M.D.Syl

M.D.Syl posts

Chapter 142 colorless

Chapter 142 New Spells

Life isn’t fair, it is full of hardship, but it is life, and it’s limited.
Life is too short to waste on things you can’t acquire.
Life is too short to waste on what others think.
Life is too short to waste on hate.
Focus on what makes you happy, and cherish it.

Lokamesh, Father of Mortal Kind.

Since Jerro had told me to distract my mind by learning new spells for an upcoming war, it's time to do so.

Sitting crossed legged on my bed with my spellbook against my shins, I stare at the empty page of my grimoire. I'm afraid to use these pages. I don't want to run out of this amazing resource the hag provided me with.

That being said. I don't have much of a choice. I do need a new set of tools. And I can use water spells now that I have some sowbread flowers so it's time to learn some.

I place my palm on the page. Please don't be soul magic! I want a spell that allows me to view, hear, and spy on another person from afar that isn't soul or death magic.

Goriaf’s Eye
Names: Goriaf’s Eye. Spying Eye.
Element: Divination
Sub element: Farsight
Level: 1
Language: Felul
Words: lul anftyxara ifanitoi, lulseni hii ___ tafila!
Translation: You useless farseer, show me name now!
Quicken: X
Patterns: 27
Gestures: Offering. > Caster touch their bare left eyeball with the right thumb. > touch the reflective surface with a little eye fluid from the caster.
Offering: Human’s eyeball/magical monster’s eyeball/Fae’s eyeball.
Requirement: A reflective surface. A true name of the target.
Range: Unlimited within the same realm.
Target: A named creature or object of choice.
Duration: 10 minutes.
Effect: The spell conveys view and sound of the desired target.
Cost: 140 wind gems. 25 light gems. 5 fire gems.
Bound cost: 100 wind gems. 15 light gems. 5 fire gems.
Altered cost: 10 wind gems 5 light gems per pattern.
Note: True Name Spell.

Ok... This is above my ability to cast at the moment. Both in terms of mana, and in terms of patterns. But once I'm capable of that many patterns I can finally check how my brother is doing! I can finally look for my sister! The range is unlimited!!! And what's with all the eyes for materials?

A warning from the Maven of Mysteries.

Goriaf the Mad's Eye is a reflective spell of the High Divination Element.
Should you cast a spell of the Divination element you shall be unable to cast Piercing spells of the High Illusion Element.
The elementals of Divination and Illusion are at war, they reject casters who deal with the other side.
While elemental-less cantrips of these elements can still be cast without angering the other side, should you summon an elemental for your spell, you shall be rejected by all elementals of the opposing element.

Illusion Magic has an association to the Earth Element, and Earth Affinity may influence it.
Divination Magic has an association to the Wind Element, and Wind Affinity may influence it.

I shall recommend that you chose the Divination Element due to your poor Earth affinity.

The choice between Divination and Illusion is yours make.

A note from the Maven of Mysteries.

Goriaf the Mad's Eye is your first True Name Spell, Marisha.
Aside from requiring the true name of your target,
True Name Spells are more dangerous for the caster and the target.
Failing to cast a True Name Spell will result in a Backlash for the caster.
Such Backlash can mitigated by mana abundancy.

You shall need twice the amount of mana as the spell's original cost in the form of enchantment storage, magical gems, or potions.
Failure to have the amount of required mana will result in mana dehydration and all it entails. (Headache. Bleeding. Loss of consciousness. Blindness. Death.)

Thread carefully when casting True Name Spells.
But do not shy from learning them, my daughter, they are an incredible tool.

Incredible tool, yeah... One that allows you to control people.

I'm not learning this any time soon, not before I have enough mana... What a waste of a page...

No. It's not a waste, I'll learn this eventually to find my sister...

I sigh. I wonder what's the high illusion element is about, what am I giving up to learn this? And what's difference between illusion spells and light magic. Light magic does let me turn invisible after all, so how does the illusion element even work, and why is it connected to earth and not to light?

I can assume that light magic works on sight, and illusion might work on all five senses? If there's a spell that fools all five senses at once it'd be rather scary... Divination also seems to work on more than one sense... Speaking of, I bet there's a light spell that let's me view far objects directly, I doubt it needs to be a divination related. What's the use for divination and illusion then?

Regardless. This is beyond me at the moment, and I'm not going to waste another page for the sake of a maybe. I should also study the water spells I've already looked up, it'd be a waste not to.

I wonder if there's a spell that allows me to cast a Kinetic Burst from afar like the one that killed Agilla... That'd be handy. No! No more attack spells. I've wasted enough pages on those.

But Jerro said to prepare for a war. I do need attack spells.

Later. For now I need more utility.

I also need magic that allows me to see in the dark, that would've come in handy against the Blood Fae and back at the inn with the robbers and the assassins.

I touch the next page. I need magic that allows me to spot people in darkness.

Effrat’s Ember Vision.
Names: Effrat's Ember Vision. Ember Vision. Heat Vision.
Element: Fire
Sub element: Ember
Level: 0
Words: Fero Teste
Translation: Ember Vision
Quicken: X
Patterns: 3
Gestures: Form a round circle with index and thumb and held against the eye of the target.
Offering: X
Requirement: X
Range: Touch.
Target: A creature capable of sight
Duration: Channel spell.
Effect: Creates an ember between the caster's thumb and index, viewing the world through the ember will show every heat source above 20 degrees c as glowing red or yellow. Heat sources below 20 degrees will show blue. The ember will blind the caster to objects below 0 degrees c.
Cost: 4 fire gems 1 light gem for initial cast. 1 fire gem and 1 light gem per 5 seconds channeling.
Bound cost: X
Altered cost: extra 1 light and 1 fire gems per five seconds for each pattern.

This isn't bad... Oh.. I thought people in darkness... I should've asked for threats in darkness... Or maybe general spell that warns me of potential threats? How would that even work? Would that be divination again? Is it worth a page?

A spell that warns me of threats before they happen? Yes. It's worth a page. I wouldn't have been hit by arrows during the war with Janara if I had an early warning. I'd be like that Shaf of Tiyadi who could predict attacks. It's worth a damn page!

But how would it work? Drain mana constantly at all times? Maybe it something that'd work for mages with a higher mana regeneration than what I have, but even if it would be like that, it's worth for me to learn. I have a high crown affinity, and my mana regeneration is supposedly my stronger side. For now I'd be able to use such a spell right before a battle, and in the future I'd be able to use it at all times, assuming my mana regeneration will increase...

I touch the next page. I want a spell that predicts and warns me of direct threats to my life similar to how clerics of Tiyadi fight.

Goriaf’s Premonition.
Names: Goriaf’s Premonition.
Element: Divination.
Sub element: Future Sight.
Level: 1
Language: Felul
Words: lul anftyxara ifanitoi, fiki hii, gulsan.
Translation: You useless farseer, warn danger me, fool.
Quicken: X
Patterns: 28
Gestures: Holds the offering high. > chant. > holds the offering in the mouth between the caster’s lips.
Offering: Human’s eyeball/magical monster’s eyeball/Fae’s eyeball.
Requirement: X
Range: Self
Target: Self
Duration: 5 minutes.
Effect: The spell will bring threats to the caster’s awareness 5 seconds before they reach the caster. The awareness will be internal to the caster, and will not visually show in the caster’s sight. The spell will automatically adjust the caster's instincts causing the caster to avoid dangers in ways that are within the caster's abilities.
Cost: 180 wind gems.
Bound cost: 110 wind gems.
Altered cost: 15 wind gems per pattern.

Yeah... Divination again. Why am I not surprised. And 28 patterns is a lot... And how am I supposed to have 180 wind gems... At least it lasts for five minutes. I'll get there eventually. For now I should specify spells that I can cast...

Ok. Due to my flying, it'd be great if I could actually spot things from afar with my magic. I need a simpler view spell, one that just allows me to see things from a distance.

I touch another page.

I need a spell that allows me to view things from a distance, a spell that I can cast, preferably a cantrip.

Lako's Enhance Vision
Names: Lako’s Enhance Vision. Enhance Vision. Eagle’s Eye.
Element: Light
Sub element: Light
Level: 0
Words: kari revisor atarisor
Translation: Far light view
Quicken: X
Patterns: 4
Gestures: X
Offering: X
Requirement: caster having an eyesight
Range: self
Target: self
Duration: 1 minute
Effect: Enhance the caster’s vision by x10 for distance. Does not allow view of very small objects.
Cost: 8 light gems.
Bound cost: X
Altered cost: 1 light gem per alteration pattern.

Good. That's what I needed.

Now. Back to actual offensive magic. I need a spell that kills a large group of people. Preferably a gravity spell... I have the push spell and the boiling wave I intend to learn soon, but I need to get close for both of them to work. I want a spell that allows me to eliminate a charging army at range. Jerro mentioned battles ahead, so it'll be useful for sure.

I need a gravity spell that lets me eliminate a large group of people at a distance. I need a larger kinetic burst, and I need this kinetic burst to hit multiple targets at a distance.

Nothing appears on the empty parchment page.

I need a distant kinetic burst!

My uncontrolled thought slips in, and the page is written with a new spell on it.

Lumina Kinetic Blast Bolt.
Names: Lumina’s Kinetic Blast Bolt. Blast Bolt.
Element: Gravity
Sub element: Repulsion
Level: 1
Words: Myrsha, nia tsaf lah! Dadet lahi ba di se nikit fel ritsa
Translation: Gravity, I command you! Compress yourself in this one focal point and repulse away
Quicken: Myrsha, dadet se nikit, ritsa! <Gravity, compress that point, repulse>
Patterns: 18
Gestures: open left palm pointing up holding offering> right middle attached to the left middle, right index attached to the left thumb, right thumb touching the base of the left palm near the wrist. > right thumb, index, middle touching each other. > point at the target with right thumb.
Offering: 15 rose petals/lion’s claw/queen bee/eagle's beak/killer whale's tooth/bull's horn
Requirement: X
Range: 50 meters.
Target: aimed bolt. 100 km/h velocity.
Duration: instant.
Effect: The spell will create a black translucent bolt that launches at the target. Once a bolt hit a target, it’ll create a kinetic explosion blasting everything in a radius of 1 meter around it. And will repulse away anything within 5 meters of the blast.
Cost: 80 gravity gems
Bound cost: 50 gravity gems
Altered cost: 10 per pattern.

Really?! An aimed bolt?! A radius of 1 meter. That's not enough! I wanted a spell that allows me to attack a large area, not another snaking bolt spell. Five meters repulsion doesn't help me! I want a square five meters killing spell! This thing wastes way too much energy to achieve a single kill in a distance, and it can miss too. It's a useless dumb spell that takes too much power! Why can't I focus?! I wasted a snaking page now!

Regardless, it can't hurt to learn it... I do have an odd affinity with Lumina's spells. And there are a lot of patterns here I can use to craft my own blast spells, between this and Kinetic Burst, I now know which patterns are the one that are causing the blast I want. I wonder what happen if I combine the blast patterns with the patterns for a bolt, it's only 10 patterns to make a spell like that.

What about a chant? Should I use the same one as Blast Bolt? How do chants even work? I never looked into that. I only crafted cantrips until now, but a 10 pattern spell should be a first level spell and it'll need a chant for sure.

Enough! I'll leave that sort of research for later. I want a proper gravity spell that allows me to directly kill an area full of people from afar!

Alino’s Crushing Weight
Names: Alino’s Crushing Weight. Crushing Weight. Heavy zone.
Element: Gravity.
Sub element: Weight.
Level: 1
Words: Myrsha, nia tsaf lah, myrsha se hod fel dian tamitsilah.
Translation: Gravity, I command you, rule that earth and strengthen your essence.
Quicken: Myrsha. Dian tamitsilah. (Gravity, strengthen your essence.)
Patterns: 20
Gestures: Offering> Thumbs attached > Thumbs raised to eye level to mark the chosen ground.
Offering: 15 rose petals/a lion’s claw/a queen bee/a queen ant.
Requirement: 5x5 meters patch of visible ground.
Range: 20 meters.
Target: Area of Effect: 5x5x5 meters.
Duration: 5 seconds.
Effect: Multiplies gravity by 5 in the chosen area, crushing any creature present to possible death or injury.
Cost: 80 gravity gems. 10 earth gems.
Bound cost: 55 gravity gems.
Altered cost: 10 per pattern.

Finally! This cost around the same as that rotten Blast Bolt, but it's so much better! Five by five meters for a marching army... I can get rid of a small group of soldiers like that. Even if they won't die from such a crush, they'll break a bunch of bones which is as good as dead for a soldier in battle.

Ok. I've wasted enough pages. I should also learn all the spells I already have in my book and haven't learned yet.

I flip to the right pages.

Lako’s light clones.
Names: Clones, Light Clones, Mirror Image.
Element: light
Sub element: light
Level: 1
Words: Revatol revisoroar, revatol revisarisoroar, volni to atarisor ni orafoarni! Revatol revisoroar, Atudanar revisor at revangni!
Translation: Spirits of light, spirits of truth, split and multiply to show each of your sides! Spirits of light, become light and colors!
Quicken: Revisor, volni to atarisor! Soriler! < Light, split and multiply! Distort!>
Patterns: 16
Gestures: attach: thumbs, index, ring, fingers to one another.> Put index and ring fingers of both hands on the caster’s chest.
Offering: 10 lavender petals.
Requirement: X
Range: 100 meter.
Target: self.
Duration: 5 minutes.
Effect: Produce a clone of the caster (numbers can increased with alteration patterns). The clone/s will carry the caster’s mental orders. The clone/s are made of light, and cannot effect anything physical. The clones cannot go out of the caster’s range. The clones are the exact visual copy of the caster, they’ll cast shadows, and the caster can speak through the clone/s.
Cost: 50 light gems, 5 wind gems.
Bound cost: 30 light gems, 5 wind gems.
Altered cost: 5 light gem, 1 wind gem.

Tolste’s Icy Escape
Names: Tolste’s Icy Escape. Icy Escape, Mocking Ice.
Element: water
Sub element: ice
Level: 1
Words: Numakee numali nim, oue-rissu nirissu asuli fenu! rum ni rumnum! Riss ni rissgimo
Translation: Dear lovely water, here is a flect humble flower! Split me a clone! flow me away
Swift: Rinim rumnum (ice clone)
Patterns: 18
Gestures: right or left – middle finger touches thumb in a fist > middle finger perked out. (can be used in as a flipping gesture but doesn’t have to be.)
Offering: 15 belladonna petals/sharp fish tooth/5 fish scales
Requirement: a prepared pillar of ice capable of containing the caster within range.
Range: 1 kilometer.
Target: self.
Duration: 1day/instant.*
Effect: the spell will teleport the caster to a prepared chunk of ice. The spell has to be prepared beforehand and the ice needs to be big enough to contain the caster.
Once activated through its swift chant, it’ll leave behind an exact ice copy of the caster.
This faulty spell will not teleport any items the caster wears or any objects they might carry. It’ll Teleport the caster naked into a chunk of ice.
Cost: 70 water gems, 5 gravity gems.
Bound cost: 40 water gems, 5 gravity gems.
Altered cost: 10 water gems, 1 gravity gems. Per alteration pattern.

Mayan’s Boiling Wave.
Names: Mayan’s Boiling Wave. Boiling Wave. Mayan’s Frenzy.
Element: Water
Sub element: Water
Level: 1
Words: nim, oue-rissu nirissu asuli fenu, aloki niam fainega nimuwal nimgafir, uwallota ri, asano walgafir gafir nia rissalwue.
Translation: water, here-a flect bending humble flower, cover them with red hot sea wave, stretch up a line, may the sun cast fire on your agile skin.
Quicken: Nimgauwal nimgafir <Burning boundless water wave.>
Patterns: 15
Gestures: Attach middle fingers > point middle fingers forward.
Offering: 5 belladonna petals.
Requirement: temperature above 1c and below 150c.
Range: 25 meters.
Target: advancing wave from the caster. 10 meters wide, 5 meters tall.
Duration: instant
Effect: 25,000 liters of boiling water (90c) form a wave from the caster’s hands. The wave will sweep creatures and objects in its wake. The wave will advance swiftly at first but will lose speed and water over time. The wave will be depleted of water after 25 meters.
Cost: 60 water gems, 5 fire gems.
Bound cost: 40 water gems, 1 fire gem.
Altered cost: 4 water gems and 1 fire gem per pattern.

I turn, going back and forth in my room holding the thick grimoire.

I'm going to have a long few days until this works. I hate meditating to recover mana, but each of these have a high cost. Let's start with the cantrips and go from there.

No! Let's start with the Blast Bolt! Myrsha ritsa!

The mahogany desk in my private chambers explodes violently, showering the blue carpets with wooden splinters.

What the snake is wrong with me?! And how did I just do that without any patterns and barely any mana?! Can I repeat that? Myrsha ritsa!

Nothing happens this time. I sigh. For an hour I attempt to replicate the effect, but there are no results. Annoyed, I turn to the various spells I've got in my grimoire, leaving the Blast Bolt to the very end.

I move to my window, practicing the cantrips first. "Fero teste." <Ember vision.> The faint glow within the circle between my thumb and index is blue. I expected orange, red, or yellow to match every fire magic I've seen so far, not blue.

Putting the glow in front of my eye, the glow disappears entirely. Instead, I can spot a lot of red-orange people below in the city. They glow to my eye in a world of dark blue. I even spot smaller creatures such as cats and crows.

Definitely useful. I just wish it didn't take the use of one hand. The glow might also give away my location in the darkness, at least until I put it before my eye. Can I cast it with the gesture in front of my eye directly?

"Fero teste." <Ember vision.> I attempt with the circle of fingers attached to my right eye, and the view of the city outside turns into multiple orange red people.

Good. I wonder if the mastery of this will allow me to cast it without my hand...

Ok. Next! "Kari revisor atarisor." <Far light view.> Now everywhere I focus my attention on is enlarged in my eyes. Even from the high window of my chambers, I can see the details on every person on the streets below. Their facial expression and their interactions.

The downside of this cantrip is how much it narrows my vision. The wide view I'm used to is gone, and I'm blind to anything my eyes won't focus on. Nevertheless, it'll be useful for spotting things from high above, and I can always cancel the cantrip.

Time for the spells... Light Clone first, the ability to create fake duplicates can really come in handy...

Looking at the grimoire, I attempt to form the 16 complex energy patterns. To my dismay I get stuck at around 12. I noticed back with the invisibility spell that 13 was pushing it, but here I'm stuck at 12. I've handled 20 patterns already, why am I stuck?!

I attempt to add gravity patterns to the mix, and don't encounter any difficulty. My patterns mix and mesh into a weird form of light and gravity. The mana formation explodes. A ball of glowing darkness forms in the middle of my room and winks out of existence. What the snake was that?!

20 patterns of an unknown meaning should have some effect... That was about fifty light gems and thirty gravity gems...

I'm lucky I'm unharmed... I should really find a better place than my room to experiment. The gardens probably. I'll test the Crushing Weight spell in the garden later, I want to see what it does to the practice dummies. I'll also save the Boiling Wave for a garden test, I'm not going to flood my room.

Why can't I go above 12 or 13 light patterns but going over 20 gravity patterns is fine? Or adding 8 gravity patterns to 12 existing light patterns is of no issue?

Maybe it has to do with my affinity? My light affinity is rather low, maybe it's limiting me? Let's try fire patterns. Waste a page on a fire spell? No. I'll just use existing fire patterns I know.

I focus, creating and mixing fire patterns together. The highest I reach is 8. I have no problem repeating the same patterns or duplicating spells up to 20. That's easy. But 8 different ones is near impossible.

I switch to air patterns, and the limit is around 16.

I switch to earth, and the limit is 8 again.

Water is like gravity, 21 is my current limit.

Ok. Yes. This is clearly affinity related. Something else is effecting it too, but affinity is surely a factor here.

I guess I'll need to increase my ability to focus on light patterns for that Light Clone spell... It's annoying.

I'll practice the Icy Escape now.

I ring my bronze bell with a Minor Telekinesis, and a young maid enters my room. "Could you please get me a bathtub? An empty one please." I ask her.

"Right away, Your Grace," she says with a bow.

It takes three minutes of waiting. I use the time to weave the 18 water patterns together in my head and learn how to hold them together.

The maid gets there with the tub and places it in the corner of my room where there are no carpets.

"Nimuwal." <Water unlimited.> I fill the tub, and the maid's brown eyes are overcome with awe.

I ignore her. "Nim." <Water.> I take control over the water, forming it into a watery pillar. "Nim ri rinim." <Water stop to ice.> Creating a pillar of ice takes no more than a minute of water shaping and freezing.

I eye the frozen pillar warily. "This might be dangerous. You may wish to step out of the room," I warn the young woman.

"Can I stay?" she begs in a desperate voice.

I raise an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I... It's magic. I get to see magic!"

Right... The people here worship magic like a bunch of snowy pea brains... I imagine it'll be rather cold being teleported into a pillar of ice, I could use a maid here for that... "Alright. Bring me some hot water then." I order and wait for her to do so. Once she enters the room with buckets of hot water, I cast the spell. "Numakee numali nim, oue-rissu nirissu asuli fenu! rum ni rumnum! Riss ni rissgimo."

Nothing happens. I just lose my mana.

Out of mana I sit down and meditate. After fifteen minutes of recovery, I'm surprised to see the maid is still there, eyeing me with wonder.

I shrug and attempt again.

"Numakee numali nim, oue-rissu nirissu asuli fenu! rum ni rumnum! Riss ni rissgimo."

The world turns white. Then blue.

Crack

I step out into the bathtub, bone chilling cold coursing through every part of my body. The pillar of ice collapsing into shards and frozen water behind me. I hug myself with an intense shudder. "What are you waiting for?" I ask the maid with the bucket of hot water.

"R-right!" she spills the now lukewarm water over my head and I heave a sigh of relief.

A small winged creature flies very close to my face.

It's a blue woman at the size of my pinky. Her skin is made out of flowing water, her hair an icy braid, and her figure is overly voluptuous. As if someone took Balusha and shrunk her into the size of a tiny pixie. She's not wearing anything, but the moving watery nature of her skin makes it impossible to notice any features on her body or her face.

She lands gently on my nose, icy cold legs prickling my skin, and six dragonfly wings fold neatly on her back.

The elemental turns around and sits on my nose, dangling her legs around my nostrils.

She sings. Her voice is a beautiful and pleasant soprano.

"Nim nim nimtulla
tulla riss nim nim

Walgafir ga fir walgafir
uriss nim riss shanim fir

numakee nimasul
asuli rissu nirisul

Aloki nim rissunim
nimakee nia uwalasano."

Water water ___
___ flow water water

sun hot power sun
change water flow vapor power

____ ___

___ ___ ___

____ water ___
____ __ _____

I try to eye the creature that's sitting on my nose, but she's too close and her blue back seem like a blue stain on my vision. Why is she singing about the sun? Doesn't she want more flowers? Water elementals are weird... But I like it. It's refreshing after the greedy arrogant gravity elementals, or the stiff light elementals.

I examine the sculpture of ice I left behind on the carpets. It's a petite replica of me, down to my face. The middle finger of the last gesture of the spell stays up with the statue, mocking a supposed enemy who would've tried to kill me. It also wears my clothes, including my enchanted belt and my mana storing necklace. It's really a last ditch escape spell... I hope there's something more reliable in the first level... I should waste a page on a proper escape spell... I wonder if there's a gravity escape spell, or a gravity teleportation spell...

I sigh and turn to the remnant of the icy pillar. "Rinim riss nim." <Ice flow water.> I turn it into water, filling the tub. "Nimga." <Waterhot.> I boil a portion of the water heating my bath and sit down, soaking in the warmth. The elemental flies to my shoulder and keeps on singing.

Either way. I'm not going to bind this faulty spell. It's a shame, I really like the singing elemental. I wish I understood Nim <Water> better to understand her full song.

I sit there. Listening to the beautiful haunting voice of the elemental's song. The young maid is still there, eyeing me and the creature with awe. I don't mind her, if anything, I enjoy the flattering attention. My bloodline have a mild reaction to it. If it were twenty maids it'd probably react more, but I don't want that right now. I need to study, not indulge myself.

At some point the elemental gets bored and disappears with a puff of blue smoke in my face.

I get out of the tub and wrap myself in a towel. I make sure my hand is dry before I put a hand on the grimoire's page. Wait... The grimoire is indestructible, I don't have to dry my hand. I shouldn't develop bad habits with books. I want a gravity based teleportation escape spell like Icy Escape! One that can save my life in a pinch!

Lumina’s Spatial Step.
Names: Lumina’s Spatial Step, Spatial Step, Space Fold, Short Range Teleport.
Element: Space
Sub element: Spatial Bend.
Level: 0
Language: Myrsha
Words: lafaf viarai, h’afit ni
Translation: space my dear, fold for me
Quicken: H’afit <Fold>
Patterns: 7 (6 gravity, 1 elemental.)
Gestures: A step.
Offering: Not needed. Black roses or Earth affinity magical beast's pelt in order to bind an elemental.
Requirement: Clear visual of the destination.
Range: 5 meters
Target: an empty destination within range.
Duration: 3 seconds.
Effect: Connects the space between the caster and the target, allowing the caster to cross five meters in a single step. It might distort onlookers' vision and minds. It doesn’t look flashy, no magical portals or extra effects, and onlookers will see it as if the caster actually took a single step forward, one that stretches for five meters or less.
The extra elemental cost depends on the destination. If the caster steps into the air, it’ll cost extra wind mana. If the caster steps to another path of ground, the extra cost will be earth mana. The same applies to other elements.
Teleporting into solid objects is only possible with true mastery of this spell. Teleporting into liquid is possible, and will leave behind a splash of the said liquid. Connecting the space without stepping through it is possible as well.
Cost: 40 gravity gems. 10 earth/wind/water/fire/wood gems.
Bound cost: 25 gravity gems. 10 earth/wind/water/fire/wood gems.
Altered cost: 10 gravity gems and 5 earth/wind/water/fire/wood gems per pattern.

Lumina again! Am I happy to see her magic. This is better than what I thought, a cantrip! A 50 gems cantrip... But it can be bound and it'll only take 35 gems if I bind it.

A warning from the Maven of Mysteries.

Lumina Spatial Step is a wide cantrip of the advanced Spatial Element.
Advanced element cantrips can be bound like spells.

Should you bind a Spatial cantrip or cast a spell of the Space Element you shall be unable to cast the elongated Chronomancy spells of the Time Element.
The elementals of Time and Space are at war, they reject casters who deal with the other side.

Space Magic has an association to the Gravity Element, and Gravity Affinity may influence it.
Time Magic has an association to the Wood Element, and Wood Affinity may influence it.

I shall recommend that you chose the Space Element due to your poor Wood Affinity.
I shall highly recommend that you chose the Space Element due to a hunch I have about your bloodline.
But.
The choice between Time or Space is yours to make.

As long as you cast the cantrip unbound, you did not choose a side.
If you won't bind an element, you’ll only be capable of casting chronomancy or spatial cantrips at a higher cost, and you won’t be able to cast 1st level spells of the said element.

Her suspicions about my bloodline, huh? This again... This can't be a coincidence. First a Psyche spell, now a Spatial one. So she knows what my bloodline is? Or just strongly suspects? And if she does, why give away that she knows anything, what kind of game is she playing here? What is she trying to achieve by saying that?

Could be simple. Could be that she simply wants to press me hard into picking Spatial Magic, and that can be indeed extremely useful for me. But I would've picked it without the additional warning, simply because my affinity for Wood is really bad.

Maybe this warning would've showed near a Time Spell too, and is meant to turn me away from a very tempting Time Spell that I'd want to learn.

Then again... Comparing affinities would've been more than enough to do that. She's playing another game here.

Well... I won't find out by gawking at the page. Let's learn the snaking thing! I want to bind it, but I have no idea where I could find black roses, I wish Tiom was still here... Earth affinity pelt... I assume it applies to a magical beast with an earth affinity that have a pelt. I have no idea where to find one, but I'll keep an eye out during hunts. At least it doesn't use human eyeballs...

Let's see...

"Lafaf viarai, h’afit ni." <Space my dear, fold for me.>

The mana whirls in my forehead and channels out. It feels like I've just cast a 1st level spell, yet nothing happens. Nothing looks different. Oh wait. The gesture is a step? Okaay...

I step forward. And ten additional mana gems of the wind element are drained from the pool in my right shoulder.

I find myself in the air, right above my palace. I have a split second to yelp, before I drop into the stables' half broken rooftop with a scream.

My back hits the straw with a thud that knocks the air out of my lungs. My heart nearly bursts out of my chest. Snakes! This spell is dangerous to practice. I didn't expect to get it after the first attempt!

Loyal nuzzles my face in his horse form. His bloody snot is a mixture of warmth and discomfort for me.

I chuckle "Heyy." I breathe deep and check myself to make sure nothing is broken, but other than a mild backpain I seem to be fine. I got lucky! That was 10 meters high! No, more! 15? If I didn't have this straw under me... No. A pile of straw wouldn't have been enough to get me out unharmed... I either teleported lower, or I used some unconscious gravity magic to protect myself? I would test this if it didn't involve a risk, but I can't afford to risk a broken arm. Wait... didn't I just teleport past the wall of my castle? I didn't look at the window, I looked at the wall. The spell clearly states that I need a clear visual of my destination. How did this happen? I bet I have some really good affinity with spatial magic to bypass the very basic requirement of the spell. It's probably a part of its mastery... I wonder if I can repeat that. Can I teleport back to my room? It's probably too far...

Loyal licks my face enthusiastically and only now I notice that I'm fully naked, my towel beneath me on the straw. I shove his head away. Ew! Yuck! Get away from me! Wait... Why does it even bother me now? It wouldn't have bothered me before. Maybe because he can change into a human form with an actual dangling snake that he flashed to me a month ago?! I've been avoiding him for a reason! Snake this! I'm not letting him lick my face again!

He's Fae. Or close to it. I don't think it's has anything to do with sexual attraction for him. But it's still disgusting... I do need to keep such a loyal pawn, alienating him over a foolish notion of disgust won't help.

Loyal steps back, looking into my eyes. "I hate you!"

He turns and walks away, his tail whips toward my face and I barely dodge it in time. The other horses shy away from the massive creature with the carnivore teeth, but he never harmed them. He picks his section of the stables, and gorge on wide bowl of flesh, bloody pieces flying around with his messy eating.

