I supposed to let Myra continue to be a target?¡± barked the Collector, and Kamali saw her rigid self from his perspective, the left side a disorienting mess of overlapping visions. ¡°Where could she hide? What else could I do, when fighting a force that outmatches you, except put her in the one place he can¡¯t reach her? All I wanted was to end this thirst for souls that I have! I planned to live forever in peace and quiet, away from all these troublesome factions I wanted no business with, but no! I decided to break my own rules and ruin Beastmaster¡¯s fun, all to make my family of spirits happy, and look where that got us! Just how much do you want from me?¡± Kamali found herself choking on her breath. Odd, because she didn¡¯t need to breathe anymore. The Collector approached her, scowling. ¡°What do you want, child?¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± The command helped Kamali speak. The rest was her own willpower, pushing against the fear. What was it that she wished for, above all? It was simple. The Collector was a force to be reckoned with, even if he didn¡¯t realize it. If he really, really was the not-so-crooked creature he kept trying to pose as, then what she wanted was¡ª ¡°For you to actually make a difference,¡± Kamali blurted out. ¡°For me to shut down Beastmaster.¡± ¡°This whole t-thing wouldn¡¯t have h-happened¡ª¡± Kamali¡¯s mind froze up again as the Collector stomped toward her, the pressure of his eyes crushing her. ¡°Of course you want that,¡± he huffed, rolling each and every one of those eyes in ridicule. ¡°You want the big bad monster with a heart to stop the bigger, badder monster from getting away with the theft of the countryside.¡± Of course she did. Beastmaster meant to claim this entire land for the Fervent Indulgent. Kamali couldn¡¯t stomach that idea, and she doubted the Collector liked it either. Not with his hostility to them. ¡°But I can¡¯t,¡± the Collector went on. ¡°Not without incurring the wrath of greater forces that will spare no effort afterward to remove us from the chessboard. Not without doing to you what I did to Freya ¡ª and believe me, I care very deeply about every last one of you spirits trapped within this cursed body, if at least because I feel the need to make it up in some way.¡± His head went to the side, and Kamali felt some of the pressure fade away, giving her space. Only so much, however, for his large right eye kept watch, staring her down. ¡°But you do not understand. You are not the Collector. You don¡¯t live with the weight of being a monster that must feed on souls, that must survive on his own, shunned by the world.¡± ¡°T-then why did you become him?¡± The Collector¡¯s eye narrowed. There was no heat in Kamali¡¯s meek, whispery voice, having lost it from the fear the Collector had afflicted her with. And yet, with the heat gone, an icy edge had been left in her words. ¡°You became a monster,¡± Kamali said. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t enjoy it. Why?¡± Usurper. Throne stolen! Broke him! Broke the Collector! Kamali had only been trying to get her footing back into the argument, but the sudden interjections from the Broken caught her off guard. She gaped as more and more them clamored over each other, before the Collector hissed a command for them to hush. The other spirits too had stopped speaking, though Kamali thought Nina had made a tiny little giggle. ¡°You wish to know, Shaman?¡± said the Collector, his gaze making the forest air heavy. ¡°I didn¡¯t want the Role of The Collector.¡± A pause. ¡°I stole it from Jarsh.¡± Five words, and it left Kamali¡¯s mind completely numb. Chapter 11 Collected Chapter 11
The Collector had always been an imposing figure, a nightmarish being that seemed to hail from darkest recesses of whatever spirit realm he came from ¡ª all cloaked behind a mundane bundle of clothing wrapped over his form, complete with a mask to cover his foul face. Combined with his odd behavior and his attempts to act cordial, if not friendly at times, it made him almost seem down-to-earth. But it was the longing look in his face right now that really sold it for Kamali. That the Collector was mortal. A human once, but not anymore. And not because he had intended to reject it. ¡°Jarsh.¡± The name slid out of Kamali¡¯s mouth like a pebble tipping over a cliff, pushed by a little breeze. ¡°Jarsh was the Collector.¡± The Collector ¡ª Avrom ¡ª let the pupils of his eyes drift away from Kamali, further easing the pressure on her. They stared faraway into the blue sky, contemplative. ¡°He was.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry?¡± It wasn¡¯t that Kamali disbelieved. The Broken had heavily alluded to it, and Nina too. But Jarsh, the actual Collector? Not the person in front of her? She mentally tugged at Dahlia, the woman¡¯s voice responding almost instantly. I meant no ill by hiding it, she apologized. But I find newcomers are too overwhelmed by their undeath to be told everything right away. ¡°Avrom? He was¡ª?