"I'm sorry..." I get up, wrap my towel properly around me, and stand by his side. He's huge. His back towers over my head. I try not looking at the dangling bits that are very much at an eye level. I pass them and pat his neck. "I'm a little weirded out by your human form if I'm honest, Loyal. Can u not be naked when you transform into a human? It's weird. Yes. I'm naked now, and it might sound hypocritical, but it's an accident. I know you probably don't care, but I do. It's a silly thing to be bothered by, but it bothers me."

"I hate you! Go away!"

"Fine..." I turn to leave, and his bloodied nose nuzzles my cheek from behind. "Heyy. Want me to stay after all?"

"No. Go."

"Very well. I'll go then."

He bites a mouthful of my hair and tugs it gently. Ew! It'll take hours to wash all that blood out!

I turn and hold his head. "I'll come visiting you more often, Loyal. But no turning into a human, and if you do. Please make sure you wear something, ok?"

"No."

"I'll take that as a yes." I pick the brush. "You're a bloody mess. Did no one brush you for a month? You need washing too. You know you can go to the river whenever you like, right? No one will stop you."

"Everyone brush me all the time. I love them. I hate you."

"If you say so..."

A few minutes later I leave the stables and approach a group of stable boys who play a game of dice on top of a barrel by the entrance. "Your Majesty!" They all get up with a bow, ignoring my messed up bloodied hair or the fact I'm only wearing a crimson stained white towel.

"Does no one cares for my horse?"

"He-He bites and kicks anyone who dares to get close to him, Y-Your Majesty!" a blue eyed black haired man in his early 20s says. "We have to wait for him to sleep before we can care for the other horses," adds another, dark eyed and haired teen.

"I see. Arrange a separate place for him. Let me or Lord Kolag know when you do and we'll move him there."

"Th-thank you, Your Majesty."

Oh great. Now they're all going to think I have been doing something weird with my horse. This is the second time now. Rumors will spread. I hate this!

~~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 16/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Effrat's Ember Vision. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Enhance Vision. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.
Space: Lumina's Spatial Step.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2x2. Rika's Electric Channelb1x3
Water: Mayan’s Boiling Wave. Tolste’s Icy Escape.
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m. Lumina’s Kinetic Blast Bolt. Alino’s Crushing Weight.

Psyche: Lumina's Mind Touchb3
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Patterns Foci:
Air: 16
Fire: 8
Light: 12-13
Water: 21
Earth: 8
Wood: 8
Gravity: 22

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 39 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
1 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
4g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 39/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 7,644 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-06-20 16:30:41 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 142 in color

2024-06-20 16:30:06 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 141 colorless

Author Notes: This chapter is dedicated to Nicoxyz for supporting me on patreon.
Thank you very much for your support!

Chapter 141 An Interrogation II.

How do you feel when you see,
A grown man beating a young woman bloody?
How do you feel when you see this,
and know the woman had knowingly murdered his son?
Justice is about perspective, but the truth is eternal.

Noxi, Guardian of Light.

I stare at the grimoire on my desk, mixed feelings well in my chest. I'm reluctant to waste precious pages. When I first got it I treated it as an unlimited source of new spells, wasting precious pages on a spell that summon a vegetable of all things... Now I know how valuable and limited this source of magic is, I can't waste it on whims. Yet, I still have nearly 70 unused pages, and I do need utility spells. Not to mention how useful a mind reading spell would be, I still need one that lets me view people of my choice from afar.

No more sitting on the fence with this. I'll get the spells I need when I need to use them. My heart beats loudly as I flip a page and touch the paper. I need a spell that lets me read minds!

Lumina’s Mind Touch.
Names: Lumina’s Mind Touch. Mind Touch, Lesser Mind Read.
Element: Psyche.
Sub element: Force will.
Level: 1
Language: Reviss
Words: Revatol revisarisoroar. Atrevi revisarisor quiri to revisor keshla shin koarr/shoarr rakvis. Atrevi revshak quiri oarsorak.
Translation: Spirits of truth. I truly wish to know what’s in his/her mind. I humbly request your help.
Quicken: X Psyche and soul spells cannot be quickened.
Patterns: 12
Gestures: Offering> ringfingers, thumbs, index fingers touching each other >left thumb on caster’s forehead between the eyebrows, and right thumb on the target’s forehead between the eyebrows.
Offering: 5 feathers from any bird of prey.
Requirement: X
Range: Touch
Target: A creature possessing a sapient mind.
Duration: 1 minute.
Effect: The spell will allow the caster to read the target’s surface thoughts
Cost: 50 light mana, 10 water mana.
Bound cost: 35 light mana, 6 water mana.
Altered cost: 5 light gem and 1 water gem per alteration patterns.

I let out a relived sigh. It works… good! Lumina? Isn’t that the same mage who created Kinetic Blast?

A warning from the Maven of Mysteries.

Lumina’s Mind Touch is a Telepathic Spell of the advanced Psyche Element.
Should you cast a spell of the Psyche element you shall be unable to cast gazing spells of the Soul Element.
The elementals of Psyche and Soul are at war, they reject casters who deal with the other side.
While elemental-less cantrips of these elements can still be cast without angering the other side, should you summon an elemental for your spell, you shall be rejected by all elementals of the opposing element.

Psyche Magic has an association to the Light Element, and Light Affinity may influence it.
Soul Magic has an association to the Fire Element, and Fire Affinity may influence it.

I shall recommend that you chose the Psyche Element due to your poor Fire affinity.
I shall recommend that you choose the Psyche Element due to a hunch I have about your bloodline.
But.
The choice between Psyche or Soul is yours make.

It’s not like my light affinity is that high… But a hunch about my bloodline? Why didn’t she say anything? Argh! I hate how cryptic she can be! At least she provided me a warning, I bet the same warning would show up if I attempted to look up a soul spell, and now I know that looking up soul spells would be a true waste… I hope that spying on another person from afar isn't considered to be a soul spell... I'll need one of these...

I wonder what this hunch is. Assuming the little dark Fae wasn't lying, Rakshasa should be a Fae that influence people's minds, so it does make sense.

Even without the hag's hunch… This spell is Lumina’s, and her spells had saved my life before. I hope to find more of her spells… I wonder if that Lumina is still alive and a nearly immortal mage somewhere like Effrat is, or dead… I really hope the hag isn’t Lumina… What was the hag’s name again? Fiulaka right? Didn’t she wipe it out of my mind? Do I really remember the name right? What’s her mage name? Do I even know that? It can’t just be the “Maven of Mysteries,” that’s a title…

It doesn’t matter, I’ll find out sooner or later. Back to business. This spell does seem to solve my problem. It’s a mind reading spell. I’ll have to touch the assassin for it to work, but that’s not a problem…

I'll save learning a spell that lets me spy on people for later. When I actually need it. Maybe later I might spy on Salik and see how they're doing in Apricot City. I also want to check Janara's cell, just to make sure. The main reason I want such a spell is to keep an eye on my brother and possibly find my sister anyway, but I have no idea what's the range limit for such a spell is. For now I have to practice this, and I've got the perfect prisoner for that... Now I just need to get some feathers.

{28} Rakisha (September) the 21st.

“Revatol revisarisoroar. Atrevi revisarisor quiri to revisor keshla shin koarr rakvis. Atrevi revshak quiri oarsorak.”

I offer the owl feathers Berthold acquired for me, and they disappear with a translucent barely visible smoke. If the smoke wasn’t thick, I wouldn’t even notice it was there, and even as it is, it’s harder to notice than vapors.

I've been practicing the spell in the prisoner cell for over a day now. Trying it over and over in an attempt to conjure elementals who are responsive for my plight. The psyche element is oddly easy, the patterns differ from the light element and my mind can easily fit them and form them the way I want.

Each of my attempted cast had brought an elemental before, but they usually took the offering and disappeared before I could see them.

And now for the first time I actually notice the elemental within the translucent smoke. The crystalline ghostly figure is without facial features or bodily features that suggest its gender. The creature accepts the feathers as I go through the series of gestures required for the spell.

"Revisarisor." <Truth.> It utters and I'm unsure whether I heard the word with my ears or within my mind.

"Revisarisor." <Truth.> I say loudly as I observe the tanned prisoner in the bronze shackles. Cold brown eyes glare back, dark unkempt hair frame a face with a twisted maddened expression on them. He snarls and tries to bite me, but his head is chained to the wall by a bronze collar. Although I've had the cell cleaned, the stench of feces, sweat, and blood is thick in the air.

The elemental flies between us, then presses its tiny frame against my chest where my heart is, right at the light mana pool. Revisarisor. <Truth.> I hear it within my mind. I can feel how lazy the creature is. It doesn't care much, and only truth matters and even then, just a little.

Knowing I finally bound the spell, I place my right thumb on the prisoner's forehead and my left thumb on my own forehead. Now I can hear his thoughts.

“Ohhh! She’s touching me! Yes! This is nice! Her hand is soft. I love women’s hands. I love killing women, they’re so soft! I love it when they scream! This one’s a beauty, a shame I didn’t get to kill her too. I’d drive a dagger through her nice little jugs and snake her while she screams until she dies from blood loss, yes!”

His thoughts comes with flashing images of his imagination. Disgusting!!! This is the worst kind of monster! If I don’t get anything with this spell, I’m letting Sharla and Ryon torture him no matter what Kolag says!

"Please call Sharla Kolag and Jerro." I order the peacekeeper by my side. The man nods and leaves.

“Good. The man went away and now we're all alone. I want to kill her so badly! What is she doing? Some kind of sorcery? What is she doing? She's been doing this weird sorcery yesterday too. What is she…”

“Who hired your guild to kill me?”

The monster in shackles chuckles and speaks through clenched teeth. “You girly sink I’d just tell you because you act like you put a snaking sorcery on me? Nice show, but it doesn't work and I ain’t telling you pea rot!”

“She’s really stupid, she’s never going to find out with a magic show. She's been here for a while, trying this. This sorcery doesn’t do rot, I don’t feel a thing, her hand is so nice though. I wonder how tight she feels...”

“Who hired your guild to kill me?”

“I wish I knew! Shaf Dolster didn’t tell us pea rot! I bet it’s a beautiful woman… Only women hire assassins to do their dirty work. Only women bother to pretend they're not monsters like the rest of us. Unless they become assassins themselves. Oh yeah Dana was nice to work with, she has wind! She knows just how to stab men in the good parts! A shame she ran away, she has good jugs.” The monster just smirks at me and his eyes wonder down to my body in a way that makes me want to wash up. “No matter. I have this one to play with. Oh yes! I’ll stab and snake her!”

The flashing images makes me wince. I really want to just blow his head off! I close my eyes. Focus! He doesn’t know, because he’s low ranked… Of course it’s not that easy… It’s never that easy… I can’t just jump to the next question, he’ll figure I’m reading his mind… I have to keep pretending for a little while, and then move to the next question.

“Who hired your guild to kill me?” I repeat the question five times and endure his rotten thoughts. I extend the spell with a pattern as an afterthought, and move to the next question.

“Who leads your guild?”

“Garam Wraithblood, and if he was here he’d spank your soft ass and stab his snake in it! Oh yeah! I’d love to see that happening!”

I sigh and repeat the question five time, enduring the horrific images. Relax! I’ve seen and been through worse in reality, thoughts like that won’t scare me away. And this mad man dies horribly after I’m done with him! Acid will do! I never thought I’ll use ‘Acid Splash’ ever again, but this mad man deserves it!

“Where is your guild’s headquarters located?”

This question takes three times to ask before I get the answer I’m looking for.

“Arch Radiant Nulix street, right below the jewelry shop. No one ever suspects that, and I love to see all the soft women looking at the jewelry. Working in the shop is such a sky blessed occupation, I miss the store. All these soft women to stab and look at!”

I ask one more times, but before I get to the fifth time he finally gets a clue.

“Is that magic hearing my mind or something? Rot! Think jugs! Think jugs! Think jugs! Big soft jugs that I can stab, yeah!”

I ask one more time and move to the next question from Sharla’s list, pretending nothing’s changed.

“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”

“Think jugs! Think Jugs! Big soft bouncy jugs!”

“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”

“Jugs! Jugs! Soft jugs! I want to buy an onyx silver ring for my daughter! Snakes! Did she hear it now? No no! Think jugs! Soft! Round jugs! Yes!”

“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”

“Good! She didn’t hear it! She wouldn’t be asking! Why is she asking me every question five times? Is it sorcery that tells her what she wants to know after five questions? What kind of sorcery is that?”

“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”

“What kind of sorcery is that?! What kind of sorcery is that?! Snakes! I wanna snake this woman! Pull her hair off! And stab her! Hard!!! Poke her eyes out! Get out of my head you falafu! Harlot! Harpy!”

“What are the safe words required to enter your guild’s headquarters?”

“The snakes in all of creations! I’m dead! If she really knows what I’m thinking, I’m dead! No more killing! No! NO! I DON’T WANT TO DIE! I DON’T WANT TO DIE! PLEASE!”

He struggles violently against his chains and collar, but they hold him in place.

“I got the answers I wanted. I only have to ask you five times. I don’t even have to read your mind. Of course I also got to read your mind.” I say aloud and smile at him, the most acidic smile I can muster. “It’s been such a delightful experience. I think I’ve seen cleaner outhouses than your mind. You really love stabbing jugs, huh?”

His chains rattles violently. “NO! NO! NO! NO! I’M DEAD! NO MORE KILLING! I CAN’T KILL! NO! NOOO!!”

“Yes. You’re very much dead and you won’t harm a single innocent soul. Because I want to buy an onyx silver ring for my daughter!” I giggle, enjoying his torment. He deserves it! These aren’t just some dark taught he doesn't act upon, he’s a killer, a true monster! How many innocents did he kill?! How many women did he torture in such a horrible way?!

“Ha! She doesn’t know that you need to answer the second question with ‘my daughter is only nine years old, I’ll bring her tomorrow to measure the… snakes! No! jugs! Jugs! Soft jugs! Can I see what you have in stock? No! No! No!”

“Oh yes! I wonder how will you feel when someone cut off your snake and shove a stick in you while you bleed out!”

“Inara!” Kolag shouts angrily. I didn't notice when Kolag got in. "What on Lukam are you saying?!" he demands to know.

Oops! I forgot Kolag’s there! My dear pawn and his... No! Stop!

“I’m dead! Dead! Dead!”

I cancel the spell and move away with disgust. “I’m sorry, Kolag. He’s… Let’s just say he’s the kind of man who enjoys torturing and killing women, like the slavers before the tower, only worse, way worse. I’ve been through his mind, and we got everything we wanted." I turn to the Fae at his side, her autumn dress flutter on an unseen wind that shouldn't be here in this enclosed dungeon. Her face passive, pretending what she did to us yesterday never happened. "Sharla? Anything else you need from him?”

“I still don’t have my answers?” She crosses her hands on her red leaves dress.

“Oh that. He doesn’t know who hired them, he’s too low ranked for that. Their leader is a man named ‘Garam Wraithblood’. The guild is based under a jewelry store located in Arch Radiant Nulix’ street. The safe words are: ‘I want to buy an onyx silver ring for my daughter’, and when the clerk ask something you say: ‘My daughter is only nine years old, I’ll bring her tomorrow to measure the size. Can I see what you have in stock?’ Anything else you want me to ask before I kill this bastard?”

The Fae leans forward with interest, lifting the defeated monster's chin and looking at it closely. Her face less than a centimeter from his. “Yeah. Tell me what you saw in his mind," she says in a distracted tone. She keeps the man's eyelid open and observes his eye up close.

“It’s… Not something I enjoy describing. Why do you want to know?”

Her form shifts. Now she wears the assassin’s body, and the spitting image of his face. The man in the shackles stops struggling. His brown eyes open widely. Awww I love the look on his face! Stop! Torturing is pointless, I’ll just kill him when we’re done. Lezere was right about it… Even if the guy deserves it…

“Mostly stabbing women in intimate places and snake them as they bleed out and die in his arms. He’s crazy. He’s obsessed with jugs. He think women are soft, he likes the softness and also liked the female assassin who worked with him. Her name was Dana.”

Sharla nods. “Yeah. She ran. I saw her.”

“And I can trace her.” Jerro claims calmly from outside the cell, I can't spot him from within, but with Kolag wide frame, Sharla, and me, there's no space inside the tiny stinking cell.

“We have our way in.” Sharla grins with the madman’s face. The grin is that exact same superior smirk he gave me at the beginning of the interrogation.

“Can I kill him now?” I ask impatiently.

“Yes,” Sharla says as she leaves the cell, squeezing between Kolag's armored arm and the wall.

Finally! “Kusharissa!” <Acid!> The man screams. Sizzling liquid melts down his face, dripping down to his exposed shoulders. Skin turns to bloodied flesh as vapors rise. The features of his face distort beyond recognition, and his strangled screams die out when acid enter his throat. He only writhes and squirms in sheer agony. Killing someone like that is so much fun! I want to kill more monsters like him, I want them to suffer!

I hear Kolag's arming sword leaving its scabbard, and turn to see the tall man steps forward with his bronze blade drawn.

"Don't end it for him, Kolag," I order, standing in his way with my hands crossed. "He deserves every second of that."

Kolag pushes me aside, and his blade pierces the dying monster's heart. “Do you have to be so cruel?"

“Did you have to end his suffering? He clearly deserved it in case you haven't heard what kind of monster he was,” I reply coldly.

“It was torture! Killing him is necessary, causing needless pain isn’t!”

“I thought you cared about justice.”

“That!” He points at the half melted corpse behind him, “wasn’t justice. That was cruelty! How can you do this?!”

“Do you know how many women that man tortured and killed?! Do you have any clue? He wanted to do the same to me! I saw it in his head over and over while I was reading his mind. He was doing it to me in his head. Over and over!”

“I… Inara. My love. I think sharing your mind with a man like that may have affected you. You always went for a quick kill when it comes to monsters. ‘Never give them a chance to fight back by toying with them.’ You told that to everyone who listened after King Luard, remember?”

“He deserved it!”

“So you’ll become like him and torture people now?! We need to have lines. We need to have honor! How are you better than him if you stoop down to torture as a punishment?!”

"So you're suggesting I'd torture innocents now? Is that what you're saying? I inflicted that upon a monster who'd do this to innocent people, that's the difference! If you can't see that, if you can't see me for who I am, don't claim to love me."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't. I clearly don't recognize you anymore."

“You two. You need to sleep it off.” Jerro interrupts. I thought he left with Sharla. “Inara is influenced by what she saw in that man's mind. You’ll have nightmares, Inara, flashes of what you saw. You meditate, you’ll still see that.”

No I'm not! That man deserved it! I won't lie to Kolag for the sake of keeping him loyal. If he doesn't love me for who I am then...

“Go study spells." Jerro continues "It’ll keep your mind occupied from the visions. Concoct a sleep potion, and use a sleep potion for the next upcoming week. Avoid meditations. The visions should go away after a week, maybe two. Study spells meant for battlefield and war, spells meant to battle armies. I see battles ahead.” He pats my shoulder and turns to leave.

“His advice is sound,” Kolag echoes. "I'm sorry for my rush judgement, my love."

"It wasn't rush. I think he's lying to keep us together. This is who I am Kolag. I'm not going to apologize for it. I think turning my cruel side toward a monster—a rapist who'd torture innocents—is completely justified. You can disagree if you wish, you can stop loving me if you wish, but you can't change me."

Kolag’s sigh echoes. “I’m sorry. I was quick to judge you earlier, and you're right. I just... Seeing a man suffer like this... Anyone... It's not something I can just stand and watch idly by. I cannot understand how anyone can take pleasure from that."

Did I take pleasure from it? Yes... I did... What does it say about me? "Ok. No more apologies! I won’t accept any!”

“So you’re not going to forgive me for that?” I hear more genuine worry than disbelief behind his echoing voice.

“Not if you won’t stop apologizing for every little fight we have. If it’s a major offense, of course I expect an apology, and I’ll give the same. But a little disagreement that ended with us agreeing?! No apology required! My heart isn’t made out of twigs, a little shouting won’t make me change my mind about you. Now, I’m going to take a sleep potion, and you’re going to watch over me like a loyal knight in case Jerro missed an assassin.”

He salutes with a fist on his chest. “Will do! I will stand over your bed for as long as you sleep!”

“I’m inviting you over to sleep with me, you stupid bucket head!” And maybe some touching that we both enjoy to take pleasure in...

“Oh… oh! Yeah! Ok, let’s go.”

“Did you know that they write songs about us now?”

“They do?”

“Yeah. It goes like this: Oh my paladin where are you now~? Kiss me and honor your vow~!”

~~*

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2x2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x3
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Psyche: Lumina's Mind Touchb3
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 39 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 7,644 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-06-13 17:02:32 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 141 in color

2024-06-13 17:01:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Announcement

Myrsha just reached half a million words! Nearly 2 thousand pages by R&R count.
Next stop is 825k words and 3 million pages.

I was on the fence whether or not I should split and start volume 3 here or later.

I just decided to pick this chapter (130) due to the 500k mark. This way volume 2 gets to be around the same length as volume 1 (a little longer actually.) Instead of the 400k words ambitious monstrosity I originally planned it to be.

Making this the end of volume 2 gives me a good excuse for taking a much needed break. My life has been picking up a lot of things that get in the way of my writing. As much as I hate it, life is life.

The break will be from the 28th of June to the 28th of August. (Patreon will be frozen for the duration.)

After the break things will continue as usual. I don't want to make any promises or set up expectations for anyone but myself. However, I'm really hoping I could go back to 2 chapters a week, and if I can't, that's fine as well. I'm still going to do my very best to reach that goal.

Anyway.

Welcome to volume 3 everyone!

Thank you all for commenting and supporting me in any way you've done.
Thanks for sticking with me for this long.

I hope you have fun with this volume just as much because things will heat up!

My writer anxiety tells me to say: I hope I won't disappoint. ROFL

Ciao.

2024-06-06 10:59:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 140 colorless

Author Notes:

This chapter is dedicated to CluelessTurtle95.
Thank you so much for your support!

Chapter 140 An Interrogation I.

Everyone makes mistakes.
Mistakes lead to experience.
Experience leads to wisdom.
Wisdom leads to improvement.
But there’s always someone wiser and better.

Tukado, the creator.

{28} Rakisha (September) the 20th.

“He won’t talk,” Kolag growls angrily. Kolag, Ryon, Sharla, Jerro and I stand near the dungeon cell of the captured assassin. There’s no sign of the many torture devices that cluttered the place back when King Luard ruled, there’s only a cold stone floor instead. The stony moss covered walls has a gloomy feel about them, the lack of window and the dim torchlight doesn’t make it any better. It also makes the air thicker here, there are small vents in the ceiling for the smoke, but it feels like they aren’t enough.

“I make him talk with ma knives.” An evil grin forms on the lithe boy's face. His green eyes give a faint glow in the dim light of the dungeon, giving him the illusion of a night predator. He leans his slender figure on the nearby gray stone wall. The torch casing above his head casting a long shadow over him.

“You've already tried that. I don't want you to accidentally kill him, Ryon."

"Nah, I won't. Trust me," Ryon states, his glowing eyes glued to Sharla's abysmal chest.

"What about that Pixie Dust you used on Olfgram?" I turn to Sharla. Her form is a mix of human and elf today. Graceful upturned blue eyes, a sharp chin, a tiny nose that almost sink in her face, and long silky blond flocks mark her face. Her curvy figure is created by so much unproportionable fat that makes me wonder how she still keeps her balance.

The fairy gives me a proud smile and crosses her hand under her breasts, lifting them, much to Ryon's delight. "He's immune to intoxication. I'm not sure if it's the time he spent handling toxins, or some blessing of the God of Death, but he won't react."

“I see. Jerro?” I ask.

“Yes?” The Death Priest looks at me with confusion. His gray shirt have new stains on it. No matter how many times I had the palace maids wash his tunics, it's simply the way he eats. The tanned young man leans heavily on his cane as if he's triple his actual age, brown eyes darting everywhere in the cellar.

“Can’t you divine what he’s thinking?”

He places his left palm atop the right on his cane and shakes his head slowly. “I can see the future, I cannot read people’s minds. I am not a chosen of Noxi, I cannot tell what the truth is.”

I raise an eyebrow. “And can’t you see what he will say when we make him talk?”

“Not before you find a way to do so. And not if it’s nothing of importance, no. I can see whoever issued the contract on your head resides in Sajarev. That Sharlafyn, the rogue, and I will be heading there soon. But not their identity. They may be protected by another Shaf. Tiyadi is the God of Death, as well as the God of Time. Shafs do work as killers at times. Or maybe there’s another reason.”

“Just give me a few minutes with him, Mistress. He’ll talk.” Sharla’s voice is almost seductive as she moves her hands slowly on my shoulders, her breath warm against my ear. “He may be immune to poison, but nothing is stopping me from giving him pleasure, so much pleasure that he’ll lose himself, and then… Pain!”

“The way you sadists enjoy inflicting pain is disgusting,” Kolag states, hands folded across his metallic chest. His dark armor reflects the torchlight with an ominous shimmer. The light catching the intricate curving that I know so well from spending alone time with him. His sheathless claymore strapped to his back by a leathery band, and a smaller arming sword hanging from his brown belt.

Sharla shifts into the spitting image of my form and leans on the baffled Jerro's shoulder. My own gray eyes glint at me with a naughty smirk that wouldn't ever grace my face. I almost expect her hands to mirror the way mine are folded, but she tucks the short auburn locks behind her ears, exposing fully the sharp tip of her ears. She even wears the same blue dress I'm wearing. I can't help but focus for a second on how the cloth curves at my waist and hips, or how it nearly doesn't bend at all around my chest. “Kolag… Love… That assassin tried to kill Inara. Why does he deserve your mercy?”

“Stop that,” Kolag growls, hands grabbing the leathery strap on his chest. I know that he can take off this belt and draw his claymore in a matter of a split second.

“Stop what?” Sharla preens, tilting her head to the right, a mocking smile etched on her face.

“Stop wearing Inara’s form. I'm not showing him any mercy. I want him dead. The sooner the better. I just don't believe in taking pleasure in someone's suffering—even a vile lowly human being as that man—is something to be encouraged. Do you have any idea how undergoing torture feels?! How can you all live with yourselves?!"

Was he tortured as a slave? He never told me… Not like it’s something anyone talks about, I don’t really talk about what I’ve been through either. I put my hand on his arm. “It’s ok… We’ll find a way to make him talk that doesn't include torture. Torture seems to be useless anyway. I’m going to take a look at my grimoire. Maybe there’s a spell that’s going to help.” I do need a utility spell that lets people talk. Actually, maybe a spell that lets me read people's minds. I also need a spell that let me see people from afar. What did Kolag go through that makes him talk about torture like that? I doubt it was easy… And aside from the demon that’s been infused into his body? Who knows… I’ll listen if he wants to talk about it but I won’t push it…

“Thank you, my love.” He covers my hand with his metallic gauntlet.

Ryon licks his lips with a frown, but doesn't say anything. He keeps picking his nails with a dagger and lick whatever he can dig out. A soft fart sounds from his direction.

Sharla—still leaning on Jerro’s shoulder—shifts into Kolag’s form. Unarmored, mostly naked, only a loincloth covering the nether region. "I'm Kolag! I'm the pinnacle of justice! I know what justice is better than the God of Justice himself! I'll wave my big sword around to show everyone how justice is to be carried out!" Sharla steps forward in Kolag's form, leaving Jerro behind her.

Jerro’s eyes go dark. For a moment he lifts his cane as if he's unsure whether or not to hit Sharla at the back of head. Then lowers his cane and leans on it again with a heavy sigh.

Kolag stands quietly. Treating the Fae and her taunts like the light that shimmers on his armor, or an arrow that wouldn't even dent it.

Yet, I can’t help but look at Sharla's well toned body. The thick neck hastens my heart beats. I want to move my hands on that... The way his broad shoulders move. I want to lean my head on that... And down to his strong arms. I want him to hold me... My eyes wonder down his muscular abdomen and I take a deep breath, doing my best to ignore the impossible mad craving. I want him! Snakes! It’s not him! I know! But I barely ever get to see him and this… It’s not him! Snakes! I just want to look ok?

Sharla growls, copying Kolag’s growl but without the echo of his armor. She drops the loincloth. I blink. “Oh! What do you say I give Inara some good time in your stead? I bet she’d love it!”

Heat covers my cheeks. Damn... Oh no you fucking don't! It's one thing to tease me like that, and another to hurt him like that! Fuck you, Sharla!

"Out of line," Kolag states, voice frigid. He takes a step forward and punches her in the face. Sharla bounces with the punch, hitting the ground, knocked out cold. Her form shifts back to her original fae form, wearing her autumn leaves dress. Good! What a fucking bitch. Now she probably just wants pity, fuck pitying her! Poor Kolag...

Jerro gives Kolag a death glare, picks her up, and leaves the dungeon with his cane hanging from his wrist. Ryon follows suit like a bored cat, green eyes glued to the woman who probably just pretends to be unconscious in Jerro's arms in order to feed on his pity.

I chase the anger away and bring up the image of Kolag without the armor and clothes in my mind as heat fills my cheeks and upper body.

Kolag and I stand there in silence, looking at each other for a long minute or two.

"It... hurts..." His voice is barely a whisper in Toml'a. "Not being able to feel you. Not feeling the wind on my face. Not washing my skin. I hate every living moment in this armor. I hate it so much."

It hurts just to hear the pain in his voice... I need him free of that damned shell... "I will see you out of that armor one day, I promise!" I look into his eyes as I reply in our native language. I will see him free! I need to work toward that more. Jolla mentioned she had some knowledge about demons, it's time to push her against the wall about it. "And when you're finally out of that armor you'll be able to feel the wind, I'll make all the wind for you. I'll wash your skin personally, and I'll have you feel me as much as you want, more than you want."

He stands there for another long quiet moment, as if contemplating my words. His sigh echoes. “I punched her too hard. I shouldn’t have lost control like that.”

“You had every right to. She knows all too well how much this hurts you. How much this hurts me too. I’d sling some spells at her if she shifted into a naked version of me too, just for exposing my privacy like that alone. Add the emotional baggage we have with your armor, yeah, don’t feel too bad about it.” I pat his arm. “You don’t understand her though, she did it on purpose. She wanted you to lose control and punch her. That way, Jerro would feel pity for her and you’d feel guilty about punching her. I’m pretty sure she also feigned losing conscious.”

“Why would she do all of that?” his voice echoes in bafflement.