¡± One of the few claimed by Jarsh that didn¡¯t break. As was I. A venomous noise echoed from Dahlia. Charon and Nina as well. He was a far less pleasant master. ¡°I¡¯m touched,¡± the Collector said. Don¡¯t look for an ally in me, child murderer. A self-mocking smile was the Collector¡¯s response. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a good person in life either,¡± he confessed to Kamali. ¡°Though one might state it was just a matter of circumstance. See, I was raised amongst a gang at some far-off city ¡ª got my Manipulator Role thanks to them. Not that I¡¯m the best at smooth-talking or anything, as you might be able to tell, but I digress. ¡°The Collector, he had crashed into town, causing his usual pandemonium. Killed me and a few fellow gang members, ate our souls, the usual. Thing is with Jarsh, his mind had been deteriorating even before his soul stealing antics awarded him the Role of The Collector, and the baggage it came with. After? He was a maddened killer.¡± Far too many of us broke at his hand, Dahlia mused. And the accumulation of Broken broke Jarsh further in return. ¡°The Collector¡¯s body is rather sensitive to his spirits and their psyches, mind you,¡± the Collector said. ¡°Want to hear a selfish reason for why I try to be on good terms with my spirits? Because otherwise, their collective hostility would be too damaging to me. I would lose control, leaving me free for someone to eject me and take over the body. The Collector¡¯s powers are all in the body, Kamali ¡ª I¡¯m only borrowing them.¡± Steal bad? Good! Ill-gotten goods best! Jarsh gone. Tormentor. Justice! Deserved worse, worse! Kamali grew more and more pallid with time, for reasons she couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint. Maybe at the thought that Avrom the Collector was but a bodysnatcher, wearing a form that wasn¡¯t his? Or maybe at knowing where the vast majority of Broken came from? ¡°So then, you took Jarsh¡¯s body¡ª¡± ¡°Accidentally. He¡¯d been tormenting us non-stop in a bid to make us stop hurting him back, and well, I snapped. Pushed somewhere I didn¡¯t know I could, and crushed his soul the moment I took over his body.¡± A strange look entered the Collector¡¯s eyes. ¡°You nearly took over yourself.¡± Huh? What? She did what? ¡°When I first sensed Beastmaster in Gordius Town. You tried to see him and Myra too, and wormed into my body in order to use my Soulsense Rule.¡± The Collector¡¯s lips parted to reveal a fanged, almost crazed smile. ¡°You used a Rule of the Collector, Kamali. Anyone could do the stunt you pulled, but normally, I¡¯m prepared to shove them back. You were lucky.¡± Now Kamali definitely had something to make her pale as a sheet. That was¡ª she had¡ª Oh dear God, she nearly became the Collector herself. She could¡¯ve made use of any of his abilities if she wanted. She was too hyper-aware of the movements of Avrom the Collector as he walked over, picking up the stone mask he¡¯d left behind. Too aware of its rocky texture, of the feel of the grass tickling his feet, of the weight of his eyes and the rustling noises of the forest that his goblin-like ears picked up on. ¡°That said, it would be interesting if you were the one in control,¡± he said to himself. ¡°Your spiritual Shaman powers could be amplified with this form, I reckon. What would a young lady like you do with all that?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. No. Absolutely not. Kamali cut off all sensations she felt from the Collector¡¯s body, shaking her head viciously. She wanted no part of that. ¡°G-give it to someone else,¡± she stammered. ¡°Someone like D-Dahlia.¡± The woman made a choking noise, Kamali feeling her actively reject such an offer. ¡°I am perhaps too clingy to the control I wield,¡± said the Collector. ¡°Y-you¡¯re not better.¡± ¡°A sinner is best suited for a naturally sinful form, no?¡± Maybe Avrom had accidentally gained the Collector¡¯s body. But that didn¡¯t extend to his continued ownership of it. He chose to keep living as the Collector. Physically, of course, but perhaps mentally as well. ¡°Well, this day has gone poorly. No point in following the Fervent Indulgent now, I suppose, not with Beastmaster prepared to give me an ill reception for my trouble.¡± The Collector put on his stone mask, turning away. ¡°At least my hunger shouldn¡¯t rear up for a good while. Where to now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get you.¡± Kamali¡¯s murmur made an ear of the Collector twitch. With the unnatural fear his face exuded being completely gone, nothing stopped her from letting her thoughts gush out. ¡°I don¡¯t get you at all,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re still holding on to a body you don¡¯t exactly want.¡± The Collector nodded. ¡°A small price for immortality, child.¡± ¡°And to get that immortality, we go around, hopping from town to town, taking souls and being a nuisance to people,¡± she said. ¡°Doing bad stuff for our own benefit. Am I right about that?¡± Murmurs came from some of the spirits, vaguely agreeing with her words. ¡°It will not last forever,¡± came the Collector¡¯s argument. ¡°At our current state, we will soon be free from the need to devour. You and I will someday figure out a method for freeing the spirits we do not need, of course, and I may need to find replacements, but that is good as well. It will put an end to the prison-like nature of this form. My fellow spirits will be able to truly enjoy their eternity on this earth, in peace and quiet.¡± A little touch of Spirit Empathy and Kamali knew he was sincere. He knew he cared, deep down, about the other spirits. ¡°It is like our own little gang here, huh?¡± she thought aloud. ¡°A gang leader does look out for his folks, rough as he might be.¡± The Collector knelt in front of Kamali, looking as tender as one could with a mask over his face. ¡°I¡¯ve done my wrongs, child, but it will be over soon. Look forward to the day we can leave behind this bleak world and hide away in our own personal paradise, will you? You will save yourself a little anguish that way.¡± Something just wasn¡¯t fitting together in Kamali¡¯s head. Various thoughts whirred by ¡ª concerns that the wrongs wouldn¡¯t end, because people would surely hunt down an immortal Calamity Walker with misdeeds to his name, and he¡¯d have to kill to defend himself. Puzzlement at how Avrom the Collector seemed to act like any crimes he might¡¯ve done would be all resolved with no lasting consequences. Discomfort at how eternity wasn¡¯t really eternal when, as a spirit, she was doomed to join the Broken someday. Could a Collector turn into a Broken too, even while holding the body? Would that allow someone else to freely take over? But there was one thought that spooked her, or rather, her cockroach self. A thought that maybe, it just wasn¡¯t worth being an undead spirit that was shackled by a self-proclaimed sinner. Not even for the paradise he promised. A paradise away from a bleak earth. Kamali stared out at the forest around her, imagining what it looked like from the sky above. Then the world around it, and the greenery it contained. The towns built upon it ¡ª and the flames and carnage that had claimed two of them, courtesy of Beastmaster. Anytime she thought of fire, she thought of Eseelis Village. She thought of Father, and wished he was still around. But now, there was a stray part of her that also thought of the Fervent Indulgent, of Virala Town. And in turn, her Mother. Had it only been yesterday since she died, and hurt Mother with her loss? Had Mother perished from the raid? Did she escape? Or had Beastmaster taken her body and made her into¡ª Kamali exhaled with a shudder, refusing the thought. ¡°Our paradise, their purgatory,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be happy with that.¡± ¡°Oh, for the love of¡ª¡± The Collector put his hand over his mask, his patience fraying yet again. ¡°I cannot accommodate you in everything, you know. I have no intentions of confronting Beastmaster again, and sending us all to our deaths.¡± ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to die. Many people don¡¯t. But¡ª¡± Kamali pursed her lips, reflecting deeply on her next words. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel like we¡¯re living either.¡± There was a buzz of voices from the saner spirits. Some bristling at her words, some thoughtful and somber. Some that prodded at the Collector. You hate the Fervent Indulgent, don¡¯t you? Why let them go free? You don¡¯t even have to fight, really, just cause enough trouble at Elystra City to ruin Beastmaster¡¯s efforts. Are we really going to turn a blind eye on the most foul of the Four Horsemen? Let them build up their territory further? We can¡¯t hide forever, anyway. Someday there¡¯ll be nowhere for us to go, and then what? Frankly, if you want to be a colossal waste of space that contributes nothing of worth, that¡¯s on you¡ª Charon¡¯s biting words were the ones that really ticked the Collector off. ¡°Stop!¡± he commanded, hands on his temples and his head drooping from the emotional pressure. ¡°I cannot! I will not! I would gladly do many things to make your eternity with me a pleasant one, but not this!¡± Kamali thought he was glaring at her from behind the mask, but she avoided checking to make sure, too uncomfortable with letting herself sense his body. ¡°You know,¡± she said, putting her hands up as the Collector loomed over her. ¡°Being a Shaman again, it¡¯s like I have a new purpose to live for. Thanks for that, I feel like I would go insane in your prison otherwise. But by the same token, what are you doing? Does the Collector really have a purpose?¡± The Collector hissed through his teeth. ¡°I tend to you all,¡± he said. ¡°Family is a purpose.¡± ¡°Are we family? Really?