“Because she feeds on pity. Even your guilt about punching her too hard is going directly to her like a candy for a child. For her, pity is the equivalent of love. She needs it, she feeds on it. That’s her main emotional need. I’m not sure if she needs it to survive, but she definitely needs it to thrive.”

“Hrmm… I did not understand it that way. But even if what you're saying is true, I'm a piece of trash for punching her like this. I need better self control. My lost of control has led to enough blunders.”

I place my hand on his shoulder. “You're not a piece of trash, you're the man I love. If you call the man I love a piece of trash I'll be the one punching you. People lose control. Nobody's perfect. Instead of beating yourself up about it endlessly, promise yourself to do better next time. Build on it. I'm so tired of how much hate and worthlessness you direct toward yourself. Promise me that you'll stop doing that. Promise me that you'll see some worth in yourself."

"I..." His shoulders slump, and he goes quiet.

"Just promise me to try and work on it?"

"Ok."

I move my hand to his helmeted jaw, caressing it. "You're a good person, the best person I know. Sharla and Ryon? I don't think either of them ever felt bad about anything. Feeling guilty for your wrong doing makes you human. Yet, you shouldn’t carry any guilt at all. And for this instance, you have nothing to feel guilty about. You have done nothing wrong. Besides, doing the right thing is what you're doing best, right?”

He stands there, unmoving, like a frozen metallic statue, head clearly avoiding looking at me. “I’m not so sure. I don’t think I know what the right thing is anymore.”

I snicker and force him to look at me again. “So now you know what it feels like to be me. I never know what the right thing is. I just do my best to keep the people I care about alive and safe, and make my way back home to my family.”

“I know… Inara. When Noxi commanded me to kill you, he was right and…”

I step back, enraged. “What?!”

He raises his hands defensively. “Hear me out. Let me speak.”

I fold my hands on my chest. “Go on…” If he truly justifies Noxi now, I'm done with him! Fuck that!

“He was right. You were responsible for the enslavement of a whole city. You did it to protect me and the others, I know, but you still enslaved a whole city of humans. In accordance to Noxi’s laws, slavers deserve death, no matter their reasons. But you are right that you shouldn't be bound by Noxi's laws, if worshiping a god is truly a choice for us mortals, a god you don't worship cannot justly hold you by his laws. And Noxi was a fool for ordering me to kill you. How can any man kill the woman he loves?! No matter the reason! No matter how just or unjust it is!”

Phew... seems like he really gave it some thought... I'm glad... “You were presented with an impossible choice. Both paths seemed to be ‘the right thing.’” I hug his arm and lean my head on his cold shoulder. “That’s the problem with our world, Kolag. Not everything is so good and evil. There isn’t always the right thing and the wrong thing. Sometimes both choices are the right thing, or both are the wrong thing. From experience… it’s usually both, and you've got to choose between bad and worse.”

He grunts. “I’m beginning to see that.”

I continue. “Morality itself is set by the gods’ laws or kingdoms’ laws, as well as mortals’ common sense of morality and conscience, which apparently changes from race to race and from a person to person. These three conflict with each other. What if the kingdom’s laws goes against your god’s word? Or what if it goes against your own conscience, and vice versa. In orc culture, eating the body of those who fell in battle is an honor. In human culture it’s a disgusting unforgivable act.”

He wraps his hand around my shoulders and turns me to face him. “Yes. Exactly. So, what do you think I should do the next time something like that happen?”

I arch and raise an eyebrow at him. “You don’t follow Noxi anymore, why would it happen? Unless you mean what if I do something that conflicts with your own sense of morality?”

He averts his gaze. “That too, but I took your suggestion, and I plan on finding another god to follow.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Which one? Lokamesh?” I don't want him to worship another god, but it seems like he really need a god in his life. If he has to worship a god, I'd prefer if he followed the God of Peace. He's the least crazy as far as I can tell...

“Hrmm… Koshavi. Goddess of Love. I broke my oaths to Noxi over my love for you." This is really flattering... "I believe Koshavi is the most suitable goddess for me. I have already looked into her teachings, and her tenents do fit with hrmm… not killing you and making sure you’re happy and safe.” He shifts awkwardly.

I lean my head on his metallic chest with a sigh. If that goddess preach love and loyalty to your lover, I don't mind, but that's the goddess of lust. “I can’t pretend that I like the idea, but if that’s your choice, I’ll have to respect that. Keep two things in mind. Koshavi is also the goddess of prostitutes, some of her teaching encourages things that belong in her temples alone.”

“Those things also belong in the privacy of the bedroom which I'm sure we could enjoy if I didn't have this armor. Besides, her teaching splits to love and lust and a few more paths like luck, art, and dreams. The things you’re talking about is the lust path, it’s not my path. What’s the second thing you wanted me to know?” He moves his hand slowly on my back.

I didn't know that. That's actually encouraging to hear. I arch and look him up in the eyes again. “If you become her paladin, and she might want that for some gods’ knows what reason… We won’t have a single moment of true privacy. Not only that, we’ll also might come into other conflicts if she demand things like Noxi did.”

His hands glide to my shoulders. “I’m aware of that. Inara, the gods are not humans, they can see plenty of intimate moment all over the world. Our private conversations don’t matter to them, the world does not revolve around us, and I doubt unfathomable beings such as the gods are so concerned with breaching our privacy.”

It's not if they care, it's that they can! “Tell that to Noxi and his order to kill me. Let's... Let's not fight about this. Anyway, if you do become her paladin, make it clear that I want privacy from her prying eyes, or at least the illusion of privacy.” I reach up, and knock on his helmet. “Ask her to knock on your bucket head if she wants to talk to you when I’m present.”

He chuckles. “You have my promise, my love. But we’re talking too much about what ifs. I’ll have to find a Temple of Koshavi first. The temple in Red Cedar City has been destroyed and hasn’t been rebuilt. The priestesses have all died in the war with Janara. The new tavern doesn’t have a real priestess that can hear her goddess, she barely knew about the different paths, I’ll have to find a real Temple of Koshavi with a real Zephyr first.”

So he has to go to a real brothel with a real prostitute... “You have to find a Temple of Koshavi with a real Zephyr, you know how wrong this sounds, right?”

“I… I didn't mean it like that, I meant it as—"

“I’m teasing you, silly.” I pat his metallic cheek. “I’m going to look up a spell or a potion for that prisoner. Before I go, I need your help with something." First. It's time to force Jolla to give me her secrets about demons!

He chuckles. “Anything, my love.”

"I've met your smith back in the tavern I hid in earlier. A pleasant fellow. Do you think you can get him to work on my armor. My grimoire is indestructible. I've been wondering if it can be attached to the back of my armor and still be practical to wear..."

Before studying spells from my grimoire, I head to library. I realize that I'm scared of opening my grimoire, scared of learning new spells, afraid my spellbook will lock itself again. I know it probably will in the future, and that I'll have to let it happen, but for now, the library. I'm determined to do something about Kolag's demon situation. I need to do something. Anything.

I find the bespectacled gnome nestled on a ladder between a pair of bookshelves. “Jolla? I know you know about demons. And I know you know why I need that knowledge. It’s time to stop dodging my questions and answering me. What do you know about demons?”

“Too much and not enough,” she answers, red nose buried in a dusty scroll. “I told you. Head to Tukado’s Temple at Tolste’s Bay.”

I fold my hands. “So you have no clue how to get rid of Kolag’s guest? No clue at all? A well-educated gnome like yourself knows nothing?!”

She raises her white eyes from the scroll with clear annoyance. “Pha! By Tukado’s beard, girl, don’t you think I’d tell you already if I knew such a thing? No. I know how to invite demon and have him possess a gnomeniod, I don’t know how to get it out.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Oh? And how would you know such a thing?”

“I wasn’t always the chronicler of Red Cedar City, girl. In my youth, I was a member of the Bloodeyes. A cult that worships demons across the world. You learn all kinds of things in a cult. One of them is that demons are trouble. It’s hard to invite them, but once you do, it’s near impossible to get rid of them.” She rolls the scroll and inserts it in the shelf while she talks.

“How do you invite a demon then?”

The gnome climbs down the ladder that have way more steps than a normal human ladder. She fixes her white robes, dusting them. “That’s not a good idea, girl. You have no idea what you’re messing with.”

“Considering Kolag’s problem, I have a pretty good idea. I’m asking to learn, maybe I can figure out a way to reverse the process somehow. I’m not going to summon a demon for the sake of it, not even as an experiment.”

She turns, and fixes her glasses, looking up at me with a frown. “No, you don’t know what you're messing with. All of the gem towers have outlawed this recipe. They actively hunt people who possess this knowledge. I’m hunted for both this and the recipe for glass, this is why I ran to the gray islands. This is forbidden knowledge.”

I tuck my hair out of my face, still unused to the difference of its length. I doubt that law is well kept. Rushmia did summon a demon after all. I'm sure it's one of those laws that those who are connected don't have to abide by. “I’m sure my master will protect me from the towers’ ire, she did it already. Look. I just want to save my boyfriend from the demon plaguing him, I don’t want to summon hordes of demons, ok?”

The golden haired gnome scratches the tip of her pointy nose. “Alright. But I swear on Tukado’s name, if you use this to summon demons and offer souls to them, I’ll do everything in my power to end you, magic or not!”

I nod. “Not my intention. I’m just trying to help the man I love.”

The gnome hands me a piece of parchment and the quill from behind her ear. “Ok. Take a note, here’s the recipe. You’re going to need: Saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. You use a mortar and pestle to mix them up at the ratio of 75% saltpeter, 13% charcoal, and 12% sulfur. Place them all in the mortar and moisten them with about 5% to 8% water, then grind them together for about ten minutes.”

She shakes her head and continues. “If you do it right, you'll get a dark substance. Be extremely careful around this powder, do not let any flame or heat get near it or you’ll have demons swarming you before you know it! After that’s done, you break the powder into small pieces, and let it dry on a piece of clean parchment.”

I nod when I finish my notes. “Alright… Thank you. Now, what do I do with this powder? How does demon summoning works?”

“That part is easy. You light it up and you’ll open a portal. Keep in mind that it’ll explode violently when you light it up. You need to make a cloth thread leading to the powder. Some cultists create circles with this powder before igniting it. If you draw the right runes you may summon stronger demons, and if you know a demon's name you can call the one you want no matter how powerful it is.”

“And how do you make them go away after you summoned them?”

She sighs. “You don’t. They go away on their own sometimes, not always.”

“That doesn’t help me.”

“Pha. I know. I told you as much.”

Then how am I supposed to figure Kolag's demons? "Is there no other way? Are there notable weaknesses to demons?"

"Iron. Glass. It doesn't work the same way it would on mages. Iron confuses demons. It doesn't render them powerless, just drunk. Glass limits their movement to a degree, similar to how iron binds the fae."

"I see." I should test glass on Kolag then. "And how do I get my hands on some glass?"

"I'll create some glass for you. Be warned. Demons can easily break glass even if it binds them. You wouldn't free Kolag for long, the demon would break the glass and take control of him again. There's nothing magically you can do to stop it even without the glass hindering your magic."

"What if you create a prison of glass and iron? Would it be strong enough to keep the demon sedated inside?"

"Iron doesn't calm demons. It agitates them. Hinders their judgement and make them act like fools, but it doesn't stop them. A demon with iron stuck in it is likely to wipe out a city. Although it's likely for the demon in question to ram head first into multiple buildings while doing the horrific deed. They do not pass out in a drunken stupor like most gnomenoids would."

"Is there no way to kill it?"

"No. Even if you kill it you simply banish it to the hell it came from. And that's impossible to do while it's connected to a host. You'd have to convince the demon to break the connection out of its own will. I'm sorry. I really don't know of an alternative way."

“I see. Thank you. I appreciate the help… I better go. I have some spells to figure out."

She shakes her head and fixes her glasses back on her eyes. “You do that.”

~~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 39 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-05-08 06:24:04 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 140 in color

2024-05-08 06:23:07 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 139 colorless

Author notes:

This chapter is dedicated to Thiago.

Thank you very much for your support! <3

Chapter 139 A Blade in the Dark.

Time flows through you all.
Time degrades you all.
Time shall set you free.
And time shall bring you death.

Tiyadi, the Silver Lord of Time.

{28} Rakisha (September) the 19th.

My heart drops, and I try not to move with the sharp metal pressed against my throat. How did I fall asleep?!

“You won’t scream, Milady. Not even a squeak. Nod if you understand.” A low masculine voice sounds in the darkness above me.

I nod fast. I can blow his head off! Not if that dagger is made of iron, no. I have no way to tell… it’s too dark… If only I could cast light… Spells later. Focus. Handle this! Why am I still alive???

He lifts his hand from my mouth, but not the dagger from my throat. I can barely see the burly figure in the darkness. I can feel his hand moving down on my body, groping my chest for a brief moment and then reaching my belt. He opens one of my belt pouches and lets out a confused whisper. “Are these flowers? Why do you carry flowers?” The smell of roses fills the air.

“It smells good,” I answer with a whisper and feel the pointy tip of the dagger prickling against my skin.

“Quiet! Where’s your gold?”

“Are you robbing me?”

He doesn’t reply. He goes through my belt pouches.

“Ozi, the PeaceKeepers are outside!” I hear a loud whisper from the window area. "Kill the rotten Jar! She's making too much noise!"

"Are you crazy? We're not here to kill anyone!" the man with a blade to my throat protests.

“You are robbing me.” I can’t help but let out a relieved laugh. Phew… I thought it’s an assassin… No way a common thug has iron on him. An assassin would’ve killed me already… Why Jerro thought it’d be a good idea to come to this rotten inn I’ll never understand.

“Quiet!” he whispers loudly, his face barely a centimeter from my own.

I hear the flute from outside again. "Kill her! Kill her kill her kill her!" The man near the window screams.

This flute... I don't have time for this!

I'm just about to form my Kinetic Burst patterns when a piercing pain in my throat blocks my ability to breathe. Blood gushes out in a violent stream, splattering the man, my face, and everything in sight. No!

The man who slit my throat open takes a step back, brown eyes wide in horror. "No! My hand moved! It wasn't me!" he shouts.

Gurgling, I reach for a potion. My heart pounds loudly in my chest. My shaky fingers fumble with the correct pouch, struggling to open it. I'm not dying here! Fuck no!

I rip the pouch open, tugging a metallic potion. My fingers run on the curving, and it's a pain resistance potion. Fuck!!!

I throw away the wrong potion as my fingers fumble in my pouch.

Ta-boom

My blood stream out more violently with each heartbeat. Fuck!!! I'm not dying here!

The man who slit my throat slices his own throat open, and a shower of blood covers my face as he collapses on top of me, gurgling.

“Ozi? Oswald!!!” The other man forgets he needs to be quiet as he screams his friend’s name.

I gasp, and only blood fills my lungs, along with odd noises I never thought I could make. The dark room is growing darker, and blissful sleep calls me.

No! I'm not dying here!

I force my eyes open. This feels like forever, but it's just a few more seconds until I find the right potion flask. Lifting it up between my dying body and the spasming man on top of me feels like eternity.

With a strangled gurgle I spill the potion on my throat, gasping for air that isn’t there. The violent stream of blood now oozes out as my flesh and arteries knit themselves close.

Ta-boom

Another heart beat, and no more blood leaves my veins. My throat is healed, yet I’m struggling to breathe.

“You snaking jar!!!” the friend screams.

“Reviss kas.” <Energy feed.> I gasp, pointing my hand at him from under the heavy body. The room lights up in flashing blue as a spark of lightning flickers near my palm. It’s not long enough to reach the man who’s a meter away but he still convulses before collapsing when the spell runs its course.

“Myrsha kalfit.” <Gravity lightweight.> I move the heavy bleeding body above me and get up, coughing blood. I massage my throat making sure I’m alright. I really need to stop looking down on common people… I could’ve died to a pair of snaking robbers… I should've given them the damned gold they wanted... And what the fuck is this damned flute???

I hear someone running outside the inn. “In the Queen's name, you’re under arrest!” I hear Kolag’s echoing voice outside. I rush to the window. The flute finally stops, and I spot Kolag’s Peacekeepers chasing after a pair of dark figures in the street’s torchlight. A few nets are thrown and one of the thugs is down in the mud. A flute starts playing again. One of the armored Peace Keepers stumbles, but the rest keep charging at the man with the flute against his lips.

I grin when multiple javelins pierce his body. He falls to his knees while the rest secure the thug in the net. "Good job, Yalvin." A Peacekeeper pats the back of his friend. Where is Kolag?

My door opens with a kick and my boyfriend enters with a torch that lights my gory room. “Inara! Are you alright?”

Is he dumb or what?! “Yes, thank you.” I reply stiffly, "I don't know who Inara is, Sir."

"Ah I'm sorry, I..." his words die out on his lips when he notices the innkeeper standing there, wide eyed. Oh snakes…

“You’ll speak of this to no one.” Kolag's voice echoes.

The innkeeper nods fast. “Lips sealed. Oh, Ozi and Ker… You fools.” She shakes her head.

“Wait. Did you know these robbers?” I ask.

“Yes, your maje… Ma’am. Yes, ma’am, they were regulars. Thugs, a pair of rotten jars if you ask me. Been robbing around helpless women and children.”

“And you still served them?”

“Money is good no matter where it came from, ma’am.”

“Stop calling me that. Just keep calling me lassie or whatnot. I’m not here to impose… I’m sorry for bringing trouble here.” I give her a handful of gold coins. “For the trouble.”

“And not a word,” Kolag adds.

“Yes, Lord Sir Kolag. Your… l-lassie…” Her eyes brighten when she looks at the gold in her hands. “That’s more than the Queen’s Rest makes in a month! I… Thank you, lassie.” She wears a large smile on her face like a mask, a smile that turns into a teary wince.

“Jerro led us. We caught the assassin the moment she left the inn. Jerro and Berthold killed her together…” Kolag shakes his head. “Jerro told me not to come here, but I thought these four were also assassins. Jerro also said that you get your throat slit if they enter, but that you'll be alright. I really don't understand how's that even possible.”

I guess Jerro was prepared after all… “He wasn't wrong. I healed myself in time. Kolag you should listen to..."

“Watch out!” Kolag pushes me aside and blocks a pair of flying daggers with his armor. A hooded figure crouches on my window sill. The figure throws something on the ground with a flash, and heavy dark smoke covers the room.

“Felul!” <Wind!> My breeze clears the smoke just as the assassin attempts to circle Kolag and reach me.

Kolag steps in and punches the lithe man in the face. With a crack of bone, the punch sends him reeling back. The assassin barely manages to maintain his balance. In the small room, Kolag cannot swing his massive claymore. He lets his weapon go and steps forward, instead of reaching for his arming sword, he swings for another punch.

The assassin ducks under the punch, and stabs Kolag’s armor with a thin stiletto dagger.

The dagger bounces off the adamantine armor, and the assassin loses his balance.

Kolag catches the assassin’s hand and punches his face repeatedly.

"Revissor." <Light.> A ball of light appears above my palm. I wonder if there’s a spell that actually lets me see in the dark without lighting the area… I’ll check that later… At least I unlocked the damn thing now, and I need to be careful with what spells I pick...

“Your Majesty! Behind you!” The scream behind me makes me turn sharply. Just in time to see a female assassin stabbing the innkeeper’s back. The assassin throws a dagger at me right when the poor innkeeper collapses to the ground. Knowing it’s iron I dodge and hear it clings on Kolag’s armor behind me.

Focus!

“Tans fiuak!” <Loud bad sound!> I scream at the assassin. She stumbles, covering her ears. After the assassination attempt and the weird glassy object, I had a little time to test magic on Kolag’s object, and I am pretty sure I figured out how their magic cancelation item works.

If I conjure a physical manifestation via magic, whether it’s a firebolt, a water jet, or even conjuring a copper bolt, their magic nullifying item will negate it. But if I use my magic on existing materials or energy, like a copper bolt spell using my bronze arrowheads. Their glass object won’t negate it.

Sonic scream amplifies my own scream, it’s actually a spell that mostly female casters can use due to the higher voice pitch required. It uses existing energy, it doesn’t create one out of thin air.

I run out of breath for my scream, but I am not just standing idly and screaming at her. I float my copper bolts out of my belt while screaming, and now. “Kushgari yefa!” <Metal fly!> I send them flying at my dizzy target at point blank range.

The bolt headed for the woman’s head bounces off with a cling when it hits a metallic surface under the hood. But the other two pierce the woman’s thigh and abdomen, and she collapses with a pained groan, hands covering the bleeding hole in her stomach.

Behind me, Kolag knocks his assassin down. I lean on his metallic back for a brief moment, finding comfort in his presence.

Two new hooded figures show up. One on the window sill, and one in the doorway. The man in the doorway holds a quarterstaff, while the hooded woman on the window pulls something to throw at us.

She never manages to throw it, an arrow sprouts out of her eye and she crumbles into the room, her body crowding the small pile of sprawled corpses. The object in her hand creates a flash and heavy obscuring smoke. Similar to Ryon’s device.

They never learn. “Felul!” <wind!> The breeze clears out the smoke. Just in time for me to see the bald man swinging his staff at me. I dodge in the last split second and the world turns white as something hard hits my head with force.

I wake up on the ground, my sight blurred, my ears ringing. Kolag is fighting the man with the quarterstaff. Each of Kolag’s punches and kicks is dodged with perfect unpredictable movements. Kolag rushes at the man who dodges and taps Kolag’s leg with his quarterstaff.

Kolag steps back and stumbles on one of the bodies. He topples over and falls on his back with a loud metallic crash.

Another arrow whistles through the window and the hooded man catches it midflight, a centimeter from his eye.

“Tans fiuak!” <Loud bad sound!> I scream at him, but he lets the arrow go and covers his ears before I even scream. “Kushgari yefa!” <Metal fly!> The man dodges my three bolts perfectly. He shifts to the right to narrow his profile, bends his back, and leans his head out of the way of my bolts.

I weave a silent ‘Minor Telekinesis’ to catch the arrowheads I just sent, and a silent ‘Repulse’ to make my bolt fly at him from three sides around him.

He dodges my attacks yet again, twisting his body in an unpredictable manner. It’s like he knows where the bolts will be before I even throw them! “Rod’ena!” <Vines!> My vines grow from the wooden floor but they do not get close to him, they turn to dust. If I had controlled existing vines they would catch him, but I forget that in the heat of the moment.

Using the time my failed spell gives him, he jumps closer, waving his quarterstaff toward my neck.

“Latsa ni!” <Lift me> I cast a panicked ‘Jump’ and jump backward, crashing against the wall in the hallway. The middle-aged innkeeper is dragging herself forward on the ground with her hands alone, leaving a trail of scarlet on the floorboards behind her.

“Fotyr folo!” <Firefly!> I summon my fiery arrows from the nearby torch, but the man dodges perfectly while Kolag gets up behind him with a creak. I weave a silent ‘Minor Telekinesis’ and float the torch to my hand. I move the flames in front of my mouth, the heat warms my face, and the smell of acrid smoke enters my nostrils. “Folo fotyr!” <flying fire!> I breathe a cone of fire in the man's direction, forcing him toward Kolag with a screen of blazing flames.

The bald man hops back and ducks under Kolag’s fist. He spins and trips Kolag again with his quarterstaff. He swings the quarterstaff around and deflects another arrow from the window. He then hits the back of Kolag’s head in a smooth motion, knocking him down again.

“Now!” I hear Jerro’s shouts from the outside.

Ryon pops up on the windowsill, green glowing eyes flickering with joy. He throws a couple of waterskins with a small thin object at the man, and jumps off of the window.

BOOOOOOM!

The blast shakes everything. My back hits the wall hard and my teeth clatter in my mouth. I shake my head, all I can see with my blurry vision is fire. Fire everywhere. My ears ring loudly, and it feels like someone is constantly hammering my head.

“Kolag!” I panic when I regain my wits. I let out a relieved breath when I see his armored silhouette aflame staggering to his feet amidst the raging fire. “Nimuwal!” <water unlimited!> I aim my water jet in his direction, dousing the flames and cooling his armor. Thick black smoke envelops the room. Kolag stumbles toward me. I can barely hear his echoing voice, much less what he’s saying.

I drink a healing potion. The headache is gone, and the ringing in my ears replaced by a proper sound. “Sorry. I couldn’t hear you, my ears were ringing. What were you saying?”

“By Noxi! What was that?!” Kolag asks, breathless.

“I already told you, Knight. That. Was a Shaf, a Battle Cleric of Tiyadi God of Time and Death,” Jerro replies from behind me.

“No! Inara! What did you do?! What in the name of all the gods was that magic?”

“That wasn’t me!”

“That was the rogue. He’s waiting outside,” Jerro replies coldly. “It was the only way to ensure the Shaf’s demise.”

Now that the smoke has cleared, I spot numerous charred bodies in the room. The furniture is wrecked, even Kolag’s adamantine armor has scorch marks on it, and his eternal steel claymore is bent oddly.

Turning my head to the hallway I notice that the middle aged innkeeper is still crawling on the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind her.

I rush to her side. I’m down to my last healing potion. I need this for emergencies. "Kolag, give me a potion!" I did give everyone in my close circle healing potions for emergencies. He hands me a potion wordlessly. I apply it and watch with satisfaction as the wound on her back closes up. Then chant ‘Lesser Cure Poison’ just in case. “Sefius, rod’e, mo’ento sho rod’eshil xsi si to sha sus mo’ento xsias. Sals si to xalias.” <Life, wood, focus all poison in this one’s body and force it out. Heed this one’s plea.>

Learning Life Magic was definitely a better choice than whatever necromancy could’ve offered me… Even if potions can replace this, they require materials and time to craft or money to buy… Life Magic also doesn’t spend any materials other than blood… I should really learn a Lesser Heal spell too... Just in case I run out of potions... I wonder if there are ways to kill with Life Magic... But I have plenty of ways to kill. I need more utility. The only question is whether or not a simple healing spell is worth a precious page from my grimoire when I have potions. But if I'm going by that argument, I shouldn't have learned Life Magic at all.

“T-thank you, Your Majesty… Ah… I thought I was dead for sure. By the gods!”

“I’m sorry… This is my fault.” I apologize. “They wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. The men below were your sons, right? Are they poisoned? Are they still alright? I'll heal them."

"They're alright, Your Majesty. Just sick? Poisoned. I'll lead you to them."

"They are insignificant," Jerro states.

"They're people," I reply. "But thank you Jerro. You saved my life yet again. Everyone is alright, correct?"

“Indeed. We have achieved our goal. Their two Shafs are dead now, and I can tell where the rest of the assassins will be.”

“Where?”

“In your palace.”

“What about Sharla? It’s not autumn yet, they were supposed to attack in a few days. She won’t be able to fight them! Get going, I'll heal the men here and be right behind you!”

~~*

interlude 139.1

Jerro Berthold and Ryon leave Inara’s room, and Sharla shifts back to the exact image of Inara with the closed up green dress her friend likes to wear so much. Inara should learn how to have some fun and wear something a little more revealing. Sharla will never understand why her friend likes these closed up prudish dresses.

A friend, uh? Since when did Sharla considers her as such? Sharla does not know.

But Inara is Thuan-In-Dos <Fae-’s-Blood> She is one of her kind, it is ok to befriend one such as her, and in the passing months, she had not fed on Shar-La-Fyn-Wyn-Yeslun-in-ubrih’ <White-Near-River-Dew-Thorn-‘s-essence> even once! Nor will she age as fast as the rest of the Dul-On <mortals>.

Sharla could do without Inara's insecurities. Never mind her misleading appearance, most people would mistake her for a juvenile based on her insecurities alone.

She is a juvenile. Sharla reminds herself. Inara is Thuan-In-Dos <Fae-’s-Blood>, and she’s only in her twenty eighth bloom, that’s juvenile, hopefully, she’ll grow. She might even grow bigger breasts too, she seems to want them bigger. Sharla shakes her head at the insecurities of young females.

Wait.

Breasts… That’s it! Liquid that’s not liquid! Sharla's face twists into her real smile. A smile that stretches all the way above the corner of her eyes and her temples. A smile that would never appear on Inara’s original face. A smile, that anyone with normal facial muscles cannot possibly wear. A smile that would chill the bones of every Dul <mortal> who would witness it.

A pair of Dulaim-Nugle-Dos-On <Human-Shadow-bloods> jump into the room from the window. Sharla wipes the smile off her face and pretends to be in deep meditation, just like how Inara would be if she was here. Sharla had watched Inara’s behavior enough to copy it without a fault.

Only, Sharla grows a third eye on her nape. A Shavasi Cat's eye, capable of seeing through fog, darkness, or thick hair. The eye hidden under the lush auburn hair is sharp enough to see the approaching Dulaim-Nugle-Dos-on <Human-Shadow-bloods>.

The Dulaim-Nugle-Dos <human-shadow-blood> Stabs his dagger at Sharla's nape, aiming to sever her spine.

Sharla shifts into a slime, just in time. The Dulaimin <human’s> hand sinks into her nape, but it’s no longer flesh.

It is ooze.

Sharla wraps herself around the Dulaim <human> pushing her slime into his mouth, blocking him from breathing or breaking his poisonous tooth.

The second Dulaim-Nugle-Dos <Human-Shadow-blood> lets out a high-pitched scream and jumps out of the window. She’s not important, Sharla had captured an assassin alive. Her mistress will be happy. No, not a mistress. Her friend will be happy. Sharla wants to make her friend happy.

The Dulaim-Nugle-Dos <Human-Shadow-Blood> loses his consciousness and collapses. Shar-La-Fyn-Wyn-Yeslun <White-Near-River-Dew-Thorn> is forced by the seasons to unwrap herself from his mouth before he chokes to death. She cannot kill, it is not autumn yet.

But when autumn comes… Her face twists into an excited smile no Dul <mortal> can wear, a smile that stretches over her face and nearly reaches her hairline.

This is her natural true smile, one that not even Inara can see without having the wrong opinion. Inara may be Thuan-In-Dos <Fae-’s-Blood>, but she grew amongst the Dulaim-on <humans>. She’ll need the years to grow accustomed to the Thuan <Fae>.

Sharla now holds the poisonous tooth in her hand. It's not even shaped like a tooth, it's an odd metallic device one can open with the correct tongue movement. Her young friend will be happy. Now, let’s add some bruises to her original form’s face, the Suna-Yak-Nash-Berthold <Little-Earth-Gem> will pity her for sure, he'll regret not staying to defend her, and he'll feel guilty. She does need her daily serving of delightful Irh’a-Lun <emotion-food> after all.

~~*

Interlude 139.2

Salik

“I Zoe daughter of Niman, solemnly swear before the goddess: To take the man Salik son of Mjol as my husband and to make him happy to the best of my ability.” Zoe holds onto Salik’s hands as she makes the last of her marriage vows, her brown earthy eyes looking deep into his.

Salik hesitates. Should he really take these vows? Is it the right thing? Why is he so undecided?

The temple hall disappears. Zoe disappears. Salik panics for a brief moment before he controls himself. A god is meddling with his life, again, what a surprise.

Salik finds himself in a dark empty void, and a beautiful woman appears before his eyes, floating in the endless void.

A pair of brown familiar eyes peer into him knowingly. The rosy cheeks are dotted with a single blemish right above her luscious lips. A long wavy brown hair frames her face, falling down on her ample chest and thin shoulders.

Salik recognizes this woman, how can he not. He was married to her for years.

Anixa.

But this isn't Anixa, it can't be. Anixa is either dead, or a very old woman right now. No. This is a trick of the gods, probably Koshavi who infests this temple like a viper ready to strike.

"Comparing me to my own divine animal and doing it with such distain. I'm impressed, My Oak." Koshavi speaks with Anixa's own voice, she even calls him 'My Oak' like Anixa used to do.

"Impersonating the woman I used to love does not earn you any worship or favor with me, Koshavi. I've said no to one goddess, and I'll say no to another." Salik states. He knows what she wants, he knows what the gods want, and the answer is no. Fates help him, the answer is always no. Not again. Never again.

"Oh this?" Koshavi looks at herself. "I did not pick this form to upset you, I simply take the form a mortal's mind considers to be the most beautiful. Your mind creates the way I look like. Beauty is subjective. And if I resemble your departed wife, it's because your mind still considers this woman to be the best looking one."

Salik doesn't buy that. Koshavi could force herself to take other forms if she wanted to.

"Oh very well, if you want to be a child about it." The goddess pouts and shifts. Her hair turns colorful, every color in existence stripes her long now smooth hair. Her face grows sharp, eyes turn purple and take the shape of upturned almonds. Sharp ear tips jut out of her striped hair. Surprisingly her curves are gone entirely and her figure takes an androgynous form.

"Why am I here" Salik asks tiredly.

The goddess smirks. "You're doubting whether or not to marry Anixa again, don't you?"

"This is Zoe, not Anixa."

"The woman you knew as Anixa died twenty three years ago. In her last ten years of her life she worshiped me devoutly. Her regret was heartbreaking. She'd dedicate an hour everyday to you. In her prayers she asked for a second chance with you, my dear. I decided to answer those prayers and place her in your path. You're not imagining it, dear. Zoe does not only resemble the woman you once loved, it's the same soul."

"Then I shouldn't marry her. Thank you for helping me decide."

The goddess raises a thin curved colorful eyebrow. "O' really? While she's the same soul, she has none of the memories Anixa had. She is not aware of what she did and has no intentions of doing so again. This is Anixa, but with a clean robe and no stains on them. Didn't you want that more than anything?"

"Yes. But not when your meddling hand is in the mix."

The goddess crosses her hands with a pout. "Not all of the gods are the same. If one tavern sells you bad ale, do you assume all taverns sell bad ale?"

"All taverns sell bad ale," Salik states. "People just love drinking bad ale."

The goddess bursts out in laughter, patting the head of the serpent that rears its head from between her thick long hair. "You're good, my dear. Keep making me laugh like that and I'll consider making you my consort, that is if you don't want Zoe. So then. Shall we make a deal? I will tell you exactly what I want from you, and you decide whether or not to take this deal."

"I'll hear you out."

"One. I want you to worship me so I can steal you from that bloody harpy, Nuriss."

"I'm not hers anymore."

"That's what you think, my dear. That's what she wants you think. You're hers until you chose another god," she preens, "or goddess. Two. I want you to love Zoe with everything you have. She does not remember and she will never remember her past life. Not even I can change that rule about reincarnations. There's no reason to be harsh on her for what her past life did."

"I do that anyway. These things come in threes, what's your third request?"

The goddess preens and turns to look in a mirror. She seems to be distracted, admiring her own image. "I want you to make sure Kolag and Marisha, oh you remember her as Inara, yes. Kolag and Inara stay together, love each other, and wed. Be their pillar of support when they need."

Interesting. What's Koshavi's interest in Kolag and Marisha? Marisha. How could her name slip away like this? Must've been some rotten spell to wipe that out, he doubts she cast it with how awkward she was about her new name. No. This must've been the Maven.

Who from the poor kids is Koshavi after? Kolag? Or Marisha? He hopes to fates not both...

The goddess applies color to her lips in the mirror and continues talking. "Now let's talk about what I can do for you, my dear. You shall receive three blessings, the first..."

"No."

The goddess turns sharply from the mirror. "No?"

"No. I will not worship you. I was going to marry Zoe anyway, and I don't care who she's been in her past life. She doesn't remember and that makes her a new person." But it's different now, isn't it? "As for Marisha and Kolag, the kids can take care of themselves. Now you can give us your blessing for my wedding or you can snake off with that pet snake you love so much."

The goddess frowns and snaps her fingers. The void disappears and Salik finds himself in the wide hall of the bitch's temple.

The priestess wraps the purple silk around and Salik’s and Zoe's hands and Salik can't help but notice the black drawn snake on the silk stripe around his wrists. “Koshavi witness, Koshavi knows your heart. Your marriage is blessed, walk in her winds.”

~~*

Interlude 139.3

Zoe.

The wind breezes in Zoe’s hair, the goddess herself blessed their union. It doesn't happen to just anyone! She can't believe the goddess blessed their union!

Zoe is married!

She still can’t believe it, but it’s true!

She never thought she’d marry in a small and quick wedding, but who is she going to invite? Her master? She can’t bother Inara with this, not to mention she’ll protest to this marriage based on Salik’s age, Inara has some odd standards. Zoe's family? If they aren’t dead, they aren’t responsive. It’s not like her sister would care enough to show, and her brother in law hates her anyway. Zoe misses everyone. If Jalier hadn't put their souls in new bodies yet, she hopes they watch her from above. She hopes they're happy for her. She would do. But Zoe has no one. Not really...

Traitorous tears sneak into her eyes and trickle down her cheeks.

"Are you alright, Tulips?" Salik asks, worriedly.

"Mmhmm! I'm happy!" Zoe lies. She wishes her family would still be around.

No. Zoe only has the man in front of her to count on, and he’s the only one that matters. He's her only family now. Him and her Nephew, Olsan. The only family she has left...

~~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 5 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-03-21 15:00:44 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 139 in color

2024-03-21 15:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 138 colorless

Chapter 138 A Bystander.

Indecision is the pain of all mortal kind.

Amaret, The Great Sinner.

For a long moment, no one moves. No one except the dying woman on the ground. Her gurgles remind me of a few disturbing deaths I have already witnessed. Her red hair spreads like a wildflower around her head, mixing with her blood. The crimson life liquid sips through the floorboards underneath.

“Yrgahhhhh!!” Gar breaks the frozen grotesque picture and charges at the hooded figure, waving his mace angrily.

Panic overwhelms the inn, and people rush to get out, yelling and shouting. Chairs topple over, and wooden utensils clutter on the floor. I notice a young man falling under the stampede only to be pulled up by one of his friends. Even the blacksmith gets up and drags my wrist forcefully. “Come on, lass! Don’t get dragged into this!”

I push his hand away and let him get dragged with the crowd as they push each other toward the exit, leaving the wooden door open behind them. Jerro said I can’t leave the tavern no matter what happens. To not reveal my identity. I can't help, and I can't leave. Should I just stay and watch?! I have to do something, anything! No. Apathy. These people have nothing to do with me. I am not going to risk the lives of the ones I care about for people I've just met. Not to mention my own life.

The inn empties out soon enough. The innkeeper and a group of terrified prostitutes or barmaids peek from a hall deeper within the inn, what I can assume is the kitchen. A few men stay behind instead of running, drawing daggers and lifting chairs.

I stay seated with my hand in my rose pouch, ready to cast a spell if need be. I watch the fight unfold, my blood boiling. I am itching to join, to act. Inaction is unbefitting of me, but maybe it's a lesson I have to learn. I have a feeling I won't do a very good job at inaction normally... I always have to react to things, to fight.

The shady figure dances around Gar the bouncer with ease, silken dark robes flutter with each jerking movement. The glinting blades leave multiple shallow cuts on the big man.

For someone so big, Gar is quite fast. Each of his mace swings strike faster than my eyes can follow.

The shady figure jumps out of reach and pounces back into a dagger’s range as soon as the mace passes above the hooded head. I can tell the assassin is trying to stab Gar in a vital spot, but Gar shifts just in time, and the assassin barely gets to leave another scratch on his muscular, exposed arm.

A brown bearded middle aged man, wearing a white tainted apron and a short sleeved black tunic—one of the three men who stayed behind—charges at the figure's back. He swings a wooden chair with both hands like a club.

The hooded figure bends under the chair without even looking back. The assassin stabs the man's belly—eyes still fixed on Gar.

Which sick sound of flesh parting by metal, guts and gore pours out of the man's round abdomen. Yet, he still manages to smash the chair on the assassin's hooded head.

The robed attacker gets thrown to the ground with a muffled feminine scream, shifting and landing on her back.

The man stumbles and falls to his knees, hands covering his abdomen in a futile attempt to keep his inner organs from falling out from beneath his apron.

"Andur!!!" The Innkeeper screams from the doorway leading further into the inn. She runs forward and stops at the edge of the fight.

"Father!" "Monster!" The remaining pair of younger men charge at the downed assassin, screaming in outrage.

At the same time, Gar reaches forward and swings toward the hooded head on the ground, aiming to smash it against the wooden floor.

My shaking fists hold my skirt tightly and crush rose petals in my pouch. Snakes! I should end this!

The hooded woman rolls sideways from the mace, turning from laying on her back to her front. The mace misses her head by mere centimeters, cracking the floorboards instead. She gets up gracefully and easily avoids another clumsy swing by Gar. She throws a dagger toward one of the charging younger men. His brown eyes open wide at the flying weapon.

My heart bursts out of my chest and my blood boils. No! Jerro said not to! Last time I tried to save people Lezere died! Who will die this time? Berthold? Ryon? Sharla? Myself?

Gar stumbles and falls to one knee, seemingly with no injury. Poison… That’s why he fell… The small cuts on his arms… Her dagger is coated in some poison… Good to know.

"No! Rowl! No!" The Innkeeper screams as one of the two young men collapses with a hilt jotting out of his chest. "Get away from her Jerik! Don't fight her! Stay away!"

I take a step forward unconsciously, pulling petals from my pouch. I need to help them!

The last young man backs off, a dagger aimed at the hooded woman. I noticed the stains on his gray trousers around his crotch. "Mother?" he asks in a high pitched voice.

I force myself to stand still, petals back in the pouch. No! I'm not repeating that mistake! Berthold nearly died already. I have people I care about, I can't afford to care about strangers!

Gar lies down on the ground, clearly struggling to move. He reaches for his mace desperately, a hand stretched out, blood trickling his muscular arm. He's panting heavily, his exposed hands are covered by a red purplish rash.

My hand brushing the metallic surface of my potion flasks. I can easily stop this. I can heal them!

The hooded woman kicks Gar to lay on his back. She straddles his abdomen and stabs his chest again and again in a mad frenzy. The man roars like a wounded beast, his voice rasps as his lungs get punctured. Blood splatters, painting the gambeson and the ground in an angry crimson.

Help them! No. Apathy. I. don't. care. My life is more important. The lives of my friends are more important. Whatever that Shaf is, she managed to locate me in this inn despite Jerro's attempt to obscure my location. I can only assume Jerro used the prostitute as a decoy... There's no other explanation for killing the poor woman. That... Or this assassin is way too dumb.

Snakes!!! I should help!

No.

The assassin cackles madly and slits Gar's throat, she then digs out one of the man's teeth carefully and inserts it into a small pouch in her belt.

The young man, a teenage boy, stands with a dagger in his shaky hand. His brother struggles to breathe, coughing blood. A blade stuck between his ribs. The older bearded man is on his knees near Gar, attempting to collect his guts from the ground with bloodied hands. His apron keeps getting in his way and mixing with his blood covered organs.

The innkeeper stares wide eyed, her hands covering her mouth.

The hooded figure ignores everyone. She picks an axe from near the fireplace and makes her way toward the dead prostitute.

The redheaded prostitute stopped gurgling by now, her green eyes take a crystalline lifeless tint.

The assassin grasps the red tainted mane, stretching out the corpse's neck, and brings the axe down violently. She lifts the detached head and looks at the lifeless face. The woman nods to herself and puts the grotesque item in a gray hemp sack. She leaves through the door, throwing glittering silver coins in the innkeeper’s direction. The shrieks of horror from one of the maids are way too late.

My heart pounds violently in my chest.

I should kill her!!! Apathy. What’s done is done… I wonder how Jerro managed to fool them into thinking she was me... Nothing else makes sense...

Anyone with a grudge against her? Possible... Or maybe the assassin is taking the head and claiming it’s me, she looks similar enough, at least for a head… She has green eyes though, and if they have my detailed description they’ll know that it’s not me… No. Nothing else but Jerro fooling them makes sense...

I should heal them. I can heal them. I have enough healing potions to save their lives. But it'll expose myself... I shouldn't... They're going to die! They're strangers. Apathy. Healing potions don't help with poison anyway. And what if the coating was removed on Gar? I doubt it was thick enough, and it might not even be a fatal toxin.

I still shouldn't help. Apathy.

NO! FUCK THAT!

I'm just repeating the same dumb mistake. Saving the women back then got Lezere killed... Now it's worse. I know that if I expose myself I might die and someone I care about will most likely die too...

FUCK THAT!

The Innkeeper kneels near the man with his guts out, her hand on his cheek. He's now on the ground, holding onto her wrist. "Andur! Why?! Don't leave me! Don't you dare! We're going to get the Lord Sir Kolag and get you a magic potion! Stay with me! You too Rowl. Stay with me, you hear?! Enya! Run to the palace! Find Lord Kolag or Tasiya! Get us potions! Run, lassie! Seria make some bandages, now!"

A terrified looking blond barmaid nods and jolts toward the inn's doors.

A raven haired dazed one awakes at the innkeeper's voice. She collects a bunch of clothes in her arms and rushes to help with tears in her eyes.

I get up and reach for my potions. If I expose myself then Gar died for nothing. That prostitute too.

SNAKE THAT! I should've helped! Snakes!!! I just keep ruining lives... I don't have to identify myself to give her a snaking healing potion!

"Here." I kneel near the plump woman and hand her a pair of my healing potions. "I happen to have that. Push his intestines in before you apply it. They're probably poisoned too. I'm not sure if the potion will help with the poison." It won't... Snakes, I really rather not cast spells and expose myself... I hope the poison isn't fatal... The assassin did finish Gar off... I hope the coating was depleted on Gar, it's the amount of poison that matters.

"Thank you! Whoever you are. Thank you! Seria. Help me with Andur!" she orders the barmaids who already dropped the cloth in the pooling blood.

I need to get away from here. I caused this. It's all because of me. I approach the third barmaid who's crying and hugging herself in the corner. "Mind showing me to a room?"

She nods with a sniff, wiping the tears off her face. “You still want to stay? I can get you your money back and…”

I fold my hands. “No. It’s fine. And yes I very much want to stay.”

She fidgets and moves a hand in her wavy brown hair. “But we don’t have our security and those murderers might… Aren’t you scared?”

I shrug. “A lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot. Do you really want to drive your only customer away?”

“No. Lokamesh’ peace… Oh gods…" she hands me a small bronze object. "Here’s your key, first room on the right. I hope you can sleep after tonight. May the thirteen watch over you…”

The gods watch over me?! Noxi ordered Kolag to kill me! “I’ll pass on the gods’ gaze, but thank you.” I've seen too many people die… I forgot what it’s like for people who aren’t used to this… I can't judge her for being blind to the gods, most of the world is blind about those snake suckers. I'm so tired. I wish I could just sleep. But sleeping now would be suicide, and all those people would have died for nothing.

So now people die for me without even knowing. How am I different from any other mage? Or the gods for that matter.

Am I Kolag now? Since when do I care about strangers? I only want the people I care about the survive I couldn't care less for strangers.

Those healing potions say otherwise. What kind of monster am I? How can I let Jerro dictate my choices like this? Are these even my own choices?

I don't care. I'll do what I have to to make sure me and the ones I care for survive. Nothing else matters. And my conscience should get out of the way when it comes to survival.

Kolag will be so proud of me.

Fuck that. Apathy.

I find my small room and crash on the bed, exhausted. It had been a long day.

I allow myself a few minutes of respite before I get up. I can't sleep. Not when there are assassins out there to kill me.

I pace back and forth around the room, jumping at the smallest creak outside my room, the weakest flutter of wings outside the window. Even the rustling wind keeps me awake. My heartbeats resound in my ears. My wild thoughts won't give me a moment of peace. I am a monster, the voice in my head says, but even a monster wants to live.

A beautiful melody is carried across the wind. Someone out there is playing a flute. This is so calming. A soothing music is just what I need.

My heartbeat slows. My muscles relax. I lean on the window sill and enjoy the tune.

So beautiful...

I wake up with a callused hand on my mouth and a dagger pressed against my throat.

*~*~*

Interlude 138.1

Berthold.

Berthold follows Kolag as the armored man leads a small group of Peacekeeper knights toward the inn. Jerro, and Ryon are tugging along. "Is Inara alright?" Kolag asks nervously.

"She is fine. We have to intercept the female Shaf who left the inn five minutes ago. There!" The prophet points his cane toward an alleyway, in the opposite direction from the inn. "Be careful. She knows you're coming, and she knows what you're going to do before you do it. But we have to get rid of here right here, right now."

Kolag sprints into the muddy alleyway, and Berthold follows suit. Berthold's eyes see in the darkness thanks to the patronage of the Lady of Twilights. Berthold spots a hooded figure attempting to climb on a random house.

This is a Priestess of Tiyadi. Just like the ones who cursed his mother and sister. A friend to the assassin who took him hostage earlier. Berthold doesn't like killing people, but for the Cult of Tiyadi, there'll be no mercy.

Berthold draws his bow and focuses on his ability to spot weakness. The blessing of the Lady of Twilight is quite useful for a sniper. Not only does this sight point at a weakness in his target, but it also shows him where to aim his arrow to hit it. It even adjusts for the wind and distance. It makes archery simple, and Berthold likes it simple.

But now. Now his sight gives him multiple dark spots to aim at, sprouting like dark vines. Berthold had never seen anything like this. He dismisses the odd sight, picks the most obvious spot, and looses an arrow.

The figure lets go and drops to the ground, entering another spot in his sight. Are these potential locations where she'll be?

The hooded woman draws a dagger from her belt.

"Attack her!" Jerro orders the peacekeepers.

"Simor, Yalvin, stay back!" Kolag orders his Peacekeepers as he draws his massive sword. Berthold approves. If this woman is half as dangerous as Jerro claims, the normal knights stand no chance.

Berthold looses another arrow, and the woman sidesteps it before he lets the string go, like she knows where he'll shoot. Kolag charges into the alleyway, and there's no sign of Ryon.

The woman avoids Kolag's swing and slaps his armored wrist, causing him to lose his balance entirely. She bypasses the tall knight gracefully and kicks behind his knee almost as a distracted afterthought. The knight topples over in a heap of loud metal. Berthold had never seen him go down that fast.

Another arrow leaves Berthold's bow and the woman simply plucks it from the air. Berthold focuses on all the imaginary dark vines in the air. Is he supposed to shoot five arrows at once? How will hit her?

Ryon drops from above, a dagger in hand. The Shaf avoids his stab, and knees Ryon in the groin. The short half elf stumbles and disappears into the darkness. Berthold can track him for a few seconds as an odd dark shadow on the wall thanks to his sight before he looses track of him.

The assassin kicks Kolag's helmet with a metallic cling, then runs toward Berthold, dagger drawn. She leaves the alleyway, passing by Jerro who leans on the wall near the alleyway's entrance. The woman is clearly unaware of his presence.

The head of Jerro's cane pulls the cultist's ankle back and the woman topples forward with a shrill scream. Jerro steps on her back, and Berthold gets a clear shot at her, all the purplish black marks in front of his eyes converge into a single one. "NO! PLEASE! DON..." she screams.

His arrow whistles and enters the woman's upper back, directly into her heart, right under Jerro's boot. The life leaves her in an instant.

One moment a hooded woman struggling violently, the next, an unmoving corpse.

Berthold winces, he hates killing people, especially when they know their death is coming as she clearly did. He can't help but think of that woman's likes and dislikes, did she have people who cared for her? Did she care for anyone? Did she have children? Family? Lover?

The sack tied to her belt opens, and the head of a red headed woman rolls out. Someone she murdered. Clearly not Inara.

No. No mercy for the Cult of Death!

"No. No mercy for the Cult of Death. Send the followers of that disgusting Death God back to him. Let the bony Silverite reap his own souls for once."

Berthold hears the voice of the Lady of Twilights in his head and smiles. If she's an enemy of Tiyadi like she's an enemy of Tonisha, he picked the right patron indeed.

"One down. One more to go," Jerro states calmly. Why is he helping Inara against the cult who follows his own twisted god? Berthold will never know, but there'll come a day when Berthold will put an arrow into that man's eye, unfortunately, not today...

*~*~*

Interlude 138.2

Ardwin the Piper.

Ardwin wipes the sweat off his brow. Putting the young queen to sleep had been near impossible. It took a lot out of him.

"Send in the bandits. We have been fooled. The Queen's not there, or is she? Never mind she was always in the palace, we have to go there, now! Or not. If she's in the inn, get your bandits to kill her, but you're on your own," says Shaf Agrimor, panic in his voice. "Whoever they have can interfere with my connection to the Great Lord. They just killed Manira. We'll set up an ambush for them."

Ardwin's blood runs cold. Manira is a Shaf. If she died, what chance does a lowly piper like him has? He can't remember seeing a Shaf at a loss like that, much less one of them dying to unnatural causes. "Our target is there. I'm sure of it. She's been resisting my flute. No one normal can do that." Ardwin says that, but he can't truly lie to himself. There have been instances when people have resisted his music in the past, especially when he isn't focused enough on his music, and he can't exactly focus right now.

"No, it's a trick. We've walked into an ambush and we have to counter ambush them."

"At least leave someone with me," Ardwin demands. He's not staying alone when Shafs die.

"Fine," the Shaf groans. "Nero, guard Ardwin. The rest of you set up an ambush here and here." He points on the map. "No, here, set up an ambush here."

Ardwin has never seen a Shaf unsure before. The man can see the future, what happened?!

Nero nods to Ardwin, and the piper brings the flutes to his lips. He has a job to do. The pawns have already entered the inn. Ardwin doesn't understand why the group can't enter, but Shaf Agrimor said they'll die if they enter, and that the Queen is unlikely to be there. Ardwin is to stay just in case.

*~*~*

Interlude 138.3

Jerro.

An ambush in time. A fork within possibilities. A Choice between life and death. A choice between death and death, there is only death.

Jerro stops. "We have to go around. There is an ambush ahead. The Queen will get her throat slit, but she will live and we'll make it in time."

"What do you mean she will get her throat slit?!" the knight demands to know. We can't risk it. Peacekeepers, charge to the inn!"

Jerro sighs. "Hunter, climb to that rooftop and shoot the ambushing assassins. You will see them from above. Rouge, do what you do best." Another fight on the street and one more within the inn. Hopefully, a checkmate to this divination game.

An ambush in time. A fork within possibilities. A Choice between life and death. A choice between death and death, there is only death. They are all going to die. There's no escape. Not from death.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 39 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Present Companions:

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.
Sleep Hex?

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-03-14 15:18:30 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 138 in color

2024-03-14 15:17:53 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 137 colorless

Chapter 137 Collateral.

When a life comes to an end;
it leaves an echo in the souls of all who knew it
When a new life is born;
it generates an echo in all the souls connected to it.
Life is full of such echoes. Echoes left by every life.
These echoes are what make life so precious.

Brigit, the keeper of life.

I have a few quiet minutes to eat in peace, and I wolf down the food without stopping for a breath. I’m starving. I do my very best not to think back about the time in my life when I used to starve for days, but hunger does bring it out of me.

“Healthy appetite, eh lass? I wonder where all that meat goes to.” A burly middle aged man takes the seat on the other side of my table. He wears a dirty apron, and a gray bushy beard hides half of his face.

“I haven’t eaten in a while.” I answer between bites. Why can’t people leave me alone? What is it with people just approaching random strangers to talk to? At least he'll be a good distraction from depressing thoughts...

“How long is a while?” His short sleeves expose his thick hairy wrists, and his large palms clamp around a foaming mug.

“A couple of days.” More like a few weeks, but I didn’t feel hungry before, and now I’m starving! Mmmm! So good!

“That’ll do it to ya, aye. Slow down lass, eat more, but slowly, or you’ll have the mother of all tummy aches tomorrow mornin’ ”

He’s right, I should slow down. Eating too much at once will probably be bad. I stop eating and look into the gleaming brown eyes, hidden under bushy gray eyebrows. “You’re right.”

“Ha! A youngster who listens to the wisdom of the old ones, you’re a rare sight, lass. Where are you from?” He leans forward with interest.

“Not from here, obviously,” I reply with a grin. “You’re a local?”

“Aye! Settled down twenty years ago after Tolste Bay.”

“Tolste Bay?” I sip from the alcohol, ignore the taste, and enjoy the warm feeling down my throat.

“You haven’t heard of it, eh? You're not a released slave then. Are you from the Radiant Kingdom in the south? Sajarev?”

I use a napkin to wipe the foam off my mouth and ignore his question. “Tell me about Tolste Bay.” Salik went there to buy me a slave army, didn’t he?

He grins under his beard, and I can see the spark of curiosity in his brown eyes. “An honest answer for an honest answer, eh lass? It is but a fair trade.”

“Very well, I’m not from the divine kingdom. Your turn.”

He nods with a chuckle. “Aye. I guess that is fair. Tolste’s Bay is up north. Them mages-sorcerers-witches-whatever. Snake suckers. Yeah, snake suckers. They bring ships with slaves, sell 'em ‘round to them kings and queens down here, till one of them snake suckers decides it’s time to release us as citizens for their towns or whatnot. Some released slaves travel south to the Radiant Kingdom. Others like me stick around and make a life. Life’s not always stable, but you gotta do what you can to survive, eh?”

This makes a perfect sense... The towers bring slaves here to keep the population from declining… It's probably meant as food for apprentices in training too…

“My turn, lass, where are you from?”

I take a long gulp before responding. “The soundless islands. The kingdom of Mansel’a” I doubt anyone knows where I grew up, it’s harmless to share this little detail…

“And where is that?”

“I honestly don’t know, one of those—Snake suckers you called them, teleported me away.” After the slavers sold me to them… I also got home by that magic door… I wonder how I could get there naturally and how far it is… Learning some teleportation magic will be beyond useful.

“Teleported, eh? I see…” The wrinkles on his face crease softly. “You lookin' for a way back home?”

“My turn and I get two questions!” I declare. He did ask two questions. Four. But I answered two.

He slams a beefy feast on the wooden table, shaking the mugs and the half empty plates. “Ha! Two questions it is, lass, ask away!”

“What do you do for a living?” I raise an eyebrow.

“I’m a smith. If you need something forged, from weapons and armor to tools and wheels, I’m your man.” He hits his chest with his hairy fist twice. “I even know how to work iron and how to make a little bit of steel. Not many smiths can boast that. The PeaceKeepers Knights order their gear from me. Lord Sir Kolag praised my work personally!”

Lord Sir Kolag?! I take another small bite from the meat. I'm stuffed, I just need to chew something to stop myself from giggling madly. The Lord Sir Kolag... This is dumb... A little dog revering the bigger dog that licks my feet... Worship me! Stop this! I blink to focus and touch the pouch with the bronze arrowheads on my hip. Kolag brings me these arrowheads… I guess this man made them? I wonder if he can work leather too, can he fix my grimoire to the back of my serpentscale armor? It's about time I got that done. Especially now with assassins after me. “What about family?” I ask aloud.

“Most are dead or far away, traveling and adventuring, probably dead too. My wife died a few months ago, during the war with venom sucker Phoebe may Tukado feed her to his forge. I have a son and two daughters. My son is your age, if you’re looking to settle down.”

“I’ll pass, thank you, but my heart already belongs to another.” To your Lord Sir Kolag… “To answer your previous question, I’m looking for my way home, yes.” That’s not a lie. “Do I get another question?”

He nods with an amused grin under his bushy beard.

I need to drink more before I ask this... I finish everything that's in my mug before wording my next question. “What do you think of the current queen in here?”

“A shitty snake sucker like the rest of ‘em. She almost sold us to a bunch of orc savages not too long ago. At least she hasn’t killed anyone innocent directly yet, that’s good, aye? The best thing about her is the Lord Sir Kolag. He’s a good lad, cares about folks like you and me, not something you see every day from people in power. When the snake sucking queen was about to sell us he stood up to that rotten witch like a proper knight and told her no. Aye, some big pair of peas he has..." The blacksmith chugs down his alcohol in a long gulp.

You know... I'm wondering about his peas' size too... A negative opinion with some positive outline. Considering he hates mages, I’ll take it… Looks like progress… He's still my dog and he shall move at my whims, his opinion matters not. At least he’s sane enough to not follow mages blindly like the cult of Jalier… This is refreshing.

“Your turn,” I say when he rests the mug on the table.

"Aye. Where are you headed?"

A passing barmaid refills both our mugs.

"Nowhere. I'm going to stay in this city for a while and try my luck until I get enough resources." Enough pawns-souls under my command... I drink more of the burning alcohol, there's a pleasant buzz in my head, a buzz that makes all of my problems go away. "My turn. The three tenants of Jalier... What happens if a sorcerer commands a Jalier worshiper to kill another sorcerer?"

"HA! I see you're not a fan of them snake suckers either, eh? Good on you, lass. Good on you. May I ask what your name is?”

I miss hearing my own name, I might as well use it.

No. What if the hag’s spell on my name kills him?! No more snaking alcohol, it's clearly affecting my judgment!

“Lezere, my name is Lezere.” I hate lying... Lying is wrong! Lying is bad!

“Lezere, eh?” He narrows his eyes at me with curiosity, he obviously notices something is amiss.