¡± To that, Avrom was dead silent. Motionless. No gust of wind could hope to move him, the way he was. Kamali sighed, deciding that she¡¯d said her bit. Maybe it was best to give the Collector some space now. Spirit Call worked in reverse, as it turned out. Letting the light of the summoner and the summoned engulf her, Kamali warped herself back onto the large stony island of the Collector¡¯s prison, ignoring looks the other spirits gave her. Her eyes darted across the not-waters of the violet sea and the mist hovering over it, before darting to Dahlia. The woman¡¯s eyes seemed to pierce her for a long time, before she gave a curt nod. Myra, the little girl with her, was looking at her as well, brows furrowed. The girl¡¯s stare made her spiritual heart throb. Kamali made herself turn around at once, approaching Earl¡¯s group. The scarred, gruff warrior seemed at a loss at what exactly to think of her, settling for a hard yet neutral expression as she came forward. Freya mumbled to herself, the fallen spirit¡¯s eyes drawn to the ground. ¡°You mind if I try helping her?¡± she asked, and Earl softened a tad, shifting away. Kamali let herself ease up, shutting her mind from everything else. It was just her and Freya. No one else. She connected to Freya¡¯s troubled state with her Spirit Empathy, beginning to speak to her in soothing, assuring words. If anything, it would be good practice for her Shaman capabilities. And it kept her busy, away from her woes with the Collector and her own unlife. Would this do anything for Freya? She wasn¡¯t sure. Her Spirit Empathy only helped her with understanding spirits, after all, and words were just words. But no reason not to try. Chapter 12 Collected Chapter 12
It was some reluctance that Kamali let herself open up to the sensations of the Collector¡¯s body, seeing through his eyes. Still a blue sky outside ¡ª probably an hour or two had passed. Maybe she could¡¯ve summoned herself to make sure of the sun¡¯s position, but she didn¡¯t feel like leaving Freya. ¡°Will she get better?¡± The childish whisper startled her. It took Kamali some willpower not to snap her head toward Myra, who sat next to Dahlia and Nina. The threesome had joined her at some point, sitting together with the prone, mumbling Freya. The yellow spirit¡¯s eyes stayed skyward, almost heedless of the world, but her ears remained grounded, listening to what the others said. Dahlia had raised a brow at Myra too. The girl seldom spoke thus far, using only short, terse words like ¡®okay¡¯ or ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®fine¡¯. Never a question. ¡°Whatever is intended for her, she will receive,¡± said Dahlia. ¡°But we are doing our best.¡± Myra was like a tightly woven ball, legs pressed against her chest. Kamali had only now paid attention to her bluish color as a spirit, a somber and fitting hue for the girl. Her gaze lingered on Freya like a lifeline, apparently fond of the woman who had escorted her when running from Beastmaster. Freya too watched her, like she was everything to her. Girl. Danger. Have to protect. Her lips never moved, her words only spoken as surface thoughts, projected to the other spirits. Kamali heard further, however, feeling the emotional agony within the woman. The tenderness she felt for Myra, the anguish she had, and the paranoia within her that she would fail to protect her from phantom evils. ¡°She¡¯s safe and sound now,¡± Kamali told her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Hurt. Hurt in the head. ¡°Whatever bothers her, we¡¯ll be there for her,¡± Dahlia chimed in, her voice soothing. Apparently she had a Rule of some sort for placating people, probably from her former Caretaker life. ¡°We¡¯re protecting her, Freya, don¡¯t you fret.¡± Must protect! Must repent¡ª ¡°Shh.¡± Dahlia squeezed Freya¡¯s arm, the woman accepting the touch. ¡°You did it, Freya. She¡¯s not with Beastmaster anymore, thanks to your help. It¡¯ll all be okay now. She appreciates what you did, you know.¡± Myra gave a tiny nod. ¡°P-please don¡¯t worry, miss Freya.¡± Freya quieted at that. It probably wouldn¡¯t last for long, and she¡¯d relapse again, but Kamali could sense that the girl speaking herself had done something to Freya. There was a confusion in her, a sense of denial, mixed in with a fluttering warmth. A tiny shred of peace as well, finding solace in Myra¡¯s words. Kamali hadn¡¯t done too poorly with keeping her from losing it altogether, and Dahlia had been a natural at keeping her afloat, but now, it looked like maybe¡ª ¡°She¡¯ll bounce back.¡± Nina scooted over, the rosy spirit beaming as if Freya¡¯s recovery was all but guaranteed. ¡°She was always pleasant to talk to, you know? All her stories as a Scout, serving in a local militia and then as part of an adventurer group, it was fun to hear. Soft-spoken too. I¡¯d miss her if she joined the Broken, you know.¡± She directed her wide smile at Myra. ¡°I think you¡¯ll love her too. You¡¯re doing a good thing for her, kiddo.