“It’s an alias,” I provide an explanation. “One of the—Snake suckers did something and people can’t hear my name now. She got offended we have a matching name…” I improvise a story on the spot. I hate lying, it feels so awfully wrong! Why do I need to give an excuse… Why does it matter what he thinks? I don’t want to lie! Yes. But why? What's wrong with lying? Why does it bother me so much? Sharla did say that high elves can't lie, but why can't I break this wrongness feeling when lying is justified?

The wrinkles on his face crease again. “I’m sorry, lass…”

I shrug. “That’s ok, I’m alive and well, that’s more than most people have.”

“Aye! Wise words, lass, wise words… To our health!” He raises his mug high and chugs down the content, while I chew on a piece of unchewable meat.

"To our health," I repeat, raising my mug, but I do not drink, not anymore. Enough. I should get a room and prepare for the night...

The red headed woman on the table finishes her song about Kolag and I. She flips her long hair with her hand, leans forward seductively, and traces her fingers on her lips. The next song is fast paced, and it makes me wince and shift uncomfortably in my seat.

Queen I am, I’m yours.
Not just one of your scores.
Unlike the other whores.
I do not wipe those floors.

All I want is your snake.
All I wish for is your stake.
I’m wet for your sake.
And my hand you will take!

Touch me, smack me, I don’t care!
Kiss me, snake me, will you dare?
Tug! Rip off! All I wear!
Won’t you love that, my dear sir?

She finishes with another lewd pose. She pushes her thigh forward through the slit of her dress, and lifts her breasts with her string instrument against her ribs. The loud male crowd whistles and claps for a little while. When the cheers die out, Gar, the bouncer near her stands up. “Who’ll be snaking the Queen tonight? Bidding starts at one silver scale!”

I almost choke on the meat in my throat. Snaking the queen tonight? They’re making a fetish out of me! What the snake?!

“A silver and two coppers!”

They’re seriously bidding on who…

“Two silvers!” the blacksmith near my table shouts, waving his hand wildly in the air.

They are… She’s a prostitute… Of course, they are…

“Two silvers, and two coppers!”

A whore who uses my image, and who knows what she does with men! Disgusting! Unforgivable! She dies now for desecrating my image!

“Bid like a man, you milk jar!” the blacksmith roars, standing up near my table. "Three silvers!"

Ugh! Stop it! Why does it bother me so much?

“Snake you, Morrim!” the other man shouts and bids. “Three silvers, two coppers!”

Probably because of how good she looks… If anything, I should be flattered…

“You’ll be with your harpy wife tonight, Shim! Haahahaha! Four silvers!” Morrim keeps raising the stakes with hearty laughter, and the red headed woman on the table sends a green eyed wink in his direction.

Flattered of what? That a prostitute is using my name and private life to sell herself? To sell sex? That she drags my image through muck and sheets?! It's not like I haven't been dragged through "muck and sheets" myself only a few years ago. No. Flattered by the fact that these people admire me enough to sing songs about me, it’s not something I should take for granted.

“Six silver scales!” A third man joins the bidding war. He’s overweight and dressed in a yellow decorated outfit that looks more like a veil than a robe. I recognize him, Gemhand's son, the one he sent as an ambassador when I first took over the city.

Wait. Gemhand? I'm surprised he's still here. Do I need to get rid of Gemhand's son too? I thought the whole family left my city already. Where was he hiding? He was too dumb when he came to see me, and I doubt he's a serious threat. Regardless, I'll have Sharla keep an eye on him if she wasn't doing so already...

“Six and two coppers. You have a jug for a belly, why would you need a woman’s jugs, you Gemhand bastard!” The smith roars at the new bidder.

I smile despite myself. A jug for a belly?! Ok. Maybe flattered by the songs, but not the prostitution…

“Ten silver scales!” The blacksmith turns quiet when Gemhand’s son walks toward the table with the redheaded woman as if the outcome is decided. He hands the coins to the bouncer who moves aside to count them.

Prostitution and songs, the two come together. Legends leave their mark. So I’m a legend now? Please!

“Ohhhh! My paladin!” the woman moans, she hugs the fat man's neck and wraps herself around him with her head leaned back. The crowd boos and returns to their merrymaking as the two head upstairs.

Really? This is way too awkward!

“Bah! Venomous snake in a jar!” The blacksmith swears and waves for the middle-aged innkeeper to get closer.

“More veal, lassy? Ale?” The woman asks me while refilling the blacksmith’s mug.

“No thanks.” Maybe some more ale, I... No! No more alcohol, I'm tipsy enough as it is! I have to stay alert. There are assassins after me!

“Are you sure? You could use some more meat on those bones!”

She’s joking, right? I raise an eyebrow at her, I ate enough food for two adult men in the past hour.

“Aye, Sheeva is right, lass, you could use some more meat on those bones!” The blacksmith roars in laughter.

The innkeeper chuckles and leaves to check on another table.

“I’m sure you can find another prostitute,” I tell the blacksmith.

“Not like Yazmin, the lass knows her craft.”

“Craft?” I ask sarcastically.

The man nods and looks me in the eye seriously. “Aye, craft.”

“All she has to do is flip her hair, wave her body around, and claim she’s the queen.”

“Bah! You have a lot to learn, lass. Pleasing a partner or performing on a stage requires experience, eh? It's an art. Smithing is an art too. Every occupation has some art in it, some are better than the others with their craft.”

Fine… He’s not wrong… I shrug. Why does it bother me so much? Because she makes me look like a child... I hate how short I am... And her jugs... Snake that! Sharla did say I look really good. So what if she looks good too? She’ll never have the power I wield! Soon, she’ll grow old, her hair will gray out, her chest will sag, and I’ll still be around, looking young and capable of things beyond her wildest imagination…

If I even survive that long… I already have assassins after me and I'm not close to an ounce of power the Hag has...

I fold my hands. “Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to have sex with a prostitute who pretends to be the Queen?”

The look he gives makes me shift uncomfortably. “You haven’t been with a man in yer life, eh lass? Nothing inappropriate about it. Yazmin dyed her hair blond back when that witch Drussilla ruled here as a queen, not that I was seeing her back then… Ahem… But I talked to others who…”

A shrill scream sounds from the stairs, the red headed prostitute runs down with a dagger’s hilt sticking out of her shoulder. She glances back like a doe looking for her predator, then screams again when a black hooded figure jumps over the railing and pins her to the ground. The lithe figure slits her throat, and a torrent of blood washes the wooden floor as she gurgles and thrashes around.

The crowd watches in a stunned stillness.

*~*~*

Interlude 137.1

Zoe.

“...I was either stupid or smart enough to say no, and she attempted to kill me a few more times until she just gave up.” Salik chuckles, shaking his head. “She came up to me and told me I earned her respect and she will hunt me no more. Then tried to kill me again one last time by arranging a small skirmish and a raid on the village I stayed in. I rallied the villagers up and managed to hold off the attack… We never spoke again, and she never tried again. I think she enjoyed it, all that bloodshed... Now that you know, Tulips, you have a choice to make."

Zoe is still unconvinced. "This was what? Fifty years ago? Sixty?"

"Something like that."

"And you haven't heard from the Maiden of War since?"

Salik shakes his head. "Doesn't mean she won't take action if I marry someone."

"I'll take my chances," Zoe decides. "All I hear is excuses, Salik. If you don't wish to marry me, just say so."

"You had to know what you're getting into with me. But if that doesn't keep you away, who am I to say no? How do you want to do it? I have some funds for a rainy day, and I could get us a bit of a party going. Who do you want to oversee our wedding? Inara?"

"No. My master is not the person I'd go to for weddings. She wouldn't even have a proper crowning ceremony. I don't want a big party. How about we have a small ceremony here at the Temple of Koshavi? No guests. No one who knows us. Just you and me in the temple and a romantic evening afterward?"

"Sounds good, Tulips."

*~*~*

Interlude 137.2

Shar-La-Fyn-Wyn-Yeslun <White-Near-River-Dew-Thorn> / <Sharlafyn Nettledew.>

“They will be here soon.” Jerro declares. “They target the inn as well. Hunter, Rogue, come with me. Sharlafyn…”

The Nilh’-Dulaim-Jerro <Odd-Human> looks at her. Sharla has no idea why he has such a lost look in his eyes. She can smell his sweat. Notice the change in his heartbeat when he looks at her.

Inara says the man loves her, but what is love? Dulaim-on <humans> feed on that, she’s no Dulaim <human>, she has no need for love nor that man. He’s useful at keeping her alive at the moment, but Dulaim-On-In <humans’> love is fickle, and his heart will move on in a year or two just like the source of her Irh’a-Lun <emotion-food> moves from a mortal to mortal.

“I cannot attack and kill yet, but I can shift into a weak magical beast. I can scare them off,” Sharla replies.

“No.” The man objects in a cold tone. “I can see you capturing one alive, some liquid form? I do not know what this monster is called. It has the form of a liquid that is not a liquid,” he hesitates. “Hunter, Rogue, let us go. The Queen and the Knight will need our help.”

“I think they can manage.” The Suna-Yak-Nash-Berthold <Little-Earth-Gem> objects. “I wouldn’t want to get in Inara's way. Last time, I got a spear in my stomach… This time it’ll be in my face. I think I'll pass. I'll stay here and help Sharla.” The Suna-Yak-Nash-Berthold <Little-Earth-Gem> plays with his bow, giving Sharla the same odd lost look that Jerro gave her a few moments ago. Dulaim-on <Humans> and their love irh'a <emotion>. Sharla's not a Nymph and she's not in the mood for that right now. She enjoys lust, not love. She tires of the archer, she wishes he'd just left her be. It was below average breeding sessions with an inexperienced young mortal, she did not enjoy the time with him too much, but she did it on the order of her Queen. Now that her Queen has achieved her goals with the young man, there's no more need to pretend she feels any of that love thing. He was fun to feed on, his pity was one of the tastiest thing she ever had, yet his pity toward herself drowned any pity he might've felt toward her. That soured the taste. Sometimes Sharla wishes she could feed on wonder and awe.

“They will need your arrows.” Jerro's voice lacks any irh’a <emotion>. “Sharlafyn does not need your help, Hunter. The Queen does. I saved your life when the house was about to collapse on you a hundred and twenty six days ago. You owe me for that. Now come with me to save the Queen.”

It’s odd. Dulaimon <Humans> normally have Irh’a <emotion> in their voice, they’re easy to read and easy to feed upon. This one isn’t. He’s a cleric or a god’s chosen. He should know that the Sylvan-In-Thuan-On <Forest’s Fae> are at odds with the gods. There’s no way a god other than Mayan would approve of a breeding union between his chosen and a Thuan <Fae>, why does this Dulaim <human> insist on such things?

A puzzle to be solved on another day. Today she has another puzzle.

A liquid that’s not a liquid, what could it possibly be?

“Ya can make your jugs bigger, ye?” The Cacu-Dulru-Ryon <Half-Drow> eyes her with a smirk. Shar-La-Fyn-Wyn-Yeslun <White-Near-River-Dew-Thorn> wears the form of Inara, and this Cacu-Dulru <Half-Drow> wants to see this form with bigger breasts.

Now this is a normal Dul <mortal> desire that she likes. Lust. Sharla can enjoy that. Sharla smirks and obliges the Cacu-Dulru <Half-Drow> Her form shifts and her breasts grow larger. She enjoys the man’s eyes on her chest. Lust is always fun from a Dul-On <mortals>, even if it's not as fulfilling as pity, but it’s fun nonetheless. She removes some of the clothes from her form and takes a pose. Her breasts jiggle, much to the man’s enjoyment.

“Rogue. We need to go.” Jerro takes her Irh’a-Sun <Emotion-Fun> away.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 37 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
3 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
4g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 31/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-03-07 14:48:48 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 137 in color

2024-03-07 14:47:59 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 136 colorless

Chapter 136 A Normal Day at Red Cedar City.

Only a being that has been through pain,
can empathize with the pain of others.
And only one such being can relieve the pain of others.
And through relieving the pain of others,
will they relieve their own pain.

Amaret, The Great Sinner.

I gather my things and turn to leave my chambers after Jerro. I channel a few extending patterns into the ‘Invisibility’ spell to keep it going.

Walking the blue carpeted halls without being greeted by the roaming maids and menservants is an odd experience. I'm too used to how they all make way, and I find myself enjoying the need to dodge a rushing maid with a tray.

I see quite a lot of things I normally wouldn’t while I am invisible. A maid verbally bullying another to tears, another spitting inside a dish on her way to Talbot’s quarters. I can't help but tug the bullying maid's hair while invisible, and spill the dish on the spitting maid's dress. The terrified reactions are quite amusing.

But also a maid hugging a crying child and comforting him, and another bringing treats for her working friends from the kitchen. I push each of them and insert a golden coin into their hands. The second one panics at that and starts looking for ghosts, making me regret my attempt to reward her good deeds.

While the small chaos I caused is entertaining, I do have to get out of my palace.

The palace is a living breathing place containing more people than I thought it would. It’s way bigger than my father’s mansion too. It's at least three times its size without the outer castle walls we had back in Nurio. I wonder how many rooms there is in here, has anyone ever counted? And everyone here needs to eat, stay clean, and deal with their social life along with all the small necessities life presents us with. It’s an odd way to realize that. Seems like they keep showing me everything in tip top shape when I'm present… Do I need to do something about the bullying? I’ll take care of it and talk to Tasiya when I’m back.

I leave the palace and make my way to the first small alleyway I can find. I make sure no one is present before I drop my invisibility spell and observe my plain clothes. I adjust the stuffing in my shoulders and begin my stroll around the city.

My heart thumps rapidly, and I look around more than once. I worry about potential assassins despite Jerro's words. My boots sink into the mud with every step, and the earthy smell in the air speaks of a recent rain. Crows perch on the brown slated rooftops, one lands near a puddle of water to drink. A street vendor sells a meat pie to a woman with a group of children on my right. On the left, another peddler declares that these are the last minutes to buy anything from his buttons and needles since he’s closing for today.

He’s not the only one to close at this late afternoon hour, the market stalls shut down one by one. Merchants collect their goods back into their containers, and a few customers make their last purchases. I see various workshops closing their doors and windows. The crowd flows toward the northern part of the city. I wonder where they're going...

Unable to resist my curiosity, I follow the small crowd that forms around me. Jerro did say to stroll around the city first and it looks like they're all headed toward the opposite side of the city anyway. I just hope no one is going to jump me... If that Shaf can locate me anyway... That's a lot of trust I'm putting in Jerro. He earned that, and he hadn't been wrong before. Except with Agila and Kolag... But that was a divine intervention... And a Shaf of Tiyadi isn't divine intervention?

It soon becomes clear where the crowd is headed. They all enter a large temple to Jalier, Demigod of Magic. Speaking of divine intervention...

I watch the circular white building with awe. It's almost as large as my palace, and the blueish green dome on top gives it a taller majestic feeling. I step into the temple with the rest of people, carried on my the crowd's flow.

The round temple walls are bare white marble. A teal dome overhead makes the place a bigger feeling than it probably is. The painted murals on the floor are unclear due to the insane amount of people present. I do make out a partial image of a short stocky man with a white beard performing some unclear feat of magic that is hidden behind too many feet. Rows of round wooden benches circle the center of the temple, causing the round dome-like space to feel crowded.

A painted marble statue placed on an elevated position in the middle of the temple depicts an elderly short man with a bushy white beard. His shoulders and body are too wide for his height, he’s stocky, not fat. A wizardly brim hat in blue on his head. A small colorful hummingbird perches on his left fingertip, and he holds a tall black staff in his right hand, a staff that is twice as tall as he is.

When I enter, people all stand near their seats in a silent prayer. I stand near an empty seat and pretend to take part, even if I have no intention of worshiping this mad god.

When the prayers are over, I sit when everyone else do. I'm just another face in this massive crowd, no better place to hide. I wonder if staying at a temple of another god shields me from divine eyes and the ability to see the feature the clerics of Tiyadi have...

“Good folk of Red Cedar, heed the word of the almighty Jalier!” A gray bearded man in deep blue and green robes takes the stand right below the statue. People finish their prayers and sit down. It’s hard to count how many people are under this large dome, if I had to guess it’d be over a thousand.

The man on the podium continues. “Sorcery is a gift from the gods, the true power of creation. Sorcery creates worlds and destroys them. Sorcery is the words of the gods, the weak and the mighty. Sorcery is the essence of the world itself, the essence of all living things. May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next.”

“May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next,” the crowd chants, repeating his words.

What a bunch of bullshit… As much as I like spells and power, there's more to life than magic. I can’t ever understand this religious babble…

“Every sorcerer may ascend to godhood one day. The almighty Jalier was once mortal like you and me. The world is not equal. The gift of sorcery isn’t given to every person, you are either born with it, or you are not. But the almighty Jalier promises you this: Follow his three tenets, and in your next life you shall be born with the talent for sorcery, with the potential to ascend to godhood! May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next.”

“May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next,” the crowd chants, repeating his words.

Empty promise. There’s no way to make sure he follows through on this. People don’t remember their past lives if people are even reborn at all… Was Jalier truly a mortal once? Is it possible for a mortal to become a god? Or is this a lie too? How would anyone even become a god?

“Never harm a sorcerer. There’s no greater sin,” the bearded man on the podium chants.

“Never harm a sorcerer. There’s no greater sin,” the crowd repeats.

Oh really? Even if the sorcerer is trying to kill you? Should you just lay down and die?

The priest sways in place, eyes stuck to the book on his podium, his long gray beard fluttering on an unseen wind. “Obey a sorcerer’s every demand or request, for they are gods in the making.”

“Obey a sorcerer’s every demand or request. For they are gods in the making,” the crowd repeats.

And what if a sorcerer commands you to harm another sorcerer? I remember Luard doing exactly that!

“Study magic and the secrets of creation. For they are your path to ascendance.” His deep green and blue robes swirl as if an invisible breeze lifts them.

“Study magic and the secrets of creation. For they are your path to ascendance,” the crowd chants and the murals on the ground flicker with starry lights. Some children look at the lights with awe, but most of the crowd is already used to it.

At least one thing here is harmless... More knowledge can help these poor people see how dumb the first two tenants are.

The priest raises his hand and illusionary stars appear in the space of the large cathedral. “Do this, and the almighty Jalier promises, you shall be born again with sorcery in your veins! May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next.”

This is ridiculous, I've heard enough, these people are beyond insane. There's no way to verify how anyone is reborn in their next life, if anyone is reborn at all. I think I prefer Aisha, she spat on me for selling them to the orcs… I have to find a way to make her actually participate in the meetings and talk to me about what people need... She's been avoiding me. Anyway, this is a waste of time, I think I’ve strolled enough…

I turn to leave the temple and find my way to the Queen Rest’s Tavern.

The Queen’s Rest Tavern is a large place. It serves as a small Temple to Koshavi, Goddess of Love. But her wooden statue looks rather old, and the paint is fading. It's clearly been moved in here to allow the Zephyrs of Dreams to seduce men in here rather than a real worship toward the Goddess.

Fire crackles at the edge of the room, and I notice that the barmaids use the fireplace to warm up food. The brown stone walls are decorated by high shelves, holding metallic cases of green creepers with red flowers that climb the brown walls.

Barmaids wearing gray and brown bodices and skirts, carry wooden trays with food or drinks. The girls make their way through the loud mostly male crowd. Some openly flirt with the men, and when coins exchange hands, they drop themselves into a man’s arms with squeals and giggles. The pair usually end up going upstairs.

The smell of food makes my stomach growl. I still haven’t eaten a single bite since the long meditation and the attempt on my life.

Other than food I smell sweat, alcohol, and smoke. The sounds are composed of laughter, dice games, chatter, and music.

A beautiful red headed woman stands on an empty table. The green dress she wears shows too much of her shoulders and ample chest. The right slit nearly shows her hip. She holds a string instrument in her hands and sings a song to the music she provides.

Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!

With magic and iron together we stand!
Defending our land hand in hand
No matter the challenge, no matter the end.
We shall never bend!

Oh my paladin…

I take a seat in a corner, rolling my eyes. That's one weird song... Got to stop rolling my eyes, Sharla said it was identifiable. I'm starving! I haven't eaten in days and I've just spent a few hours roaming the streets and not eating... Food! Food! What's taking you so long barmaids? Not serving me because I don't have a dumb snake to pay you with?! Just as I get annoyed, a plump middle aged woman in a gray bodice stops near my table. “Anything I can get you, lassie?” she asks, tucking her brown curly hair away from her face.

“Three servings of whatever you have for dinner. Who do I talk to about renting a room for a week?”

“That’d be me, lassie, I’m the owner. That’ll be three silver scales including three meals during your stay, or a silver scale and fifteen copper bits if you just want a place to sleep without food. It doesn’t include drinks if you partake, nor access to the wenches if that’s yer wind, lassie.”

Snakes... I haven't been carrying silvers and coppers for a while now... In hindsight, that was really dumb not to take some, I wish Jerro told me to take some silvers... Oh well, I couldn't think of everything. I hand her a gold coin between my index and middle finger. “I prefer men, and I rarely drink. I am famished though, and I won’t say no to a drink right now, it’s been a while.”

The chubby woman bites the coin and gives me a sheepish smile. She fumbles in her pouch, counts, and places twenty seven silver coins as a change on the table. She then heads toward the door at the back when I collect the small pile to my pouch. “I’ll be back with yer food and key, lassie.”

I'm so hungry... I sigh and wince, listening to the horrible music.

Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!

I’m the queen! You are a knight.
You are to serve me day and night.
All my enemies you shall smite!
When we’re alone, hold me tight.

Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!

I’m evil, you’re surely good!
In defiance before me you stood!
I’m powerful, as you can tell.
And you carry a demon from hell.

Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!

Wait... Is this about me and Kolag?! My face flushes with heat I wasn’t aware people write songs about us now. It’s flattering… Since we’re important and popular enough to write about… But why does she make me evil? I grimace without any control of the flushing heat all over my upper body. I really shouldn’t have kissed him in front of all these people…

A moment later, a small group of rough looking men crowds my table. “Got more o’ that gold, milady?” one of them asks as he sits near me on the bench. A few teeth are missing in his smile, and his greasy black hair falls on his face. At least he shaved his ugly chin...

“Not for you,” I reply nonchalantly.

“Ah, what a shame, are you alone? Maybe one of us can provide you with company and protection, eh?” the other says. His bald head reflects the light from the nearby torch.

“No thanks,” I answer without tensing up. They don’t see me as a threat, they wouldn’t try to kill me. Worst case scenario they would attempt to rob me or force themselves on me, and they’d try to take me to a less crowded place in order to do it. I can kill them all with a couple of words. Nothing to be worried about. I’m more worried about Jerro’s warning of leaving the inn and exposing my identity. He repeated that like three times. Must be important.

“You should find someone who's interested, lads. Plenty of wenches in me tavern.” The plump innkeeper puts my food on the table, and gestures at one of the barmaids who wears a more revealing outfit. The barmaid is clearly eyeing the group, and the men are too oblivious or busy with their attempted shakedown to notice her. “You don’t wanna deal with Gar.” The owner slaps the back of Baldie's head.

I follow the worried men’s eyes to a large muscular man who stands near the red headed singer.

I catch the wrist of the man near me as he attempts to reach for the pouches on my waist. “Try that again, and I’ll kill you,” I state coldly, looking into his eyes. Looks like these three managed to escape Kolag's peacekeepers and city guards somehow... I wish we weren't so understaffed after the damned wars and the orcs.

Ugly Chin's brown eyes open wide, he then bursts into loud laughter, followed by his friends who decide that this is a good joke. “Oy look at that, Ozi.”

“What are you going to do, girlie?! Scream us to death?” Baldie asks.

A large metallic mace falls on the table, my plates shake as it nearly breaks the wood. “A problem?” The muscular man in the sleeveless gambeson stands near our table now. The plump woman at the other side of the tavern sends me a friendly wink.

“No problem, Sir Gar, we were just leaving,” says the third, tugging lightly at his shaggy brown beard. He seems uncomfortable to be associated with his friends. They get up and leave the inn in a hurry, Ugly Chin stumbles and almost falls on the way out.

“Thanks!” I smile at Gar and the plump woman, and dig into my food.

*~*~*

Interlude 136.1

Jerro

Jerro sits on a pillow in his room. He’s in a deep trance. Using the Queen’s stroll, he had created multiple possible locations for the Queen. All of them are realistic positions she could be by this time. Mainly based on her disdain for the unimportant people of this city and their beliefs, mixed with her mild curiosity about their way of life. However, these locations are false.

She’s nowhere and everywhere. The Shaf will not be able to spot her, and the assassins will now assume that the Queen is in the palace as per usual. They will wait a few days for the guards to calm down, and then attack again. But by the time they’ll attack again, it’ll already be true autumn, and Sharlafyn will be ready for them.

Or not.

Timeflow shifts widely. Currents change. The most likely future is swept by the raging streams of silver. There are two strange sources of flowing silver now instead of the single one that was there originally.

A new Shaf. A pair of Time Focused Battle Clerics. Someone Sent not one but two servants of his Lord. Whoever is behind them must've been overly prepared for things to go wrong.

Or.

They may know about Jerro's presence in this Timeflow.

Jerro fades away to time.

Time is most precious.

Time is utterly worthless.

Jerro no longer shelters the Queen, allowing the pair of Shafs to pinpoint her location.

Jerro shifts on his pillow and focuses on the inn. He finds the closest person who resembles the Queen in appearance. From within worthless time, he makes her shine into precious time.

Time is most worthless.

Time is utterly precious.

Time won't stop flowing. Timeflow shifts yet again.

Jerro's head aches. His plans changed. Everything changed. Time to gather his forces and march.

*~*~*

Interlude 136.2

Zoe

"Are you sure, k...?" Salik asks for the fifth time, swallowing the word "kid." She already taught him not to say that to her. He can say that to Master Inara if he likes, she does look like a kid.

Zoe is Sure. She wants to wed to this man.

It's the only way Zoe can be happy. Her family is gone, she has no one, no one that is capable of responding anyway. She can take care of her nephew, but her nephew isn't... hers. No. The only solution is to start a family of her own. She needs someone she can rely on, and Salik may pretend he's unreliable, but he's the most reliable person in the world. "Would you stop asking me that? And stop seeing me as a kid, I'm a grown woman, and I make my own choices. If you aren't sure you can just go now."

Salik sighs, resting his head on the curved wooden table, his straw hat hiding his features. Zoe barely hears his voice, mumbling into his arms. "I'm not someone you'd want to marry, Zoe. Nor would you want to have my children. I have some snowy baggage, a lot of unpleasant history you might not want to be a part of."

Zoe crosses her hands with a grin. "Like the wife I resemble?"

Salik jolts up. "How..."

"You talk in your sleep, dear. I don't care." Zoe smiles smugly, she does enjoy catching him off guard.

The man she loves averts his eyes, tugging down the ugly hat to hide his handsome face again. "I... Zoe. It's not a laughing matter. There's a goddess who wishes me ill, you're risking your life by marrying me."

Zoe is not convinced. "Which goddess?"

"Don't say her name. The Maiden of War."

"Why is she mad at you?"

Salik's voice is barely heard above the crackling fire from the fireplace in their room. "She's not mad. She's just a spiteful bitch. It's a long story... An unpleasant one. It's not something I think I'll ever talk about again."

Zoe is still not convinced. Sounds like excuses. "Tell me."

"Your curiosity isn't a good reason, Tulips, I'm sorry."

"I want to marry you. I deserve to know."

Salik looks up and mumbles. "There was only one person who needed to know that story, and I'm not sure it even helped him."

"Again? Who did you tell it to?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes. It matters. It's clearly someone I know or you wouldn't mentioned that you talked about it already."

"It's not someone..." Salik doesn't finish, Zoe knows he cannot lie to her. "Fine." He sighs. "Kolag. The kid needed to hear that. I can only hope he'll make the right choice when the time comes."

"So you'd tell Kolag, but not me?" How dare he?!

"He needed to... Fine... If you're sure about marrying me, I'll tell you, just so you'll know what you're getting into."

Finally! We're getting somewhere.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Carried Wealth: 37 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
4g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 31/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-02-29 13:03:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 136 in color

2024-02-29 13:03:24 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 135 colorless

Chapter 135 Shapeshifters and Disguise.

Ohhh deceit!
The mother of all risks!
The one behind every windfall
Use her wisely.
But not too much. Or she’ll take away all of your money.

Kilako, the Golden Prince of Gains.

“How do you feel about cutting and dying your hair, Mistress?” We’re in my chambers in front of my mirror. The murals on the wall feature the beautiful city below, completed by the window where paint mixes with reality.

Jerro stands by the window, eyes glued to the city below. He leans on his wooden cane. His gray stained tonic is never clean, no matter how many times I asked the maids to clean it. I even catch a whiff of tomatoes. It’s just the gross way the man eats.

Sharla wears my face and body with a grin, copied to the last minor detail. It’s like looking in the mirror behind me, without the opposite reflection the mirror gives. I raise my hand and expect her to raise the opposite hand like a mirror for a split second, yet, she doesn't move to match me. Seeing myself like this without any control over my body just feels alien.

No. It's not me. It's her, faking her appearance to look like me.

I remind myself again, yet, I can't help but look. Her long auburn hair falls on her back shoulders and chest in waves. Her gray upturned eyes narrow slightly with her smile. And her closed up red dress fits her slender body like a glove, hugging her lower curves. Her scarlet garment contrasts the azure blue I'm wearing.

Somehow, she makes me feel more beautiful than I really am. I have no idea how she does it because she's an exact copy, not a single line in my face or body is different. Yet, I don't feel so beautiful when I look in a mirror. I'm by no means ugly, but not overtly beautiful either. It's an odd sensation. I wish I could look perfect like that. Maybe a bigger chest too, but not too big. Just enough for an actual visible curve...

I shudder. How easy it is for her to take my place? She did wear my form and order the maids around for her amusement before… “I can’t say I like the idea. I’d rather just hide down in the wine cellar with a good book, my grimoire, and meditation until you guys catch the assassin.”

“That’s impossible,” Jerro says. "The Shaf of my Lord has a drawing of your image. We have to change your image and hide you like a tree in a forest. A crowded place such as the palace. But the cellars are not crowded.”

Sharla raises her curved eyebrow, my eyebrow. Is this how I look when I do that? Awfully judgmental. “And what if someone sees you going down there and tells the assassins? Trust me, maids talk way more than they should. We’re going to have to change the way you look.”

I fold my hands. “How much can you change my appearance? Just cutting my hair and dying it won’t hide me.”

“Oh, leave that to me,” Sharla responds.

Her body and face slowly shift, tiny ripples visible under her skin. Her long auburn hair gets sucked into her scalp, now at shoulder length. Its color turns black. Her face goes through a series of slight changes. My high cheekbones disappear, or at least not as prominent. The eyes don't appear as upturned anymore. My brows turn darker and thicker, much thicker. The chin and jaw widen slightly, while her pale skin acquire a tan.

I can barely recognize my own face, but the body changes too. Her chest grows by a few centimeters, her shoulders widen slightly, and she grows a tad bit taller.

“What do you think?” she asks with a face similar to my own, yet different.

“Can you really do all of that without magic?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

“Why of course! I wouldn’t suggest that if I couldn’t.” She chuckles and pushes me to sit in the chair.

“Wait. How exactly are you going to make me taller?” I ask. “It’s not like no one will see high heels…”

She rolls her eyes in the same way I normally roll my eyes when someone asks something stupid. I have a feeling she’s already copying my habits. She picks a pair of seemingly flat boots from her bag and shows me the hidden heel on the inside. “I’m going to add some stuffing to your shoulders and padding to your jugs. It’s not that complex. The makeup on your face is harder because you have to make sure not to cry or sweat for a day after I apply it.”

“I see… Sharla. Why would you learn all of this if you can simply shapeshift however you want?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

She grins, her face and form shift back into my own. Do I really grin like that? “Sometimes you need to wear a mask on your mask. Sometimes you want people to notice your appearance is fake. Sometimes it's just fun to let people think they've exposed the real me behind the makeup. Wouldn't you agree?"

"No. Not really? Why do you even enjoy something like that?"

She rolls her eyes again. “By the monarchs, I have to remember how curious you are. You love your questions, don’t you?”

I shrug. “I’m just asking what I’m curious about.”

She shrugs, copying my gesture. Her shoulder moves in a way I'd think is actually attractive. Is it really attractive though? “So just let myself ask when I’m curious. Thanks.”

I heave a sigh. “You know you don’t need to achieve perfection while copying me, right? It’s a little disturbing.”

She heaves a similar sigh. “Oh yeah I can imagine, but I’m nothing if not a perfectionist. Let’s get started, shall we?” She turns my chair to face my silver mirror. I watch with a slight horror as clumps of my hair fall all over my shoulders and chest. Sharla’s gray eyes—my own eyes in her face—are focused on her work, and she keeps tucking her auburn hair behind her ear in the same way I tend to do.

“If you shapeshifted into me during autumn, would you be able to use my magic?” I ask.

“It doesn’t work that way. I can use natural abilities, like a Drake’s firebreath for instance. But I can’t exactly cast spells you’ve learned. I don’t shapeshift into you per se. I shift into a half elf, and shape myself to look like you.”

I observe my shorter hair. The shoulder length cut annoys me. Mainly because it feels like my ears will be seen, but they’re still well covered behind my locks. “So you can’t shift into the hag and use her magic?”

“Monarchs, no. I can make myself look like her. I can copy her manner of speech and behavior, but not cast her spells. If I could I wouldn’t have been here right now, would I?” She starts moving a brush with something wet in my hair, and my shorter hair takes a purplish tint.

“Fair point,” I sigh. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

She sighs. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

I roll my eyes and watch her rolling them in the silver mirror. “Didn’t you say we couldn’t be friends?” I raise an eyebrow at her.

“Are we friends now?” She raises an eyebrow, then picks some makeup tools and goes over my face. “Stay still…”

“Braiding each other’s hair seems pretty friendly to me,” I let the sarcasm enter my voice.

She shifts back into her Fae form and kneels at my side. “I’m so sorry, Mistress! I shouldn’t have indulged myself, please forgive me!” Just when I’m about to tell her not to do that, she giggles. “Sorry, I simply could not resist. This is delightful. You’re not feeding on my soul, and weirdly enough, you got over my betrayal. I’m even having fun nowadays. Beats hanging back in Axero waiting for the day I die. Yeah, there’s no reason we can’t be friends if you still want us to be." She leans in close to my ear. I can feel her breath on my neck, and her scent enter my nostrils. She smells like chestnuts and fresh mud after the rain. "Keep in mind," she whispers. "This girl still have a few secrets she keeps close to her chest, hmm?”

“And those secrets are?”

She shifts back into my own form with a mad sultry smile I never thought I could see on my own face. She traces her hand on my cheek and a thumb on my lips. “A girl can have her secrets. That’s why they’re secrets. I wouldn’t just tell you when you ask.” She goes back to applying the makeup and dyes to my face.

“Can you shift into a man during autumn?”

“Oh yeah. Maybe I can even do that right now. Autumn is pretty close, lemme try.” She stops applying my makeup and stands with a deep frown on her face." Is this how my frown looks? It contorts my face too much. A moment later Sharla wears Jerro’s shape down to the exact detail. “Yaaaaay! Made it! A few days and I can turn into a Drake too!” She exclaims with girlish excitement that doesn’t fit Jerro’s detached personality.

Jerro’s brown eyes bulge out when he looks at her. She giggles and I join her. Jerro is way too cold for such an expression.

Let’s tease him some… “Hmmmm… can you have sex like this?” I ask.

“Why, are you interested?”

“Nah, just curious.” What if she takes Kolag’s form… I could finally feel what it'd be like without that damned armor... His actual warm hands on my skin... And his actual snake without all the... I feel the heat flushing my face. Then what? She still isn’t Kolag… It won’t be real. I’d rather have the real Kolag.

“Yeah, of course I can. I’ve got all the right parts.” She takes off her pants.

I cover my eyes instantly. “I really don’t want to see that. Thank you!”

“I think I should leave,” Jerro comments stoically and steps out of the room.

She chuckles and shifts back into my form, her clothes turn into the exact copy of my blue velvet dresses. She covers her eyes and blushes in the same way I do. “I really don’t want to see that. Thank you!”

My cheeks turn hotter. “Do I really look like that?”

“Yeah.” She goes back to applying my makeup.

“I look horrible…”

She pushes my chair back and looks into my eyes with my own gray eyes. “You're being silly. You don’t look horrible. I don't know why you're so detached from your own looks, but you’re actually beautiful. Nothing stunning like an actual elf, but you look really good. Better than most human women."

I shrug. "I don't know what magic you use to make me look beautiful, but it's not what I see when I normally look in the mirror." This is clearly a magical effect of some kind...

She keeps applying makeup to my face with a steady hand. "That's not magic. That's your own assumptions and expectations, hmm? The vision people have of themselves of how attractive they are is always skewed. Some think they're more attractive than they actually are, others, like you, tend to think they're less attractive than they truly are. At the end, the only real judge on such matters is the people who see us. Or someone neutral and immortal like me who's invested in beauty such as myself. Trust my judgment here, ok?"

Or maybe it's psychological? She has a point. There's only one real physical argument here... "What about my chest?" I ask when her hand moves to the upper side of my face, dying my eyebrows.

"What about it? You have no idea how many men wouldn't care and some even find it even more attractive. I changed into a flat girl to seduce a man more than once."

She can't be serious! "You're just lying to make me feel good..."

"Why would I do that? You think I give a flying snake for how you feel? The only feeling that I'd ever care for is pity toward me and possibly lust, anything else is bland. Like I've said, I'm a neutral immortal who's invested in beauty, trust my judgment here, hmm? I’ve seen some skyblessed women, and I've seen the most rotten ones out there. You’re way above average. If we compare you to a human, you're very attractive. If we compare you to an elf, you're just a little below average."

She turns my chair and observes my face. She nods to herself and shifts her body and face into a plain looking woman. Her tiny brown eyes are too far from one another, and her nose is far too big for her face. “Now this girl has a real struggle. And this.” The next face changes back into my form but with acid burns.

I flinch, recalling how much I hated it.

“Not everyone can heal from something like that, you know. You’re quite lucky.” She stands and shifts into a taller, busty, red haired woman, with a perfect figure, a stunning face, and a pair of long sharp ears. “Now, this is a young elf, but not everyone gets to be created by the goddess of beauty, hmm?”

She shifts back into me, and only now I notice a few elven features on my face, mainly the upturned eyes. I guess she’s not wrong… I didn’t mean that I look bad, just that I look horrible blushing like that… but it’s nice to get some validation for my looks regardless… And I should just keep lying to myself about having insecurities at all... Yeah, that'll be useful... ugh... fine! “Thank you,” I smile, my face staying rather warm.

She shrugs in the same manner I normally do. “Don’t mention it. Nearly every human girl I’ve met and even some fae girls feel uncomfortable about their looks. Except for elves. Those rotten jars look good and they know it. They also snatch anyone with a snake in the nearest area. Male elves are worse. And elves mainly target humans since they can stand human aesthetics, unlike most of the other races. At least they’re honest about their relationships, they might make someone cheat on their spouse, but they won’t cheat on you.” She gets me to take off my dress and teaches me how to apply the stuffing.

"It'd still be nice to have some chest," I note.

"I don't think you've reached full maturity yet with your Faeblood, this might change. Besides, Rakshasa are shapeshifters. You might inherit that ability when you mature.”

That's an interesting thought... But it's irrelevant at the moment, I still can't do it and not sure I'll ever be able to. Of course I will, Balusha had some shapeshifting magic, why can't I have it or get someone to help me with that? Once I get my hands on the shapeshifting magic Balusha has, I'll do something about this for sure! "You're right. I will be capable of shapeshifting like you in the future and it won't bother me as much. How does it feel like? To be able to change your looks in any way you want?"

"Amazing! But never forget what you originally looked like. Once you've gone through all the shapes and forms possible, it's always nice to go back to my own skin. I've known others of my kind who... forgot. They're miserable. Trust me on that." She brings a maid uniform from the nearby wardrobe.

“Wait, a maid?” I ask.

“Got a better idea?” She grins at me. “No one will know. Kolag will introduce you tomorrow to Tasyia as a new girl looking for work. I bet even Taisya won’t even recognize you.”

I look at myself in the mirror. I do look different. But it’s still me and: “What about my voice?”

“Change it a little? Raise the pitch or lower it? Not that hard, hmm?”

“But I don’t exactly think about it.”

She rolls her eyes. “Then think about it. Or just get yourself to be excited all the time, your voice will get higher on its own. It'll also give some personality to your act. Monarchs, you're so repressed, I've never seen you get properly excited like you should for your age.”

I shrug. “No time for excitement with what I've had to deal with and I can’t just fake excitement.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Why not? Most girls have to fake excitement at some point in their lives, not everyone gets to blast their way around with magic.”

I roll my eyes. “But I…”

“And stop rolling your eyes. I can tell it’s you just because of how you’re doing that.” She rolls her eyes theatrically a few times.

“Most of those maids don’t know me that well.”

She raises an eyebrow. “And? Most of those maids see you every day.”

“You take this way too seriously, Sharla. I’m not you, I’m not a shapeshifter. It doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if one of the maids recognizes me? She’ll stay quiet about it.”

Sharla places her hand on her chest, changing her mannerisms entirely into an acidic highborn woman like my stepmother. “Oh my~ I didn't know you're such naive little girl. I thought you survived some tough rot. Allow me to educate you. The maids see and hear things you can’t imagine. Nobody notices the servants, and they’re usually the best spies around. Trust your neutral immortal on this, hmmm?”

I cross my hands. “Then why a maid? Why throw me into a group of the best spies around? Why can’t I just go stay at an inn or something? Less chance to run into someone who’ll recognize me.”

She crosses her hands and leans back, going back to copying me. “You know what? You’re right. Go stay at a tavern for a week or two, just until we catch the next assassin. I don’t have to tell you to use an alias, do I?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not that naive. Call Jerro back in, we’ll ask if it’s a good idea.”

Jerro enters the room before I finish my sentence. “Go for a stroll around the city, tour it for an hour, then go to the Queen’s Rest Tavern. Stay in the tavern for the duration of a week. Do not leave, and do not expose your identity even if people start dying around you.”

I raise an eyebrow. "People dying around me is a possibility?"

"A strong one," he replies.

“The Queen’s Rest? Who even came up with that name?” I ask.

Sharla shrugs. “Ask the owner. It’s newly built at the eastern side of town, near the docks and the slum.”

“You mean the harbor district. It’s no longer a slum, Kolag cleaned the place up,” I note.

Sharla rolls her eyes in a way that I’m already too tired of seeing. “It’s still a slum. Just better and brighter, and people probably won’t starve to death during winter. Just ask around, you’ll find it. I’ll let Kolag know about the change in plans. It’s better that you won’t be seen by too many people. Leave early in the morning when everyone is asleep.”

“How about I turn invisible?” I ask Sharla with a grin.

“That would be ideal,” Jerro notes.

I did plan on learning an invisibility spell for a while now... It's a utility spell that I do need. I open my newly unlocked grimoire and place a hand on an empty page. I need a spell that makes me invisible.

Wassho’s invisibility
Names: Wassho’s invisiblity, invisiblity.
Element: Light
Sub element: Light
Level: 1
Words: revatol revisoroar, revatol revisarisoroar, sorev revisoroshak takoar tokari atrevi! Saja atakesh to Revisorserini!
Translation: Spirits of light, spirits of truth, shine hiden light of yours upon me! eternal darkness to the lightless!
Quicken: Revisor, sorev revisoroshak tokari atrevi. <light, shine hidden light upon me>
Patterns: 13
Gestures: Splits index and middle from ring and pinky in both hands holding the flowers > Once the flowers are gone, connect the hands by the gaps with the right index and middle on the left palm, and left pinky and ring on the right palm.
Offering: 10 lavender petals.
Requirement: X
Range: self
Target: self
Duration: 1 minute.
Effect: The spell will turn the caster invisible. They can do anything while invisible, including attacking or casting other spells, as long as the spell patterns are maintained. The invisibility will only mask mundane view. It'll not mask heat vision, cold vision, echolocation, or other sensories.
Cost: 45 light mana.
Bound cost: 25 light mana.
Altered cost: 5 light mana.

I take a deep breath and go over the thirteen pattern spell, offering some lavender flowers to the potential elemental. It takes a while to practice. And an hour of meditation to recharge my mana.

13 light patterns spell is pushing what I'm capable of. While I can easily do around 20 gravity patterns, light patterns are harder for me to concentrate on, my lower light affinity gets in the way.

Sharla gets bored and leaves my room, but Jerro stays, watching silently like an eerie owl while I practice my magic.

After three hours of practice, meditation to refill my mana, and more practice, I finally get it right.

“Revatol revisoroar, revatol revisarisoroar, sorev revisoroshak takoar tokari atrevi. Saja atakesh to revisorserini.”

On this attempt, a bald female elemental shows up. Her tiny yellow face forms a sneer, wings buzzing lightly on her back. “Revisarisor, atrevisha. Revisarisor.” <Truth ___. Truth>

I float her more flowers that disappear in a cloud of yellowish smoke. I finish my gesture and I can no longer see my own hands.

“Inara,” Jerro speaks. He’s looking exactly in my direction, despite the fact I already moved. “I cannot emphasis this enough. No matter what happens or what you see, no matter who dies in front of your eyes, do not leave the tavern, and do not expose your identity to anyone until I say so. You'll be tempted to do both. Control yourself if you want to live.”

I test him and move left, his eyes follow me. I move right, and his eyes follow me to the right as if I'm fully visible for him. I give up, looks like this spell isn't as good as I'd hoped, but it'll help me avoid the mundane eye at least. “I’ll do my best…”

“No. Not your best,” he says tonelessly. “Do not leave the tavern, and do not expose your identity to anyone. This is not a game. This is a real threat and if your identity is exposed while you're there, you die. No one can know you’re the Queen. I will face the Shaf the moment you reach the tavern. I’ll hinder his visions. Even if assassins visit the tavern, and they'll visit, you should only fight if they figured your identity and you have to defend yourself. Let us take care of the rest.”

I nod. But he doesn’t react. That means he can guess where I am accurately, but not see me… Interesting. “Ok.”

“Good. Take a stroll through the city, it’s important to spread your presence around, it’ll help me with the Shaf.” He leaves the room.

*~*~*

Interlude 135.1

Salik.

The room at the inn is dark and quiet, only interrupted by the heavy breaths of Zoe and Salik.

Salik hugs the young woman in his arms, he kisses her head and smooths her long brown hair. Why does she have to look so much like Anixa?! Why?! Why does fate have to be so cruel after so many years?

It’s time to end this. Tomorrow he will end it. Yes. How will he do it? How do you break a woman’s heart and save her the pain? Is there an easy way to do it? Salik wishes he knew. He never made this mistake before, he never allowed himself to care. Not after Anixa.

Let’s make it a clean cut. Salik will go to the Temple of Koshavi tomorrow, pick a Zephyr, and make sure Zoe notices… that’ll do it.

“Marry me!”

Salik doubts his ears. “You said something, dear?”

Zoe breathes heavily against his chest. “Marry me! Tomorrow! We’ll go to the Temple of Koshavi and exchange our vows before the goddess.”

No. He heard right. “I…” his words die out. He needs to be careful, this particular woman is an arcane caster, he knows what happen when they enter an emotional turmoil.

“Was that a yes?” Zoe leans up on his chest, hazel eyes reflecting the moonlight from outside.

Salik sighs, how did he get himself into this situation?

“You don’t want to…” Zoe mumbles, dejected. “Inara is right, isn’t she? You’re just using me…”

“No!" Salik denies right away.

"Then marry me!"

"Maybe I am using you a little," he admits with a sigh. Zoe isn’t as dumb as she pretends to be. “It started like that. Now it became... No. We do have to stop. I should've never even allowed this to happen. I’m sorry, should I get you your own room?”

“I don’t care…” Zoe’s voice is quiet, hurt.

“I better go rent another room for you.” Salik is about to get up, but the woman on top of him pushes him back down.

“No. I mean I don’t care if you're using me or not. Marry me!”

“Excuse me?”

He feels her hair tickling his chest, but he can barely see her eyes in the darkness. “Marry me. I know you’re reluctant, my wind. I know you’re worried you’ll break my heart. But you won’t, because I don’t care if you sleep with some Zephyr. In fact, I’ll sleep with a Zephyr too, if it makes you feel better. I don’t mind. We can even share a Zephyr or two. I’d like to try that. As long as you truly love me, or will love me. Just... Just... Just marry me!”

She isn’t dumb, she’s simply mad as snow. “Are you sure?”

She puts her ear down on his heart, her voice distant. “Yes. I’ve never been sure about anything in my life, but I’m sure about this. You love me, you’re just afraid you can’t stay faithful to me because of your bad habits. I don’t care about your bad habits, you can love me and stick to them… You can teach me some wilder things, I know you're holding back because you think I'm young and pure. I'm not made out of twigs.”

She’s right about this… Bloody jugs, fate helps him, he loves her… Too much of Anixa is mixed in her, from looks to personality. Except, unlike Anixa, he doesn’t have to worry. Unlike Anixa he doesn’t have to put his trust in her, he’s no longer that young naïve man he was seventy years ago… And unlike Anixa, Zoe doesn’t let her jealousy dictate her actions, Anixa used to get worked up about every girl that he barely glanced at…

It wasn’t long ago that Zoe got worked up about every girl as well… Is she just saying it because she knows it’s the only way? Is it desperation? Or is it love?

Does it matter that she does? She agrees to do this. Does she knows what she’s agreeing to? She's just a kid? Is it right to go along with her wishes? With her desperation for family?! What is he doing?

Fate!!! Why is she so similar to Anixa?

Fate won’t stop toying with him, or maybe the Bloody Maiden has found a new way to torment him again.

*~*~*

Interlude 135.2

Berthold.

The fairy leans on the window. The breeze lifts her silky blue hair and flutters her leaves made dress, a single autumn leaf detaches and floats on the currents. Berthold sneaks forth. He hugs his fairy from behind and kisses her cheek. He's been waiting for this, it's been weeks since they last saw each other.

"Hello, my Fairy."

"Oh. It's you." She removes his hands from around her waist. "I'm busy."

Berthold backs off, the cold uncaring tone hurts him more than he's willing to admit. They haven't seen each other for weeks, and now he gets a cold shoulder? "Busy doing what? Watching the view? The city is beautiful from up here."

"Busy doing this." Her skin vibrates like an odd liquid in a shaking bowl. A moment later, Berthold is looking into a spitting image of himself.

Berthold takes another step back. "Woah." That's not something you see every day.

His spitting image shrugs. "Yeah. It's autumn, and I need practice. Leave me be."

"Alright, alright. It's... We haven't seen each other in weeks, I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"I'm not." The mirage of Berthold's skin shakes, like she's made of something soft. Then turns into a small blue bird that flies out the window with an audible flutter of wings.

"Okaay..." Berthold will try later, when she's not so busy practicing her fairy magic. This hurts. This hurts a lot. He gave up on his goddess for her, did she ever care about him at all?

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 965 Magic Gems.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
4g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 31/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,163 Golden Peas.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-02-22 10:58:54 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 135 in color

2024-02-22 10:57:17 +0000 UTC View Post

Announcement

I'm back!

Due to recent frustrating changes in my life, I have very limited time to work on this project. As much as I hate putting less time into Myrsha, life must come first.

I don't want to ever abandon this project, so I won't. Instead, I'll switch to a low-maintenance mode.

Chapters will be uploaded once per week (Thursdays) instead of twice until further notice. I'd rather have consistent uploads, even if they're slower.

Edits suggestions will be addressed, (I mark them for myself) but they won't be fixed right away like I used to do before. The same goes for replying to comments. I simply don't have the typing time I used to have before, and I'd rather use the free time I have to write more content instead of editing and going over comments, as much as I love going over comments and replying. I do appreciate you guys. I will of course set some time aside for edits when I can, since it does improve my work, and I do need to polish it, but it won't be instant.

Changes regarding Patreon:

The Arch Mage Tier of 20 chapters ahead is now a support tier. I'll keep uploading chapters there every week until chapter 139 or the 21st of March. (I'm keeping it up for a month if someone wants to change tiers.)

If I manage to get the time I used to have for writing and go back to 2 chapters a week, this tier will return to normal.

Thank you all for your support and the pleasant feedback.
I hope you all enjoy the read. <3

2024-02-22 10:55:27 +0000 UTC View Post

Announcement

I'm on a break until the 21st of Feb. I'll click the pause bills button on the 21st of Jan as mentioned in the initial notes.

There's a high chance that after the break I'll go down to 1 chapter per week instead of two. If that'll happen, I'll change my Patreon plan as well.

Regardless.
Thank you all so much for your support! I hope you all had fun from my work and it did not disappoint.
I'll see you all in a month.

2024-01-18 23:20:28 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 134 colorless

Chapter 134 New threats V.

Passion, love, and lust,
The three pillars of chaos and dreams.
The ones behind happiness and madness.
If you concern yourself with what’s normal and accepted,
You’d never be happy.
You’d have to be mad to be happy.

Koshavi, the Princess of Dreams.

"Just say it," I shout. "You hate me so just say it! You regret not listening to Noxi. You wish I was dead. Then you'd still be a shiny paladin and carry Noxi's word around... You'd be happier without me around..."

"I'll never say that!" he exclaims with a shout and I release a breath held deeply within my heart. "But you can't gamble with his life like that, or my life, or anyone's."

Are you really that blind? You stubborn bucket-head! “Snakes!!! Yes, I gambled with his snaking life, ok?! I’m constantly gambling with all of your lives. I hate it. I hate every minute of it. But you know what my task is, don’t you? And my own personal task is keeping you all alive, especially after Lezere.” I sigh and eye the short man who sits up on the ground. “I… I’m sorry, Berthold.”

Berthold perks up. “What? Who? Me? Nah I’m fine… I think? Did you really throw a spear at me?” He looks at the hole in his shirt again, moving his fingers through it.

Kolag shakes his head and stay silent for a long awkward moment. “Are you alright, Inara? Did you get hurt?” His voice echoes with worry.

The change of tone takes me by surprise. “I’m ok, Kolag…” If you care about me, why check on Berthold first? Why yell at me like that instead? Stop with the dumb jealousy, with this inferiority complex... Kolag just have ideals, and he's a good man who cares about everyone's lives... Berthold took a spear to his stomach and a dagger in his back! I got a scratch on my cheek…

I need to focus. Not whatever this emotional venom is...

I turn to face my armored boyfriend. “Thanks for waking me up.” I say dryly and force myself to smile at him. Smiling hurts with the cut on my cheek. so I stop. There's no use pretending anyway.

“You’re welcome, you should be thanking Jerro for the early warning.”

“I will.” I hug him briefly, but he pulls me into a tight embrace that warms my heart immediately, wiping away any anger I might’ve felt.

“I’m glad you’re alive! Jerro said you might die," he whispers with an echo.

My magic not working was alarming, but now I know how to bypass it, just use the real element instead of evoked one… but I haven’t felt any danger…
No, she did something with her eyes… and that dagger almost killed me… what was that?
I’m getting way too used to fighting with my life on the line. If I haven’t felt danger, it means that I’m both underestimating my opponent if they don’t have magic, and not being cautious enough…
After the orcs, and the blood fae, something like this assassin just seems so… underwhelming…
Whoever sent her however… who are they? What do they want? It's most likely that king who plans an attack... preparing the ground for an assault. I need to do something about him. I need an army, fast, I hope Salik gets here soon.

Kolag breaks the hug and look into my eyes from his metallic visor, still having his arms around my back. “I love you, don’t die on me! Not after everything we’ve been through.”

I place my hands on his armored chest. “The same goes to you, bucket head. If you die, I’ll find a way to resurrect you just so I can kill you again!” I want to ride him... I want to keep shouting at him until he... Stop! I'm just teasing myself. That's impossible... Or I can do it with his damned armor on... that's an option. But I can't even kiss him...

“I’m very hard to kill,” he chuckles mirthlessly, “and please don’t compromise your soul like that. Your compassion. It's one thing to kill a corrupt evil man without a care in the world, and another to risk the life of our companions.”

I look into his eyes. “Do you see a better course of action I should have taken?”

“Not right now.” His voice echoes. “What’s done is done. But I can’t say you’ve made the right choice and feel right about it.”

I shrug. “Berthold is alive, and the assassin is dead. That’s all I care about.”

I catch a glimpse of reflected light in his gray eyes through his visor. “The way we achieve our goals matters more than the goals.”

“Depends on the goals, and depends on the way. To me, I only care who dies in the process, I don’t want any of you to die. I don’t care about the rest. Here.” I hand him the odd smooth rock that drains magic. “Keep this on you, it nullifies magic in a very similar way to the blessing of Noxi. It won’t stop physical objects thrown by magic, but you have the armor for that…”

He looks down at the pulsing rock in my hand. “Are you sure you should give me that?” he asks with hesitation.

“Why not?” Why is he hesitating? Oh maybe he think I can use it… “I can’t use magic with this thing in my hand. It’s worse than iron…”

“Why would you trust me with something like that? What if I betray you again?” he asks, dejected.

I should've never shouted it... If I trust him it needs to be full trust, no halfsies. “Kolag?” I put my hands on his helmet, making him look at me. “I trust you. We may disagree on a few things, but at the end of the day I trust you to watch my back. We’re going to face many enemies along the way, and we need every edge we can get.”

“By Noxi you’re beautiful…” he murmurs as he picks the rock.

Why does it have to be ‘by Noxi’?! I think in annoyance, but my face still turns red. I guess he's so used to his god’s name that he uses it without thinking… “Maybe you should pick another god to worship? You seem to like Lokamesh recently...” Seems like I have to accept that he'll need a god to follow, might as well be a god that doesn't take a lot of interest in mortals...

I get an echoing grunt in response. He picks the glassy rock, and puts it in his belt. “I’m sorry, a force of habit. I no longer worship Noxi.”

“I’m aware. How is Sharla doing?” I stretch, I feel like after a very long sleep, charged with energy and mana. My stomach rumbles, I really need something to eat too. I thought meditation eliminated the need in food… but I’ve never meditated for three weeks straight before either.

I look around at the messy garden, rose bushes and lavender shrubs on each end. Three guards are dead on the grass between, their blood taints the greenery. Maids in gray uniform bring cloth to cover the dead, and the guards who are still alive grasp their spears tightly, eyes darting for potential threats. I still need a new Gardner... Or maybe I could garden a little myself, it could be relaxing.

“I’m ok.” Sharla approaches us, with Jerro in tow.

“I’m glad you’re ok!” I hug her. “Thanks for the warning, Jerro, I’d be dead without it!”

“Another warning. You’ve been poisoned, heal yourself,” he says in his apathetic voice.

I touch the numb spot on my cheek, and look dumbfounded at the purplish stains on my hand. Then cast another ‘Lesser Cure Poison’ spell on myself and drink a potion to close the cut in my wrist. “Thanks!” I say when I finish.

Jerro nods dismissively.

“Do I also get a hug? I did take a spear to the belly for you,” Berthold murmurs.

I roll my eyes and hug him with a smile.

To my surprise he pushes me away. “I was only joking. What do we do about these assassins?” He eyes Kolag and Sharla wearily, guiltily. The two don't seem to care though. He clearly still have some feelings for me, even while being with Sharla... aw, Berthold, move on, ok?

“Any idea who sent this assassin?” I turn to Jerro and Sharla.

Sharla tucks her long blue hair behind a sharp tipped ear, her autumn-leaved dress fluttering in the wind, and a few leaves detach and drift with the breeze. “I traced her to the Nightblades, an assassin guild operating on the Gray Islands, but I couldn’t find out who issued the contract on your head.”

I cross my hands on my chest. “Ideas, Jerro?”

He shakes his head, leaning on his cane like an old man. “No idea. But there’s another Shaf in your city. He’s fixated on your actions and locations.”

“A Shaf?” I raise an eyebrow. A priest of Tiyadi… “Don’t they manage funerals or something?”

“Servants of my lord of sufficient rank are called Shaf, yes. Some care for the dead and manage funerals. Others, take other roles. This Shaf is a prophet priest, a battle cleric, and a divinator. As the Lord of Death, my lord is very popular with assassins.”

"And cultists, and death worshipers, and serial murderers, and twisted people who use disease and death curses..." Berthold murmurs bitterly.

“Are you a Shaf of Tiyadi too?” I ask Jerro.

Jerro shakes his head with a passive expression.

The metallic smell of blood is distracting. Various guards attend to the dead and injured behind Jerro. “Just to be clear," I ask. "Are you stronger or weaker than this Shaf?”

“Different strengths, different weaknesses,” he responds with a shrug, as if he doesn’t care enough to compare their individual strengths.