¡± Myra squirmed a little, muttering the quietest ¡°it¡¯s nothing¡± Kamali had ever heard. The young girl was healing a little too, Kamali sensed. She was still reeling from everything that happened, and it would be a slow recovery for sure, but at least the seeds had been planted. They sat there in silence for a good while. Many of the other spirits who¡¯d been with Freya had moved a short distance away, Earl at the front of their party and quietly observing Kamali¡¯s. Charon was a mystery, Kamali getting no sense of where he was right now ¡ª she couldn¡¯t even begin to sense him in the spirit network, like he¡¯d all but vanished without a trace. She looked about, then frowned as she caught wind of Jarsh, out in the seas with his head hung and arms behind his back. His eyes were duller than rocks, but they had a weight to them still, pupils laser-focused on Myra. Or her? Hard to tell. Strange to think that man was the real Collector. A monster whose killings had earned a bad reputation that Avrom had been left to inherit. How much of his evils had been a matter of insanity? How much had been of his own nature and volition? ¡°Dunno,¡± was Nina¡¯s response when Kamali asked her. The girl gave Jarsh the stink-eye, but there also seemed to be a flicker of pity as well. ¡°I mean, he practiced creepy soul magic that made him crazy in the head, so I¡¯d think the guy was a real piece of work, but nobody really knew what he was like before his descent into the whole Collector business.¡± ¡°I personally have assumed he was unprepared for the side-effects of soul collection,¡± Dahlia said, appearing more conflicted than Nina. ¡°If you look at him now, he seems regretful. Yearning for something. From my interactions with what¡¯s become of him, I get the strange feeling he hadn¡¯t meant to do some of the actions he¡¯d taken.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°He does look at certain people a little differently,¡± Nina admitted. ¡°He seems hurt whenever we cross paths, for one. Charon though, he frowns at a lot.¡± Myra had seemed a little engrossed at the conversation, tilting her head to better listen. Had she done so as well when Kamali had spoken with Avrom the Collector? Did the existence of a previous Collector catch her interest? Kamali had a feeling she might bond with her in time, she seemed like a person she could enjoy being around with. And Myra could probably use another friendly face to comfort her too. They¡¯d be here a long while after all. A dull, technically unending life with the Collector, at least until Kamali could figure out a way to free spirits from his body. She still wasn¡¯t quite sure how to approach that, though she had some ideas with Spirit Call. And putting up with the Collector was its own challenge. But it wasn¡¯t the absolute worst. ¡°It¡¯s odd,¡± Kamali found herself saying. ¡°The Collector likes to talk about giving back to his spirits, but he really did give me a new leash on life, didn¡¯t he?¡± Dahlia and Nina eyed her with raised brows, and Myra with a little bit of curiosity. Even Freya, she could¡¯ve sworn, was paying more attention to her. ¡°Cause I wouldn¡¯t have gone back to my Shaman side otherwise,¡± Kamali said, letting herself bask in old, burned up memories for once in her life. A wistful smile touched her lips. ¡°Shamans were a common thing in Eseelis Village, you know. Father had taught me a few things himself. He had a spirit creature that was this really cool raptor bird made of wind and stuff ¡ª I remember begging him all the time to show me how you can make a bond with spirit creatures.¡± The smile cracked. ¡°Kids would sometimes bully me about my village, how the ¡®creepy magic hippies¡¯ couldn¡¯t do so much as stop a monster swarm. They didn¡¯t understand. They never faced so many monsters bunched up together and setting the night itself on fire. T-they¡ª¡± Kamali took a moment to breathe ¡ª not that she needed it, but it did wonders for calming her. Dahlia had gotten ahold of her shoulder, her grip strong and reassuring, and Kamali nodded to her in appreciation. ¡°Shamans never really had a place in Virala Town,¡± she went on. ¡°The people there got superstitious about it and jobs didn¡¯t exactly exist for that Role. So it¡¯s odd, that I¡¯m getting a job with a Calamity Walker suffering from gray morality, isn¡¯t it? That I have a reason to like the stupid Role that wasn¡¯t good enough to protect Father, or my village?¡± ¡°I think,¡± was Dahlia¡¯s swift response, ¡°that your lovely Role deserves to be cherished. And that rude people who think otherwise can stick their heads in a pile of poison ivy.¡± ¡°Yep!¡± added Nina, flashing Kamali a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t even need to bother with the poison ivy, honestly! I¡¯m sure those jerks got their just desserts anyway when the Fervent¡ª¡± She paused instantly, lips pressing together as Dahlia glared daggers at her. Kamali grimaced at the terrible thought, and Myra, the poor girl, had her bluish spirit body turning a pale shade. ¡°Me and my big mouth,¡± Nina muttered, before perking a little. ¡°But hey, you really didn¡¯t have to share that with us. So I¡¯m touched that you did anyway.