It's about time I should learn the scrying spell, now that I've unlocked my grimoire. “Can you tell us where he is? We can catch him. Berthold can snipe him, I imagine Berthold would want some payback...”

Berthold visibly shudders at my words. I guess I scared him… Understandable… He might want some time away from me too...

“His location is clouded.” Jerro leans on his cane and sits down on a stone bench near a lavender shrub, fatigued like an old man, but I know he’s no older than thirty. “I can pierce through, but it will not help you, and it will expose my presence. He is unaware of my presence, and I like it to stay that way.”

“Is someone attacking my cities any time soon? Are they trying to get rid of me to have an easy conquest?”

Jerro shakes his head. “Not within the next two months. After that, I can’t see clearly, too many variables. Too many deaths.”

“So, someone will attack us in two months?” I conclude.

He shakes his head again and traces his fingertip on the delicate head of his cane. “Too many variables, impossible to know.”

I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Very well, I want you two to figure this out. Is Salik back with the army yet?”

“He’ll be here within two weeks.” Jerro replies coldly, still busy with his cane.

“That’s… good, right?” Berthold asks hesitantly, moving a finger through the hole in his shirt.

I nod. “Yes, that’s good. Since we don’t know who hired the Nightblades to kill me, we have to focus on the Nightblades themselves. Sharla, what do you have on them?”

Sharla looks at me with a pair of crystalline blue eyes, her sharp facial feature forming a deep frown. “Not much, I know they have a large base of operation at Sajarev far south, but every thug on the streets knows that. They accept contracts from anyone willing to pay their high prices, and never betray a contract once they’ve accepted it. At least that’s what the rumors say about them, the reality might be different. What matters is who hired them to kill you.”

“Any chance we could infiltrate this organization?” I focus on Jerro. “I’m thinking of Ryon, Sharla, and Berthold…”

“Me? I’m not an assassin!” Berthold protests. “I will not pretend to worship the God of Death. You can't pretend to worship the God of Death without worshiping him.”

“You can put an arrow through a needle’s eye from fifty meters away,” I say dryly. “An assassin organization will be very impressed with such an ability regardless of worship.”

“I’m not a killer. I’m not like them.” He dares me to challenge him, invading my personal space so much that my crossed wrists graze his chest. His blue eyes staring directly into mine as if he’s looking for something in my eyes.

I take a step back. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t assume what you want. If you don’t want to go, then I won’t force you to…” I almost got him killed just now… and I was about to risk his life again...

I take another step back from Berthold and avert my eyes to Jerro who sits on his bench, brows creased, deep in thoughts. “Jerro? Can we send Ryon and Sharla?”

The prophet massages his temples. “Not by themselves, no. I have to go with them, but you’ll be at risk while I’m gone.”

“Kolag will take care of guarding my life.” I smile at my boyfriend who nods his head in a serious manner. I have no way to know if he has a smile or a frown under that helmet. Berthold gives him a nervous glance which Kolag seemingly ignores.

“Risky…” Jerro murmurs.

“It’s a risk I’ll have to take, unless you have a better idea?”

“I do. Sharlafyn will alter your appearance. She will take your place. I will confuse the Shaf, give him multiple locations and fake images of you, including your room. In a day, Sharlafyn will be capable of apprehending any assailant by herself.”

“Jerro you’re a genius!” Sharla’s voice vibrates with excitement, and Jerro’s fatigued face turns to a deep shade of red. “This plan is great. And besides, I can fully shapeshift and fight during autumn. Cold iron is barely a hindrance to me. I want to see the next assassin who barges into your room and meets a nice cozy dragon,” she finishes with an excited mad giggle.

“Can you really become a dragon?” Berthold asks, blue eyes open with wide admiration.

Sharla chuckles. “Ok, true. Maybe not a dragon, but a drake? I can still breathe frost or fire in such a shape. Dragons are fae monarchs, they’re massive and they cast powerful spells. Nobody is strong enough to shapeshift into something like that… Point is. I can act as a bait and capture an assassin to interrogate. It’ll be much easier to infiltrate their guild with some actual information.”

Jerro nods, he scratches his forehead and lowers his head. “Yes. It will give us information, and will help immensely in our infiltration at Sajarev. Sharlafyn, remember to disable the assassin’s jaw, otherwise he or she may take their own life, the same way this one did.”

“Then I guess it’s settled.” I conclude.

*~*~*

Interlude 134.1

Berthold

“…I guess it’s settled.”

Berthold barely hears the sentence, he doesn’t recognize this woman anymore. She threw a spear at him, and then acts like everything is normal, just another day, nothing happened.

So what if she used her potion to heal him after, thanks for almost killing me and then saving my life! Much appreciated, Inara.

They’re all mad, mages are all snowing mad, as mad as the Ocean Fairy. Inara especially! At least she didn’t force him on a mission with the death cleric, that’s a relief. But now there’s another death cleric here, trying to kill her… Berthold will kill him, that’s one less death cleric to inflict horrible curses on people like his mother, one less death cleric to inflict suffering on the world.

“Hunter.” Jerro intercepts him.

Oh great, what does the death worshiper wants now? “Yes?” Berthold barely had time to settle in. He missed his beautiful fairy, but she didn't have time for him. She was too busy with Inara's rotten tasks.

“We will need your skills. I believe you will find joy in ending people who follow my lord?”

Berthold almost chokes, is he that obvious with his hatred? And it doesn’t even bother this death cleric. Berthold eyes the palace door, making sure it’s close and Inara can’t hear him. “I’m out! I’m done! I’m sitting this one out!” He doesn’t care whether that mad mage lady dies or not, he’s out of here!

“You are not done. I have saved your life, you owe me.”

Berthold frowns, when did the death worshiper saved his life?

“If you leave now, your sister will never be healed, she will die in five years,” Jerro continues.

That’s true. Berthold sighs, he made a deal with another mad mage. “Fine.”

“That’s all.” The death worshiper disappears behind the palace’s doors.

Berthold is left outside, staring at the carnage. Three dead men, three poor idiots who got caught between Inara and that assassin. He’d be the forth, he doubts she’d save his life if he wasn’t one of her inner circle. If anything, he saw how she attacked that assassin with the guards between them, their lives meant nothing to her.

Elitar was right, women like her are dangerous.

*~*~*

Interlude 134.2

Zoe

Zoe eyes Ovin with clear hostility. The thug leans on the railing with his lute, creating an idle melody.

It was supposed to be a romantic trip for just her and Salik, why did this thug have to come along?!

The ship docks at the harbor. This is Tolste’s Bay, the largest city on the Gray Isles by a slim margin, only narrowly out populating Sajarev to the south.

Zoe eyes the gigantic statue above the river, one foot on each bank. This is the statue of Tolste Glass Hand, the heroic gnome who saved the Gray Islands from a certain doom.

The city is large and loud. First, they have to find an inn. Hopefully this thug will get his own room. Zoe watches the numerous slaves boarding a ship to her right, and wrinkles her nose. These people will be freed soon, she knows it. Slaves come to the Gray Islands to settle. Her grandfather was a slave, brought here on a ship, bought and released by a sorcerer in Red Cedar City. He died when she was nine, but she heard his stories, how his life finally turned better after he came here.

Zoe eyes the various sights as they make their way to the Temple of Tonisha. People. Of all races, sizes, and colors. From naked slaves in chain, to rich priests in their colored robes. From a colorfully scaled Silio laborer at the docks, to a fully armed orc of Nuriss’ flock.

The slated rooftops are painted in the color of the district, at the docks it’s blue for Mayan. But once they reach the district of Tonisha it turns orange. The colorful birds on top creates a melody, barely heard over the bustling streets below.

Zoe had never seen a city as big as this one in her entire life! Her head keeps spinning as she takes in the sights.

They enter the loud tavern and Zoe wrinkles her nose at the drunk crowd. She relaxes when she spots a bard, and head his way in an instant. She had enough of Ovin’s foul musical attempts. “A story about Tolste!” She demands, offering the man a silver coin.

“Gladly, Milady.”

Salik heads to get them rooms, but Ovin follows her. Zoe wrinkles her nose. She’s stuck watching over this thug.

“Shaentoxa” <Vegetable> He still tries to summon a tomato, he’s been trying for days.

The bard plucks strings in his lute, Ovin should listen and learn from him. “Tolste Crystal Hand, the jewel of Numaton, the…”

“It’s Glass Hand!” Zoe corrects him. The bard fidgets anxiously.

“Ahem… Tolste Crystal Hand…”

“Shaentoxa” <Vegetable> a tomato grows in Ovin’s palm. “I did it y’oll! Zoe, watch!” Ovin gets up from his seat.

“It’s Master! I’m your Master! Not your friend!” She corrects him. He’s so annoying, would he stop bothering her already? She wants to listen to the bard!

“Sorry, Master. Can I get ma next spell?”

He’s like forty or something, isn’t he? Why does he act like a baby? Always needing attention, he even inserted himself into this trip that was supposed to be hers and Salik’s! “Only if you stay quiet for the day and give me some private time with Salik. Master Inara told you she’ll send you spells if you send her reports! Why did you have to come with us?”

“Need to make sure y’oll don’t forget about me,” he replies with a grin that twists the ugly worm-like scar on his face.

“Argh!” This man is impossible. Salik approaches their table, fixing his straw hat. “Salik? My wind? Did you get us a separate room from this guy?” she asks.

“Of course, dear. Isn’t this supposed to be our honeymoon?” He tips his straw hat with a sarcastic smile she can’t get enough of.

Is he laughing at her? Or not? She'll never know and it doesn't matter. She'll have her private time with the man she loves and that's all that matters.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 25/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 965 Magic Gems.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
10g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,163 Golden Peas.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-01-18 23:11:47 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 134 in color

2024-01-18 23:11:12 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 133 colorless

Author notes:

This chapter is dedicated to kirra labas for supporting me on patreon right before the break.
Thank you!
Very much! <3
Was in a bit of a bad place and that pretty much made my day.

Chapter 133 New Threats IV.

Putting an innocent life in jeopardy,
Just to achieve your goals.
Is the evil act of the ruthless and cowardly.
The brave do not compromise.
The honorable do not compromise.
Life isn’t a gamble, life is sacred.

Brigit, the Lady of Life.

Still drowsy from my meditation, I hug Kolag as he helps me stand up. “Thanks… any ideas when this assassin will be here?”

“A few minutes, could be now! I ran as fast as I could.” He looks all around, surveying my room.

“I see, how long did I meditate?” I ask, massaging my throat and feeling the pulse of mana in my neck. I am hungry, and tired.

“Today is Rakisha (September) the eighteenth. It’s been three weeks,” comes the echoing reply. His hand glides on the arming sword at his hips.

{28} Rakisha (September) the 18th.

Uh... I’ve been in a trance for three weeks… how?! I didn’t even notice the time! I was so stuck in my own fantasies, but there was something else, something that lured me deep into my head… What was that? I wonder if it’s this thing’s soul… I need to test it without a soul in my blood, see if I can still go that deep, or if I need a soul for that… Either way… that’s the longest I’ve ever been in middle meditation… I’m getting better at this… it’s a cause for a celebration… “Why didn’t you wake me up for our weekly mee…”

“Watch out!”

Kolag pushes me aside, almost knocking me clean off my feet. By the time I regain my composure, a trio of throwing daggers have rebounded crisply off his armor with a sharp chorus of metallic clings.

“Tsk…” A feminine figure on the windowsill jumps out.

Frowning, I wrap my belt around my waist and grab handful of rose petals from my pouch. “Myrsha, nia tsaf lah! lah shitol ni latsa lah, fel ka’am J’an nia kent.” <Gravity, I command you! you will give me to defy you, and move as I want.> A violet speck of light darts out from the purplish cloud that appears around my waist.

I fly out of my window after the woman, she runs on the palace’s roof toward a rope at the edge of it. The sun is setting at the distance, and if I was running right behind her it’d be in my eyes. But since I’m flying above, it’s at the wrong angle to blind me.

I point at the woman. “Hod myrsha!” <Ground pull!>

I hope to triple her gravity and make her fall down, but nothing happens. I stare wide eyed. She keeps running, as if my spell doesn’t affect her at all. She reaches the rope and disappears behind the edge of the rooftop.

Kolag jumps out of the window, running after her with loud metallic stomps.

Must be iron! I fly above her. “Fotyr folo!” <Firefly!> My fiery arrows are easy to aim since she moves down in a direct line. But to my surprise, the bolts disappears slightly before it reaches her. She must have an item that nullify magic! This isn’t iron, my firefly would hit someone wearing iron. This has to be glass or jade!

The hooded woman reaches the lower wooden rooftop of the stables, and runs toward its edge. She spins and toss a metallic object my way.

I dodge, it’s easy to do with my flying speed.

Kolag leaps off the ledge, and lands between the woman and her next rope with a loud crack. The lower wooden roof breaks under his feet, and he falls down into the stables below to the loud neighing of the horses underneath. The woman steps back to avoid the collapsed section.

“Latsa.” <Lift.> I take out three arrowheads from my belt with ‘Minor Telekinesis’ and “Kushgari yefa!” <Metal fly!> I hurl them all in three possible dodging points.

She turns, bending her body and twisting. She moves her hands around wildly, dodging and deflecting my arrowheads.

She looks up. A pair of red eyes glare at me behind a black cloth mask.

The world slows down.

It turns dull.

Everything blurs.

Nothing...

Nothing!

DODGE!

I wake up with a gasp, a sharp object a centimeter from my face. Too close for my barrier magic. “Ritsa!” <Repulse!> I shout while dodging desperately. The steel dagger is not thrown away by my ‘Repulse’, it leaves a burning scratch on my cheek and hits the wall behind me, a flock of red hair floating down. What on hells was that?!

“Tsk…” The woman jumps to the next rope that leads down to the palace’s yard.

I fly above her “Nimuwal!” <Water unlimited!> My water jet floods her rope but when it reaches her, it disappears. I fly lower. “Rial aluwe ri!” <Cold surface freeze!> I cast the amplified mastered instant freeze I trained. The rest of the water jet freezes solid and drops on her head. But it breaks and melts before it reaches her.

The liquified air does not disappear, but there's not enough of it. It leaves small patches of frost on her black leather, and I catch a glimpse of her skin on her shoulder. The vapors rising from her remind me of acid, but it's clearly just water and air. Snakes! Snakes!

She lets the rope go and jumps down, rolling on the ground to pad her fall.

“Rinim ril shariss!” <Ice sharp fly!> The remaining ice below me forms a pair of spikes, and I send them flying in her direction.

The hooded figure doesn’t even dodge, the ice melts before it reaches her. What’s going on?! Why is my magic not working?! It’s ice! It’s physical!

A group of guards hurry to block her way. She runs toward them, her form blurring. She parries a spear shaft with a dagger and closes the distance before the confused guard can even blink. She slashes his throat and turns his body around to block a stab from another guard.

Maybe only material not created by magic can hit her? She did dodge the copper bolts… I fly above her and send another hail of arrowheads her way. “Kushgari yefa!” <Metal fly!>

She catches another guards and uses him as a meat shield to block the arrow heads, then drops the lifeless man to the bloodied dirt.

“Tans fe-lasiuak." <Loud words.>

"Move away from her!”

I call to my guards from above, and they scatter on my order. I fly downward, and spot Berthold in the assassin’s way. He just stands there as if his feet are buried underground, mouth agape. He’s unarmed in casual wear, not prepared for this chaos.

The assassin catches him as a hostage and holds a dagger to his throat. Her red eyes glaring at me behind her cloth mask, not glowing this time.

I lift a pair of spears with my mind and look at her, avoiding her red eyes, just in case. “Tell me who hired you, and I’ll let you go.” My eyes focus on the black dagger against Berthold's bulging neck bump.

She presses the dagger against Berthold’s throat. Her other hand releases him, placed on his lower back. “You’re not making the demands here, not if you want this man to live!” Her low voice is muffled by the cloth, and her head is hidden behind Berthold’s shoulder.

Berthold squeezes the assassin’s wrist, and pull away the dagger from his throat by sheer strength. The assassin lets out a grunt. A moment later Berthold arches in pain, and a dark stain appears on his brown shirt at the right side of his abdomen. “So what will it be?” she asks as Kolag approaches with rushed metallic stomps, his claymore leaning on his shoulder. “He’ll bleed out soon,” she notes.

Apathy... I'll lose Berthold... It's fine... I never cared much about him... I push away any image I have of the short man happily weaving a tale near the campfire.

No! I won't have another Lezere! Doesn't matter how much I care!

It's fine... I need to learn how to deal with losses. The only way to practice is let him die...

The snakes?! He doesn't have to die! He's mine! He's not going to die! I won't allow it!

How am I even going to save him?

I narrow my eyes. “Fine. Go. I won’t pursue.”

She steps back dragging Berthold with her.

Oh no you don't! He's mine! Mine! “Let him go!”

“Tsk. If I let him go, I’m dead. He’s coming with me.” Her eyes glow dangerously red again.

“Not going to happen. If he goes with you, he’s dead, and in that case I can simply throw these spears and impale both you and him,” I state coldly. “Who hired you? Was it the King of Blue Cypress City?”

“Tsk, I know he’s valuable. I’ll call your bluff.” She fasten the dagger against the short man’s neck drawing a thin trail of blood from his throat. “He comes with me, or he dies!”

Oh lady, I’m not bluffing! If he goes with you he’s good as dead, and that’s not happening! “Ritsa!” <Repulse!> I send my first spear her way, I do not aim high, nor do I aim directly at her. This spear is supposed to miss, it’s supposed to make her react.

She dodges and pushes Berthold into my spear’s path. The spear impales the shocked Berthold right in his injured abdomen.

Ritsa! <Repulse!> “Kushgari yefa!” My second spear intercepts her dodging path, followed by my remaining bronze arrowheads. She spins and attempts to deflect the projectiles with her hands, but she’s not fast enough.

The assassin is thrown back with my spear in her chest, and gets impaled to the outer wall surrounding my palace. Gotchya!

Berthold!

“Inara! What the fuck are you doing?!” Kolag shouts angrily in Toml'a.

I float forward. Berthold gasps, looking at the spear protruding from his abdomen. Blue eyes wide as saucers, doubting reality. I try to pull the spear out of his stomach with a “Minor Telekinesis” cantrip. He grunts and collapses. I adjust my magic and pull the spear out, gently. A violent stream of blood gushes out from the wound, staining his pants and the grass.

Once the spear is out I feed him a healing potion. I’m lucky I didn’t hit his spine with this… It was supposed to miss, and it’s better than let her take him.

The wounds in Berthold’s abdomen close up slowly but at a visible rate. “Did you just throw a spear at me?” Berthold asks, dumbfounded.

“I guess I did… Sorry, it was supposed to miss, she pushed you into its path. I needed to get her away from you. I couldn’t let her take you. Are you alright?”

He nods rapidly, gulping visibly.

“Let Jolla take a look at you, just to be sure.” I pat his shoulder and hand him over to Kolag. I step toward the downed assassin as she attempts to pull the spear out of her breast with a grunt. She coughs, and I can see the blood stains on the dark cloth covering her face.

“My offer still stands, tell me who hired you. I’ll provide you with a healing potion, your life, and even a job. I won’t ask again.”

She tugs the cloth mask down and exposes her tanned face, she spits blood at my face. “Tsk… Venomous snakes in a jar…” Some of her curly dark hair falls out of the hood.

“I’m waiting…” I say, crossing my hands on my chest.

The woman leans her head backward against the wall, and close her red eyes. “Everyone dies one day,” she says, trying to convince herself.

“Yes, but you don’t have to die today. Tell me who hired you, you’re clearly skilled, and I’ll pay you double to work for me. Is dying really worth it? What will your death achieve?” I already have Ryon… but I wouldn’t mind another skilled assassin at my side… Even one bound by money… I hope I have the gold for it… She’s as good as Ryon, and she’s experienced at battling mages… Do I really want such a potential danger? I'll keep her under guard at first at least...

She gives me a bloodied smile. “I would’ve loved your offer, if only to get close to you and kill you. But I’m already dead. I will see you at the Silver River.” She chokes, white foam coming out of her mouth as her head collapses down on her chest.

She poisoned herself… oh no, you don’t! I cut my wrist, and move my hands at the right gestures casting the ‘Lesser Cure Poison’ spell. “Sefius, rod’e, mo’ento sho rod’eshil xsi si to sha sus mo’ento xsias. Sals si to xalias.” <Life, wood, focus all poison in this one’s body and force it out. Heed this one’s plea.>

The elementals show up in crimson and green clouds of smoke, but the moment they get close to the assassin, they disappear in a multicolored puff. Her slow heartbeat cease. With the bulging dark veins on her face, I figure she’s already dead. Damn it… her ability to nullify magic canceled my healing spell… What am I going to do now? How do I find who hired her? How did she nullify magic? Probably an object if it worked while she was in this condition… let’s see…

After a brief search through her series of pockets and bandoliers, I find a large amount of steel daggers and throwing weapons. I also find what I’ve been looking for. A smooth black rock, with a glowing myriad of colorful patterns on it. The colors swirl on the rock’s surface, and release a feint magical glow. Holding the object drains my mana slowly, and the colorful pattern pulses in rhythm with the drain, like an odd heartbeat.

Kolag triple checks Berthold until the short man pushes him away in annoyance. And only then, he turns to me. “What were you thinking?! What if the spear hit him in the heart?! Or the spine?!”

“And letting the assassin take him hostage was a better idea?” I frown at him. “He wouldn’t survive, you know.”

He steps toward me aggressively. “You don’t know that! We could’ve find him and…”

I fold my hands, refusing to step back from the approaching armored giant. “Could’ve should’ve would’ve. He’s alive now, isn’t he? And she’s dead. I’d rather risk hitting his heart than having another repeat of Lezere. I’d take a small risk of killing him myself, than finding him dead in a ditch somewhere and being helpless to do anything about it! Or used as a hostage for…”

Kolag shoves a metallic finger in my face. “You gambled with his life!!!”

"Oh and maybe you should gamble with my life and stab me again! For your opinions! I did it to save his snaking life! I risked my own life just as much to save him. Sometimes you have to take a risk to take action."

Kolag backs off as if I've impaled him with a spear too.

I step forward. "Say it! Say you regret waking me up. Say you wish I was dead right now! Say it!"

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 25/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 965 Magic Gems.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
10g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.?
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Berthold.?
Ryon.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars: Scratch on the cheek.

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,163 Golden Peas.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-01-15 17:30:39 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 133 in color

2024-01-15 17:29:59 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 132 colorless

Chapter 132 New Threats III

It is easy to ignore the good in humanity.
Compassion and kindness are in plain sight.
While cruelty attracts the eye in bright crimson.
Unfortunately, the exception makes the rule.

Lokamesh, Father of Mortal Kind.

{28} Brigit (August) The 28th

A few days later I gather my small council when Talbot and Jolla come back from Apricot City. The gray stone room is decorated by my red flags and yellow flower vases. Nothing but embers fills the hearth, but it's warm enough in here. This time, Aisha hesitantly joins my group. The middle aged woman sits there quietly, eyeing the rest and shifting uncomfortably every three seconds.

“Sharla, anything I should know about in the city? Any news on Blue Cypress City? Report.” I ignore the newcomer.

“Nothing of note in the city, Mistress. People have mixed opinions about you, good and bad and everything in between. My people have not reached Blue Cypress yet. This is about Green Pear City, Mistress.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You’ve already sent people there?”

“Yes, Mistress, Berthold’s unit. He reported that Green Pear City has been taken by a large orc tribe. The population has been enslaved and the orcs have taken residence in the city.”

Orcs again… And now they’re enemies… Maybe I can convince them to serve me?

It’ll end up the same way… I’ll have to choose between humans and orcs again… Besides, they won’t free the people they’ve enslaved and Kolag will have the same issue again… There’s no other choice, I have to get rid of them, defeat or chase them away… Or give up on Green Pear City, I'm stretching myself thin as it is. I need more men… No. Giving up isn’t an option either, they’ll decide it’s a weakness and attack me eventually…

“If only I had an army. Sharla. Find where I can recruit a large mercenary army to my service, at least five thousand men. I don’t mind if it’s a few separate companies, Salik will whip them into shape.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Your Majesty, if I may.” Jolla intervenes.

“Go on?”

The gnome fixes her glasses by pushing a slender finger against the bridge of her button nose. “Tolste Bay in the north has slave armies for sale. Only they can supply these numbers. The men in those armies are trained from birth, they are disciplined and follow orders to the letter.”

“Kolag?” I look at my armored boyfriend. I don't think he'd be ok with a slave army...

“You’re only staying here for less than two years. After two years you will leave this kingdom behind, am I correct?” his voice echoes. “Why won’t you buy the slave army and promise them freedom after two years of service or less? We both free slaves, give them an honorable way to free themselves, and earn their loyalty. It’s also something that will keep my conscience free, especially if we use such an army to free people enslaved by orcs.”

That’s… it’s a good idea, not just a compromise. That being said, if those men are born into slavery, I’m not sure how well they’ll adapt to freedom, but that’s not my problem. “Very well. I’ll send Salik to buy them. But what about money. Talbot? Did you count the money we got from Olfgram's vaults yet?”

“Yes. Your Majesty." The old man holds a bright smile under his bushy white beard. "We currently have 74,743 golden peas in total. We no longer need to issue taxes."

“And how many magical gems?” I ask.

“No magic coin your majesty, only golden peas and mundane gems.”

Disappointing.

Talbot continues. "The account of gems is: Twenty six topazes. Two rubies. Five opals. Forty two sapphires..."

I cover a yawn with my hand. “It’s alright, Talbot. Tell about the exact amount of gems later. How much will a slave army of five thousand men will cost?” I direct my question to Jolla.

“Fifty thousand gold if they’re human. A hundred thousand if they’re orc. The prices are set, there’s no haggling.”

Right... No haggling... This stinks of the Sapphire Tower... Also forty two sapphires... I won't be surprised if the Sapphire Tower has to do with how common sapphires are around here. But that's a matter for a different time.

“What about the population in Apricot City?” Did I finally reach ten thousand?

Including the drafted Red Spears, 2,381 people are currently living in apricot city, 504 whom are children below the age of fifteen. With the people living in Red Cedar, our combined population reach the number of 5,990.

Ugh... I'm never going to reach ten thousand like this... Buying five thousand slave soldiers should top it to ten thousand though... “Thank you, Talbot. What about the report from General Salik, Jolla?” I turn to the gnome scholar.

The gnome hands me a sealed letter. I break the seal and unfold the scroll.

To your majesty Queen Inara.
Apricot city had been restored, the streets have been cleaned, and the people are going back to a semblance of a normal life.
I’m letting both Ovin and Daor share the responsibility of managing the city, they’ve been doing a wonderful job so far. You are highly revered in these parts. Tales of how you’ve slain the cursed creature plaguing the city are told in the taverns, there are even songs in your honor.
Your personal cook has received all the help from us, he’s doing well, and already moved on.

My personal cook? Marasi is there? Doing well and already moved on… rotten snakes! He must’ve fooled Salik…

Below a couple of ink stains, the letter continues with a different, gigantic, child-like handwriting.

Zoe sai hi, I thynk I love her, I’m thynking of marryng that woman. She iz asking for the meditatychon metod to open her earth mana pool.

Best regards, your loyal subject, Salik.

I grin. The child-like handwriting definitely belongs to Zoe, she isn’t fooling anyone. I figure that with Salik’s missing hand someone else is helping him with the writing, she probably offered to finish his letter or something...

I request a clean parchment and ink from Tasiya, and write down my reply. Let’s get her in trouble…

Dear Salik.
If you wish to marry Zoe, you have my full support and blessing.

I have a task for you. Zoe can join if you two want to go on your honey moon.
I’m sending you money. Head to Tolste Bay and buy a slave army, at least ten thousand human men strong. Promise them freedom after two years of service.
I also need you to buy me a small river fleet, we need to control our section of the river, and ships to ferry these troops.
Make haste. I’m expecting another war, and as it stands, we’re currently defenseless. Orcs have taken over Green Pear City, and a clash with them is unavoidable.

Send Ryon and Berthold home, I could use their help over here.
Leave the city for Daor and Ovin to rule, and have them report to me about the city’s state each month. Tell Ovin I’ll send him a meditation method or a cantrip for each monthly report I get, and make sure they both know that the citizens’ happiness comes first.
I’m adding a meditation method for both Zoe and Ovin to study.
Good luck!
Queen Inara.
P.S. I’ve never sent the cook anywhere, I want him caught, dead or alive. Pass the word.

I add a description of the meditation method with a rough sketch. I roll the parchment and seal it with wax, using the horse crest on my ring.

“Make sure this reaches General Salik.” I hand the parchment to Tasiya. "Send him fifty thousand golden peas from the treasury, and two hundred magical gems from my coffers... Actually, make it five hundred. I have no idea how much ships are going to cost, and I've got the gems to spare." Should be careful though, can't afford to throw them around carelessly. It paid to save all of my gems back from Axero City, I can use these funds now.

Tasiya nods and leaves the room.

“Any other matters for this week?”

"Will you attend Olfgram's execution, Your Majesty?" Kolag asks, not for the first time.

Really? Do you hope I'll change my opinion because of what? Some dumb social pressure from my own council? Oh, Kolag... "No. I have no interest in that snake pot beyond the need to be rid of him. See to it."

"Your Majesty, if I may speak freely. When you order someone's execution, you should be the one to carry it out. The least you can do is attend. Life, even the life of a bad person, isn't so meaningless to throw around."

When you ask to speak freely, you wait for a permission, bucket head. "Tell that to all the innocents Luard executed while Olfgram watched."

"Are you saying you're the same as King Luard, Your Majesty?"

Ouch... we've been over this, Kolag. I don't care. I made it clear. Why ambush me when my advisors are here? What are you hoping to achieve. "I'm saying I don't value a bastard like Olfgram to give him a formal public execution. If you did not insist that this was justice and that the people need to see his death, I'd have slit his throat in my dungeon. Go on and have your fun with the public, but don't drag me into your weird fetish." Ouch. That was harsher than I intended. Sorry, Kolag, but you should really stop...

He gets up sharply with a metallic creak. "It is human to care! Life is a big deal. Death is a big deal. It shouldn't be flailed around carelessly, Inara. Life and death should be treated with respect, even the lives of those you hate."

"This meeting is adjourned, everyone." I get up and leave the council room. Talking to me about it in private is one thing, this ambush is another.

"Inara!"