¡± To Kamali, it was just something she felt like getting off her chest. Whom she spoke to hadn¡¯t exactly mattered at the moment ¡ª the Collector and the other spirits could overhear anyway. Though judging from how Myra seemed to look at Kamali, like she was a kindred spirit to her, she had a feeling her talk had found the audience it needed. Poor girl knew a little something about trauma herself, probably more than Kamali did. The two of them might get along in no time. In any case, though, talking about old wounds had done something to exhaust her. Freya seemed alright for now, so Kamali excused herself, leaving Dahlia, Nina, and Myra to stay with the half-maddened woman. She drifted around on the large rock island, observing the other spirits grouped together in their own inner circles. Jarsh still lingered on the horizon, half-shrouded in mist over the violet spirit sea. No sign of Charon. Kamali huffed to herself. Getting an Academic Role had been helpful in rebuilding her new life in Virala Town. Villages didn¡¯t have quite the same curriculum as a proper town, and she had worked hard to stay afloat. It¡¯d been a fixation for her cockroach side, something to keep her going after Father¡¯s death. Poverty in a town that didn¡¯t exactly care for village refugees was a miserable existence, and she had worked hard to help keep herself and Mother afloat. Anything to survive. Anything to not be like Father with a useless Shaman Role that couldn¡¯t save him from an outbreak of fire salamanders. What good was a Role that could hardly fight and had little practicality, compared to a non-combat Role that could actually get her a decent life? But a Shaman wasn¡¯t useless. It only was in Virala Town. Not here, where she had a mission and a reason to fight on. The power to free souls from the Collector would be a great accomplishment ¡ª but it would be a long, uphill road there. And atrocities like what happened to Myra could always happen again. Innocents, taken against their will, forced to spend who knew how long until Kamali could finally give them freedom from the Collector. ¡°So why not break the cycle?¡± Kamali quite literally flipped backward, Charon stifling a wheezy laugh as she found herself floating upside-down. ¡°I- you¡ª¡± she stammered. She brought herself right-side-up again with a little effort, to Charon¡¯s mirth. The cloaked, masked spirit of gray hovered before her like an eerie poltergeist, summoned for a deed most horrible. ¡°B-break the cycle?¡± Kamali repeated, before turning her head about. ¡°Wait, where did¡ª¡± There was mist around them. Not the violet mist of the Collector, but a gray, suffocating mist, covering her and Charon. More mind-boggling was the deep silence in Kamali¡¯s head ¡ª for once in her unlife, she heard absolutely nothing in her head. No, felt absolutely nothing. The spirit network wasn¡¯t there, and the Collector was but a too-distant tether. Charon gave another chuckle. ¡°Just a trick of mine. This isn¡¯t the kind of talk you can have with him listening on, after all.¡± He leaned back, lounging in midair with a hand resting against the cheek of his nondescript mask. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the thought never crossed your mind?¡± ¡°W-what thought?¡± Yet another chuckle. A slow, grim, conspiratorial chuckle. ¡°This cannot go on, kiddo,¡± Charon said. ¡°I¡¯ve been planning this for a long time, and now the Collector¡¯s broken the last straw. It¡¯s about time for us to do the honorable thing and kill him.¡± Chapter 13 Collected Chapter 13
The mention of murder was something Kamali¡¯s cockroach self shriveled up at. But the idea of murdering the Collector was something beyond her imagination. ¡°Kill?¡± she said in a low voice. Charon had begun leaning against the gray, secluding fog he had somehow conjured around her. ¡°He won¡¯t hear you, you know,¡± he teased, before taking on a more serious tone. ¡°Yes, you heard me. We¡¯re destroying Jarsh¡¯s body once and for all. Avrom will die, and there won¡¯t be a third Collector.¡± He raised a gloved finger. ¡°Well, a fourth, really. You could argue that I¡¯ll be the third. Or rather, was the third.¡± The words were like a psychic blow to Kamali. She backed up at once, arms pressing against the solid gray mist. ¡°Y-you?¡± she yelled. ¡°What¡ª how are you¡ª I¡¯m sorry? Say that again? You¡¯re a Collector?¡± ¡°What? Pfft! Of course not, that would be ridiculous!¡± Charon waved off the accusation, before leaning in. ¡°Okay, but maybe I do one or two shifts when he¡¯s not looking.¡± Kamali gaped. ¡°He¡¯s been more unstable than usual these days. Partially my fault, really. Did you know that every person who ends up possessing the Collector¡¯s body leaves an imprint of their own Rules and Roles onto it? Using his Manipulator Role against him was a novel experience, I¡¯ll say. Had some real fun making his emotions a little more intense in all the right places, without him being any the wiser.¡± Charon spread his arms out, shrugging. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve never taken the body in full, so Avrom doesn¡¯t have my abilities. I just take, you know, just a tiny sliver of control so he won¡¯t notice. Gotten quite good at it, enough that I could overcome him well before he could bring up his defenses, given the right circumstances. I do confess that own abilities in subterfuge and secrecy make all of this much, much easier¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± Charon turned his head, examining Kamali¡¯s pallid face. ¡°Ah, sorry, might¡¯ve gotten too chatty there,¡± he said. ¡°To the chase then? I¡¯ve been planning out the Collector¡¯s demise, and a certain little girl¡¯s murder, if you¡¯ll pardon my callous words, has made for a perfect opportunity. Everyone¡¯s angry, and the Collector¡¯s seldom ever suffered from instability like he does now. Makes him all the easier to toy with. And what will we do with that? Put him in a situation where he¡¯s vulnerable to being hijacked, and where I can assume control.¡± Kamali was staring at a madman. A methodical maniac. A scrupulous schemer of a serpent. Or maybe, that was just the cockroach in her having an allergic reaction to indirect assassination. ¡°You want to kill the Collector,¡± she repeated, ¡°and thus kill us all.¡± ¡°Free us all,¡± Charon corrected. ¡°Dear girl, it¡¯s only a little tyrannicide. Now I¡¯m not so heartless as to just do us in immediately, I¡¯ll hold on to the body and do a little cleanup work while you all take your time to adjust, but I do plan on destroying the body afterward. For everyone¡¯s safety.¡± Kamali felt herself squirming inside, her spiritual body feeling like it should¡¯ve been drenched in sweat. ¡°H-how many?¡± she whispered. Who else had been put in this gray fog and were told about this conspiracy? Charon gave a sweeping motion with his hand. ¡°More than enough folks to make a difference,¡± was his answer. ¡°The Collector won¡¯t notice, I¡¯ve embedded our secret too deep into their minds for them to notice ¡ª but they¡¯ll know what to do, when the time comes to make our move. And I believe, dear girl, that you might be amicable to helping us carry out the deed.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re questioning the necessity of this, I know.¡± Charon let himself drift around in the enclosed space, arms folded. ¡°Avrom is unreliable. And someday, another will usurp him. We¡¯ll all live on, changing owners and slowly degrading until we join the Broken ¡ª there¡¯s no real eternal life here. Only that accursed body will survive till the ends of time, or at least until somebody else decides to take matters into their own hands. What if Beastmaster managed to take the body and turn us into his personal weapon? Or if another one of the Four Horsemen used us, or another Calamity Walker? Have you any idea about how much havoc this body will cause, and for how long?¡± It was amazing, how Charon could speak in such a detached way about this. But Spirit Empathy told her otherwise, hinting at the rage within him. And other murky emotions, difficult to interpret ¡ª there was a gray mist over the very core of his soul, veiling it from Kamali¡¯s senses.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Charon wanted a transfer of power, along with a hastened end to the Collector for good. At least, that was what he said. How much of it was the truth was another question, but it put a rising conflict in Kamali. Didn¡¯t Charon have a point? Wasn¡¯t it better, for the Collector to be gone? One less problem for the world to face? The Collector was a latent threat after all ¡ª an undying being with the potential for grave evil, whom anyone could weaponize for themselves if they wished. And although her life was prolonged through him, Kamali had already recognized it wasn¡¯t truly eternal. At some point, she¡¯d be doomed to fall. But if she went along with this, she¡¯d die much sooner than later. And Charon didn¡¯t strike Kamali as somebody she wanted to rely on, not with his behavior and all. Besides, how moral was this course of action? The thought of assisting in murder made her sick inside. And again, by doing this, she¡¯d be killing herself. The cockroach in her thrashed against that thought. It refused. ¡°Now I understand your hesitance,¡± said Charon, and Kamali noted he couldn¡¯t exactly hear her thoughts ¡ª not with the connection they had to the spirit network cut off by the gray mist. ¡°I will say, the Collector¡¯s wish for you to free us spirits did surprise me. One of his more thoughtful moments, of which he has rather few. But surely you understand you¡¯ll join the Broken too someday, yes? A band aid solution won¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Charon paused at the rejection, sizing up Kamali as she stared back with steely eyes. ¡°No?¡± ¡°You want my help. I don¡¯t think I can give it.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t really need your help, little lady. Like I said, I have plenty of volunteers, just as sick of this wretched existence as I am. Still, you¡¯re bright enough to see the necessity of this, aren¡¯t you now? Your abilities would be a welcome asset in distracting the Collector when the time comes to end this curse¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Kamali shook her head. Some part of her wondered what Charon might do to her in order to keep his ploy intact, but she couldn¡¯t make herself do this. ¡°No. This doesn¡¯t feel like a better solution. What about those other spirits that want to stay and live on with the Collector, like Earl? You can¡¯t force them to perish against their will, that¡¯s not fair to them.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me you want to join the idiot loyalists. And here I thought you were a partner, someone who understood how badly the Collector needs someone opposing him and challenging his choices in life.¡± Charon made a tsking noise. ¡°What happened to that girl that I thought I could confide in about anything?¡± Kamali nearly spat out a seething response, before her face scrunched up. She cast her Spirit Empathy on herself, batting an eye when it worked ¡ª and she felt an anger within her, unnaturally fueled. Partly hers, partly anothers. ¡°You¡¯re manipulating me.¡± Kamali slowly recast her gaze on a stock-still Charon. ¡°You¡¯re using Avrom¡¯s abilities on me, aren¡¯t you? You want me provoked.¡± Charon stared hard at her. No words passed through his mask. ¡°Yeah, no.¡± Kamali sat down as calmly as she could. Had Charon been doing this to the other spirits? That was beyond messed up. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, it can¡¯t be a noble cause, not if¡ª¡± Something twisted. Her head spun. Kamali slumped for a moment, before blinking. Spirits were chatting amongst their groups all over the rock island, the purple mist claiming the sky around her. Jarsh, for some baffling reason, was standing over her with his dull eyes. Head bent, hands behind his back, the usual. She had no idea where Jarsh had come from. Or what she was doing here, away from Freya. Had she left her, and if so, why had she done that? Had she been trying to take a trance-like nap or something? Why do such a thing in the center of the rock island, anyway? Kamali scratched her head, her memory drawing a massive blank. A voice nagged at her that something was off, but nothing more came to mind. Just a headache for her struggles. Weird. Maybe it was nothing though?
¡°Kamali! Get up, Kamali! You need to see this.¡± Kamali had decided to take a much more proper rest, going into a trance after returning to Dahlia, Nina, Myra, and Freya. Not for very long, though ¡ª Nina had started shaking her awake, Kamali blinking in confusion. The other spirits were chattering over each other, Kamali unable to make out anything from their noise. ¡°Huh?¡± she muttered. ¡°The Collector! He¡ª¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°Just look.¡± And look Kamali did, frowning at the starry night sky the Collector was staring at. ¡°It¡¯s dark out,¡± she said in a flat voice. ¡°Nina, I don¡¯t know what you want from me¡ª¡± The Collector tilted his head back down, and Kamali gasped. Elystra City. She¡¯d learned that it had once been a rather large outpost, built into a fortress of sorts for those wandering around this part of the continent. It still gave off that feeling, with sturdy walls with a level of construction that was far bulkier and better built compared to Virala and Gordius Town. Probably better manned too, though in the dark, Kamali couldn¡¯t spot any soldiers. Towers helped reinforce the walls at intervals. A citadel-like structure loomed further back, the main keep of the city that supposedly had large courtyards, the homes of the well-off, and a small palace for Lord Terrence himself. ¡°What?¡± Kamali pulled on Nina¡¯s arm. To the side, she caught wind of Myra, a glazed-eyed Freya, and Dahlia, the latter as amazed as she was. ¡°Why are we here? Why would the Collector be here?¡± Her head felt light. At first Kamali took it to be from the shock of being near the city, a place she never imagined Collector would go to after their previous conversation ¡ª but then she blinked as her form grew wispy, a sense of vertigo overcoming her as something pulled at her torso. Her body began to distort, making Nina smirk. ¡°Uh?¡± said Kamali. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Never felt it before, Shaman girl, ain¡¯t that right? Avrom¡¯s summoning you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s what now?¡± Something dragged her, and Kamali yelled as she felt her being ripped through dimensions. Her world transitioned from the violet hues of the Collector¡¯s prison to the silent darkness of a calm night before a looming disaster, the girl flopping onto rocky soil and slumping painlessly. The walls of Elystra City rose from a great distance away, the Collector observing it with his arms folded. Briefly did he appraise her, the girl lying at his feet. ¡°Surprised?¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. We¡¯re going to make Beastmaster rue the day he crossed paths with me.¡±