I ignore him, walking toward my room. I notice Aisha running away in the other direction of the corridor. Followed by the slow steps of Jolla and Talbot. Why did I ask the poor woman to attend? And what if she's a spy?! I doubt it. he'll get used to it, and she didn't ask or comfortable with her position to be a spy. I really need some voice to the people of my city that isn't Kolag.

"Inara, stop!"

Speaking of Kolag... I keep ignoring him.

"Inara!" He blocks my path.

I place my hands on my hips. "What made you think it was a good idea to spring this ambush on me like that?"

"You refused to talk about this. It was the only way I could get you to talk."

"The only way to piss me off. Kolag, I don't have to agree with your every opinion, and the final word here is mine. I heard your argument. I happen to disagree. Learn to accept a no. In fact. You can cancel Olfgram's execution." I turn around and head for the dungeons.

"Where are you going?" The echoing voice asks anxiously.

"To kill the bastard. He lived long enough. I should've never listened to you. I should've never kept him alive. Lezere had the right idea. You don't show mercy to a wolf, you kill him as quick as possible and without pain."

"Inara, stop!" He holds my shoulder and turns me around.

I fold my hands over my chest. "No. You said you're dangerous to me, and that you should lock yourself in the dungeon too. If you keep challenging my authority like that, I might just take you up on that offer."

He takes a step back as if I've hit him with a stream of molten lava. "I..."

"You're what? Disagree with my lack of respect toward life and death?"

He perks up. "Yes! You should...

I cut him off with a sharp hand gesture. "I heard you, Kolag. I heard your argument the first time, and the second, and the third, and the fourth, and the twenty nine times you stated your argument. I disagree. You won't let this go, and now you think it's a good idea to challenge my authority publicly, again. Maybe you are dangerous."

"I would never hurt you!" he exclaims with a loud echo.

I raise an eyebrow. "Oh really? Because you already did, based on your opinion of being right."

"But I was right!"

I heave a heavy sigh. "That's not the issue. Kolag, you have to learn how to let go. Even if you're right, you won't always get what you want, and the world won't shape itself around according to your ideas of right and wrong. You don't know how to let go. If you disagree, you either argue the other side to death, or you stab them. You did both to me already. Learn to accept or live with other people and their choices, especially the ones you disagree with. If you can't do that with me, then I don't want to see you anymore. I've got too much on my mind already."

I head to my dungeons. Kolag looms silently behind me, metallic steps creaking against stone.

It takes a few minutes, and only once we reach the stairs down in the low stone corridor does Kolag speak. "Are you going to kill him now?"

"Yes. Are you going to stop me?"

"I... I should."

"Will you?"

He fidgets, his armor creaks. "No. I'm unhappy with your disregard for life, of course. I... You're right. I never thought about it. It was just what's right and what's wrong according to Noxi's law. I will try to do as you say."

"Good. Trying is all I can ask from you."

"I still think you should lock me up."

"And I still think you should let go of your guilt. It's dumb, and it's holding you back."

"Like how not eating human flesh for power is holding you back?"

I stop. "It's not the same!"

"It's exactly the same! It's... opinions... ideals... right and wrong is a set of opinions. You said so yourself. So why won't you eat human flesh and souls? You'd be stronger if you had, we both know that. What's stopping you?"

"Are you arguing that I should eat human flesh now? It won't happen. Leave." I turn and keep walking toward the dungeon.

He strides after me. "No. Never! I'm saying that there's more to right and wrong than just opinions. What makes us humans, or sapient. Why do we view something like murder, rape, and theft as wrong? Why are such things obviously wrong? Either because Noxi said so for so long that everyone now believes it to be true, like you argued. Or." He halts, the suddenness of the move forcing me to halt in tandem and pivot to face him. Seeing he has my attention, he dips his head slightly before continuing. "There's something beyond Noxi that believes so. Something so fundamental in our universe that goes beyond the gods. Or maybe Lokamesh..."

I roll my eyes. "So there has to be something mystical and divine about our sense of right and wrong? It couldn't just be simple common sense?"

"Common sense," Kolag echoes. "Listen to the words. Common. Sense. A common opinion. A common opinion is something that changes from race to race, culture to culture. We both know that the common sense in orcish culture is to enslave, rape, and murder people for being weak. As well as eat your fallen or your enemies. And we both agree that's wrong because we have a fundamental sense of right and wrong. Even the orcs would agree if they had that sense, Lezere would agree with us."

Mention of our friend fires a fresh wave of irritation within me. "Now you're just deluding yourself. A part of me is glad Lezere died before our clash with the orcs... We might've had to kill her if she was still alive and sided with the orcs." I shake my head. "No. You're right. Common sense is just a commonality of sense. There's no right and wrong... and the fact I've insisted on not consuming human flesh is dumb beyond all reasons... It even got innocents killed before. Yet I still can't do it. I guess the common sense I grew up with simply holds me back..." A bitter chuckle rips from my throat. Fuck... The hag was right after all."

"No, Kolag replies at once. "She wasn't. Compassion. Empathy. These things aren't formed by common sense. Our own nature is what forms common sense. Forget orcs. Orcs are monsters with Lezere being the exception. No. Human common sense is formed by our compassion and empathy. Lokamesh instilled that in us when he created us, so we'll know right from wrong.

I spin away and continue down the dank corridor, Kolag’s footsteps chasing me. "More religious babble? Are you following Lokamesh now?"

"No. But Lokamesh is the creator of human kind, and there's a reason he instilled compassion into us."

"Oh really? I wonder why he added so much ambition, greed, and lust into the mix. Humans kill and hurt each other over those three way too much. For the God of Peace, his creations aren't all that peaceful really. Slavers, rapists, murderers."

Kolag’s sigh echoes behind me. "Inara, how many slavers rapists and murderers exist compared to the average folk?"

"A lot."

"A lot?" The disbelief is clear in his echoing voice. "One in fifty people is a cruel evil bastard who needs to die. You're overlooking all the normal people who just want to live their lives peacefully. You're overlooking the victims. The ones who show compassion to strangers. Kindness. Like that traveling tribe you met when you escaped the tower." He paces up beside me, the hallway only just wide enough for us to walk shoulder-to-shoulder. "You're arguing that humans are fundamentally bad. I think humans are fundamentally good, with a few bad apples. When one bad apple gets to the top, he or she tend to incite too much chaos and war that makes you view humanity as a whole as bad. We're not bad. We're compassionate, and kind, and gentles. Most of us just want to build a life with the good spouse, a nice house, a stable income, and a bunch of kids."

Right... "And I'm not fully human."

"You're half human, he counters. "It's the dominant half from what I've seen."

"Maybe. So... let me get this straight. You're arguing that right and wrong is inbuilt into humans as an instinct, according to Lokamesh' ideals of right and wrong?"

He nods. "Yes."

"Huh... well. An interesting theory. But if that's the case I should really break my sense of right and wrong. I don't like the fact a god is twisting my sense of morality and choice with his own idea of right and wrong." Fuck Lokamesh. Fuck the gods. And fuck everyone who'll take away any semblance of freedom I still have left.

By now we’ve reached Olfgram’s cell. I stop before it, hand reaching into my pouch for the key.

As if he can sense my mental disquiet or possibly read my mind, Kolag clears his throat. "Then why are you still alive? A god created you, took from you the choice of existing and gave you an inert will to survive and live on. Why would you let Lokamesh take away your choice? Wouldn't you rather die than live in a world where a god took your fundamental choice away?"

"This makes no sense!" I declare.

"Inara..."

Fuck you too! Why do you have to complicate everything?! Life is too complicated anyway. "Enough!" I slot the key and open Olfgram's cell door. The tied up man looks worse for wear. Drools trickles down his chin. His white mustache his half torn and his eyes are shut.

I place my hand on his head, and the bronze chains that hold him rattle. "My choice made for me?! Then what I'm doing now is on your precious gods!"

"Inara..."

"Myrsha ritsa." <Gravity repulse.>

The head explodes like a ripe watermelon. Showering me with gore, blood, and pieces of skull and brain. Great... now I need a bath. Couldn't I do this in a cleaner manner?!

I wipe some blood off my face. "Don't challenge my authority openly again, Kolag. If you disagree. Come to me privately, and I'll hear you out. Are we clear on that?"

"Crystal," he answers with a looming echo.

Two days later, I do manage to cast the mastered version of instant freeze. It does need to be amplified for the air to turn into liquid, but it's actually rather simple to do. All that was needed is a change of perspective about air, viewing air as a liquid instead of well... air.

The blinding light is a dead end. Frustrated, I stop focusing on mastering it and switch to mastering a gravity spell, a simple one. Leo's Pull. The mastery of it is also rather easy to figure out. The spell violently pulls objects toward me. A control over the strength of that pull is all I need to master it.

It's something I easily achieve within a day.

"Myrsha." <Pull.> I cast the spell on my grimoire.

The fifth gem lights up, and my grimoire unlocks with a click.

Finally! About damn time!

Ok. No researching spells now. None of that. I'm going to take it slow later. When I thought about the spells I want. This is an extremely precious and a limited resource...

Now... Back to meditation. It's about time I consume the soul in my veins.

I float in my trance and fantasy. The world is blackness. Nothing disturb me. The mana flows with my breaths. In. Out.

In. Out.

“Inara? Wake up! Inara!” Kolag shakes me violently, dragging me back to reality.

“Hm?” I keep my eyes close, I don’t want to leave the trance. I’ve fully strengthened and connected my abdomen storage mana pool. Now I can convert mana from other pools at a decreased cost.

Focusing on it, I can tell I also have a pool of general mana now. It’s not at the size of the necklace, but more mana is more mana.

I savor the feeling and focus on my neck-bridge mana pool, I’ve already started connecting it as well. The soul of the red-fae is nearly gone by now, dissolving into abundances of rich mana.

“Inara!!! Wake up! You need to wake up!” Kolag’s voice again, go away, I’m meditating!

“Inara!”

“What?!” I open my eyes and scream when I fall down to the floor. What was I doing floating so high in the air?!

Kolag helps me stand. “It’s Sharla, someone tried to kill her. Jolla is treating her wounds as we speak. Jerro said that the woman who tried to kill her is coming to kill you!”

*~*~*

Interlude 132.1

Dana

It’s odd to be back in Red Cedar City. But it feels good. It feels good to take revenge on the woman who ended her career here. And Dana isn’t alone this time, she came with stronger and better assassins. Their leader, Normier is a Shaf of Tiyadi, a harbinger of death and doom.

As for his second in command. Sierra has already dispatched the spy who almost found out about their presence. Dana saw how she beheaded that stupid woman, it was quite a sight. The spy wasn’t exactly obvious, but Sierra noticed her even behind a wall. This is how true professionals operate.

This time the cursed harpy Inara will die, Sierra herself had promised to do the deed, and that woman scares even Dana.

Dana crouches on the rooftop, she’s simply the backup on this op, all she has to do is sit and wait. If Sierra fails, she’ll escape into the planned ambush outside the palace. Maybe Sierra should fail, Dana wants to get her revenge with her own hands…

Dana glances at Rukhan on the opposite roof. The man is disturbing to say the least, even for an assassin he’s way too sadistic. Dana recalls their last victim and shudders. The images of blood on the poor woman's thighs and chest are not something Dana will forget. Dana can kill. She is ok with ending lives, but that amount of sadistic torture is just sick. Maybe this awful Queen should fall into his hands. Dana wants to see her going through that ordeal, it’ll be a good revenge.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 25/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 21 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 965 Magic Gems.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
10g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Unlocked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 26,163 Golden Peas.

Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 5,990 souls.

Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-01-11 16:34:20 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 132 in color

2024-01-11 16:33:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 131 colorless

Chapter 131 New Threats II

If you have discernment,
you can learn from any teacher without taking on their shadow.
Tukado, the Creator.

Loose Lips Potion.

Basil.
Lavender or an energy element flower substitute.
Ground zircon gem. 1g
Blue eyed witch flower. A single petal.
Honey.
A single Almond.
A single owl's feather.

Effect: Whoever drinks the potion is forced to speak the truth.
Note: Promises the mortal made after drinking this potion can be broken if the mortal changed his or her mind.

I glance at the long list of instructions and head down to the garden to look for ingredients.

The sunny gardens are calming as always, and the colorful flowers make me consider gardening as a relaxing activity. I sure need one with all of this stress.

I find Tiom pruning his rose bushes. "Hey Tiom! Do you have Blue Eye Witch flowers? Also any idea where I can get almonds and zircon gems?"

“Hello, young mage. I’m afraid I don’t have the Blue Eyed Witch flowers. They’re tropical flowers, and you cannot find them on this island.” A thoughtful expression flashes across the gardener’s face. “I do not even have an alternative to the psyche elemental flowers. I cannot help you.”

He turns away and then pauses, before pivoting back around to face me, his brows now lowered in what might be concern.

“I heard you imprisoned Lord Gemhand. I must thank you.”

Right... great... what now? I guess I'll have to unlock my grimoire somehow and get that mind reading spell... I still have to somehow master the shield spell... and then I have 3 more spells, I don't even know where to begin... This sucks! If I won't work on it, I'll never master it...

Better get started.

I take a few steps away from Tiom. "Myrsha samir." <Gravity protects.> I summoned a curved wall of the shield. What else do I need to do to master it? "Myrsha samir." <Gravity protects.> I evoke a barrier with a hole in it, one I could shoot magic through if I wanted to. I feel like I mastered the damn thing, but I'm clearly missing something. "Myrsha samir." <Gravity protects.> I summon separate shapes of the barrier.

"Can you also wrap Tukado's Defense around the skin of another and prevent them from moving? Can you use it to entrap a person?" Tiom's voice makes me jump.

That's it! "Tiom! You're a genius! Thank you!" I kiss his cheek. The old man blushes and drops his pruning scissors, he gathers his wits and clears his throat loudly, pushing me away gently.

I take a step back with a grin. "Stand still, I need to try this." "Myrsha samir." <Gravity protects.> I do manage an opposite bubble around him, but it's not sticking to his skin. I dismiss the shield.

"Ahem. You are close to mastery, young lady. Not many mages can claim a mastery over a cantrip, it's simply not done. Very impressive."

"Wait... this isn't common?"

"No."

Damn that hag... "Can you tell me what's the sign of mastery for other spells? I need to master a few of them."

He moves a slow hand on his wrinkled jaw. "I told you. I'm retired. Ask someone else. Maybe Jolla."

"Please?"

"No. Tell me something. The Lord Gemhand. Are you going to kill him?"

I fold my hands. "Most likely."

"Hrmmm... May I talk to him before you end his life?"

"Only if you tell me the requirement to master a few spells of my choice," I reply with a grin.

"Ah... I won't talk to him then. It was just hunting for a gecko above the mirage cloud. Carry on." He turns back and limps toward the rose bushes.

I follow him, matching his slow pace. "Come on, Tiom. It's not like it's hard for you to tell me. You already know this stuff, you just have to say a few words, it'll help me immensely! In return, you can talk to Olfgram, and I'll owe you a favor. How about that?"

"Hrm... Don't promise favors you can't repay, young lady. But alright, just this once, and only two spells. What spells do you want to know about?"

"Five spells! Please?" I bat my eyes at him.

"Two."

"Come on, five. It doesn't cost you anything!"

"Three. And if you keep haggling, I won't tell you a single one."

"Thank you!" I kiss his cheek again and barely hold back my laughter when he blushes. Ok... so what spells were most useful to me in a fight? "Lesser flight spell?"

He grunts, scratching his head awkwardly. "The basic spell would only enable you to fly in the direction you face. Mastery includes flying backward without looking. It is quite disorienting from what I've heard."

"Sonic scream?" I hope there's a way to direct it into a single target...

He shakes his head. "I won't tell you this one."

"You promised!"

"Not this one. If you practice it, all I'll hear is screams for the next week. No. Pick something else."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Fine. Instant freeze?" I hope there's a way not to freeze some of the water around me...

"That is a very hard cantrip to master. The basic spell releases a cold wave that freezes liquid around you. It is possible to freeze the air itself. Cast it with amplifying patterns for extra cold, and focus on freezing the air. You'll reach mastery if clear icy water fall from the air. Do not touch the icy water, you'll freeze your fingers beyond normal healing. Liquified air cannot be controlled without transmutation magic."

Right... A stronger version sounds a little useless with amplifying patterns... "Is there a way not to freeze some of the water around me?"

"Yes. Water to Ice spell. Instant freeze uses four of its five patterns for its freezing effect, the last one is isolating the caster, but it cannot be expanded upon without an extra pattern, and you can't build a six pattern cantrip or the spell will require too much mana."

"You know how the spell patterns work? Can you help me form new spells or explain them?"

"I told you, young lady, I'm retired. Your last spell?"

Ugh... Fine! If I can't do a selective freeze, what about... "Blinding Light? Can I cast it without blinding myself somehow?" I could cast it multiple times, keep everyone around me blinded while I hit them with my magic...

"Indeed. The mastery for this is full control over the light. Blinding only in the directions you'd wish to blind. But I found that holding a hand between your eyes and the focal point of the spell is often enough. I've held up my end of our deal, now allow me to see the Lord Gemhand."

"Alright. Follow me."

"Olfgram." Tiom doesn't stand on ceremony inside the bleak prison cell. He approaches his adversary with a grim expression on his elderly wrinkled face.

"Hehehe... Tiom! Have you come to mock me?" Olfgram slurs, tongue gagging out of his mouth.

"What have you done to him?" Tiom asks me without turning, his tone livid.

"Me? Nothing. Sharla has been giving him some pixie dust."

"That's way above the amount you should be giving anyone," Tiom chides.

I fold my hands. "I trust Sharla to know what she's doing."

"Mock me! Spit on me! I know you want to! Do it! You miserable old cur!" Olfgram spits in our direction and giggles to himself like a madman. Maybe Sharla overdid it? No. I doubt that. She probably wants him addicted as soon as possible.

Tiom shakes his head. "No such thing. You are about to die, Olfgram. I'd like you to tell me what you did with Nalfit. Perhaps it'll bring closure to us both..."

"Nalfit? Pshaw, you're still going on about that bitch? It's been years, man! Decades! I sold her in Tolste's Bay ages ago. Hehehehhe..."

Tiom grabs Olfgram by the collar. "Sold her? Like a slave?"

"How else do you sell a woman? Heheheheheh..."

Tiom lets Olfgram go and turns to me. "I'm afraid you'll have to find another gardener, I must leave your fair city. I've got business to attend to in Tolste's Bay. Tell your new gardener to take care of the blooming sowbread flowers, they don't need much since they're self sustaining, but it'd be a shame if they die out. I hope we meet again under better circumstances. May you find your way on the Path of Knowledge."

"Wait! Nalfit. A young woman? Ginger hair. Won't shut up for a single moment? Likes to gossip and flirts with anyone she sees?"

The elderly man stops in his tracks and eyes me with wonder. "Have you met her?"

"Yes... I... I'm sorry to say, she's dead."

He shakes his head. "I still have to track her whereabouts. Where did she die?"

"A small hamlet in the Kingdom of Mansel'a. I don't even remember the name of the village, but it can be accessed through the Sapphire Tower. They have of their teleportation doors about a day's walk from that village."

His fists clench tight. "I see. When did she die there?"

"About... Over a year ago. I'm sorry. We were good friends she and I, I did not know you knew her."

He smiles kindly. "Neither did I, and yet, fate has arranged for us to meet. Or maybe Lady Luck is playing a game again... I thank you, Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. I still must leave."

"Tiom... There... There wasn't much left of her body. I'm sorry. I don't think you'll find it."

"You'll be surprised. Good bye."

The elderly man leaves the cellar, and I follow him silently. Olfgram's mad giggles chase us out.

"Heheheheheehehee..."

I spend the next few days practicing and mastering my cantrips. It takes me two more days before I can wrap the "Kinetic Defense" like a second skin around a target and immobilize it that way. If used with the first level yellow barrier, this will last for a minute or longer, allowing me to capture a target with this spell as well.

I cast it on the grimoire, and a second gem lights up. Finally!

With that done. I move on to master the "Blinding Light" cantrip. The ability to blind everyone but myself is rather alluring, since it can both give me an edge and help escape from a sticky situation.

When I run out of light mana, I attempt an amplified "Instant Freeze" to freeze the air.

And once my water mana is out, I move on to practice my "Lesser Flight."

There's a reason I asked for 3 different elements. It triples my practice time. If I had asked only for gravity spells, I'd be stuck practicing one spell at a time.

{28} Brigit (August) The 17th

“Myrsha, nia tsaf lah. Lah shitol ni latsa lah, fel ka’am J’an nia kent.” <Gravity, I command you. You will give me to defy you, and move as I want.>

I soar upward. Flying around the palace with the wind blowing up my tied up hair. I wince to protect my eyes from the wind. If I could fly backward I could also protect my eyes from the wind. But I've been trying for three days. I can only move myself backward in the air at a very slow pace, no where near the normal flight speed of this spell. I think the block here is more psychological than magical. People aren't conditioned to run backward, same goes to flying. It's like running backward... Yet, some people probably can run backward at nearly the same speed. If I have no chance of running into anyone I should be able to do it, but I can't.

I've got an idea...

I climb higher, gaining more and more altitude until it becomes a little hard to breathe. It's freezing up here, and people in the tiny city below me are at the size of small bugs around the bigger fruit-like brown housings.

I look up, and turn my body in the air to lay on my back. I will myself to fall backward, letting gravity do its thing while keeping my magic active.

Blood and adrenaline rush to my head and my vision darkens for a split second. Terrified, I catch myself with the magic and turn to look down. I'm still very high, and nothing happened. I climb back, close my eyes, and let myself fall again. Scream. Catch myself. Fly up, panting, and repeat.

Only now I manage to let myself fall freely for five seconds without fear. What if I hit the ground? I stop myself and open my eyes, twisting in the air to look down. I'm surprised by how high I still am.

Enough! I'm doing it! And I'm counting until 20 at the very least! I climb. Lay back in the air with my eyes closed and my hands crossed on my chest. Weave an extra extending pattern into my flight spell, and let myself fall back.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Six...

Seven...

Eight...

Nine...

T-ten...

El-eleven! Eleven!

Twelve! No, thirteen!

Oh snakes!

I stop myself midair and look down again, gasping, sweat dripping off my skin despite the freezing temperatures up here. I'm still extremely high in the sky, so far from the ground that I could probably do this safely for a minute or two.

Again! Not stopping before thirty now!

I climb, close my eyes, and fall with my hands crossed on my chest.

One!

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five!

Six!

Seven!

Eight!

Nine!

Ten!

Eleven!

Twelve!

Thirteen?

Fourteen!

Fifteen!

Sixteen!

Seventeen!

Eighteen? I'm killing myself! Snakes!

No I'm not! I'm increasing my chances for survival!

I'm insane!

Yes because I'm still falling! Ha! "Hmhmhahihihihihi!"

I laugh uncontrollably.

Still falling.

Wind brushing past my shoulders, pushing my coat and skirts between my legs and under my arms.

My long ponytail flutters in the wind to the left of my head.

The clouds above me seem further and further.

I hear people shouting from far below me.

I halt my fall and turn to look down. The city is still rather far. I fell about half the distance, and the rich air down here fills up my lungs. I lean back and fly backward with a smile, and I maintain the same speed of 'Lesser Flight'. Ha! I knew it! It's psychological.

I dart downward, fly to the palace and enter my chambers via the open window. The maid in my chambers screams in alarm, then calms down and bows in apology. I ignore her, and rush to my grimoire.

“Myrsha, nia tsaf lah. Lah shitol ni latsa lah, fel ka’am J’an nia kent.” <Gravity, I command you. You will give me to defy you, and move as I want.>

The third gem lights up.

Yes!

{28} Brigit (August) The 24th

"Revissor ak!" <Light strong!> The flash blinds me as always. No matter how much I try to influence it to do my bidding. I've been at it for a week. This and freezing the air. No progress. In hindsight, it might've been a bad idea to ask for the way to master spells that I have lower affinity for...

Should I give up? Pick a pair of gravity spells to master? Or keep trying? Is there a trick to it? Like flying backward?

I've been at it already. I have no idea what the trick is if there is one. The air won't freeze, and the light keeps blinding me even if I cast it with my eyes forced open...

"I got Olfgram to talk, Mistress." Sharla disturbs me from my training.

"About time! Take me to him." I get up from my chair and stumble on a pillow. My room is a mess... I shouldn't have chased that maid away...

Sharla leans on the doorway with her hands crossed. "No need. I've got everything. We can go to him if you want to hear it from his mouth though."

"No, it's fine. Tell me what you know about his plans."

"He has a cousin in Blue Cypress City. Got him to convince the local ruler to attack Red Cedar. They're planning to attack at Nuriss (March), so we have time. Unless Olfgram was lying about it, cause us to drop our guard. I'm going to send someone to Blue Cypress City, and see what I can find for you. I got all I could from Olfgram, Mistress. You can do whatever you want to him."

"What about that other secret he mentioned?"

Sharla grins. "He has a vault full of gold and gems under his mansion, and I've got the key."

*~*~*

Interlude 131.1

A King. Miles away.

Everything in order in the King's court. Not a single one of his combed hair is out of place. The marble pillars reflect the sunlight, and not even a single mote of dust can be spotted on the purple carpet leading to his throne.

The King, an apprentice to one of the most powerful mages in existence, will do as his master commands and bring ten of these barbarian cities under heel. He already controls a majority of six cities, he only needs four more.

Risif, the King's right hand man, a man his master had lent him, approaches the throne.

"Narwal Gemhand is here, Your Majesty." Risif bows deeply.

"Send him in." The King leans back in his throne. His master better reward him for this waste of time on the Gray Islands. They both know he can conquer ten cities with ease. This is only a damned formality. He can't wait to get back to the Sapphire Tower to finally ascend and study actual magic, not the little cantrips they give to white robes.

Narwal Gemhand is a mousy thin looking man in rich purple robes decorated gold. The king has no doubt the rat picked the color to flattet his King. An empty gesture. "Your Majesty. We received word that Queen Inara had imprisoned my cousin. We are prepared to offer a hefty sum for her head."

The king leans his shaved chin on his hand. He was going to attack this Inara anyway. She holds three cities, and from what his spies tell him her hold is very weak at the moment. The King was only waiting for spring, for a prime time to march his fifteen thousand men army. And now this Inara was foolish enough to cross the Gemhand family. So much for a woman named "eternal". "How much are we talking about?"

Narwal gives a slimy smile. "A hundred thousand gold pieces."

"You'll have her head soon enough. I give you my word." The King promises. This just makes it a win win.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 85
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 21 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral 6:1, neutral : elemental 1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 30 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/23 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 69 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 7 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 93/104 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 20 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 1465 Magic Gems. 1420 Golden Peas, 45 Silver Scales, 32 Copper Bits.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
1 potions of Lesser Healing.
2 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
42g Rose petals.
20g Lavender petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Locked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 4462 Golden Peas.

Kingdom’s citizen: Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children. 5263 total.
Apricot City: approximate 800+ humans.

Kingdom's army: 93 Footmen. 13 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-01-08 16:22:18 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 131 in color

2024-01-08 16:21:27 +0000 UTC View Post

Chaper 130 colorless

Chapter 130 New Threats I

When you reach the top, you don’t have time to rest!
Keep fighting! Make sure your place at the top is secure!
If you stop and enjoy the fruits of victory,
You’ll find out they’re being taken from you.

Rakisha, Mother of all Demons.

{28} Brigit (August) The 14th

The next few days are spent on reorganizing the confused city and sending food to Apricot City in the south like I've promised. I spend a lot of time attempting to master the shield spell. While I do make some progress, the stubborn grimoire refuses to acknowledge my cantrip as "Mastered."

Despite the blood fae's soul still burning in my veins, I spend the rest of my free time is Kolag's company, too much time is spent in Kolag's company, but I'm rather happy about it. If anything, the feverish feel of the blood fae's soul makes my time with Kolag more pleasant.

While he’s only limited to touching me—and I can’t exactly touch him back—there are a lot of ways to enjoy just that. The weight of his gaze on me sends a jolt of sharp heat across my chest, almost in a mocking mimicry of the pressure from his hands there last night. He wouldn't even removed my corset, instead untying it with teasing slowness and sliding his gauntleted hand across my skin. I’d arch into his touch, desiring more, wanting to unburden him of his armor despite knowing I can't.

For now, these fleeting moments, with our bodies separated by the metal imprisoning him, are all we have.

I shake my head, knocking loose those lovesick thoughts. Focus on the meeting. Have more fun later. Now’s the time for politics.

I focus on the council I gathered around the table. Other than Kolag in his armor, Jerro is there, leaning on his cane. The prophet often sneaks a glance to Sharla.

The fae girl sits near the table in the guise of a black haired maid I've seen around the palace, she even wears the woman's gray dress.

Tasiya doesn't hide the contempt she holds for Sharla and her current form. I know that Sharla pulled more than one prank on Tasiya and her crew of maids, but no matter how much I asked her to stop she wouldn't.

Talbot moves the beads in his abacus with his wrinkly hand, and the sounds of wooden knocking follow. His other hand combs through his long white beard slowly.

Jolla jots slowly in her parchment, and raises her white eyes at me, fixing her glasses on her red nose with a slender pale finger.

While Aisha sits near on the edge of her chair uncomfortably, twirling some of her blond hair around a finger.

“Can anyone tell me where Marasi is?” I ask, looking at my council around the round table. My eyes glide to Kolag's helmet and hands despite my attempts to focus on the matter at hand.

“I believe he left.” The answer comes from Tasiya Keyholder. She isn’t sitting, she’s standing near the door with a pair of maids by her side. Her gray outfit matches the red bricks behind her. Her brown eyes jump to the yellow flower vases on the shelves across the room, I can tell she’s itching to take care of them after this meeting is over.

“That’s how Elflings are, my love.” The echoing voice comes from Kolag. “I believe I’ve warned you. They stay in one place until they've caused enough damage or someone sees through their web of lies, then they up and leave before anyone can bring them to justice.”

Right… so he didn’t have connections at all? Or is he working for someone else? Meant to lead me to a trap in Apricot City while causing riots here? How could I just blindly trust him? Can I blindly trust the people here? Talbot? Jolla? Tasiya? Why do they even work for me so well? Do I need to test their loyalty?
Let’s assume the worse…
I do need a spy master… someone I can fully trust… Someone who can keep an eye on them... “Sharla.”

“Yes, Mistress?”

“I want you to construct a net of informants in this city, I want to know everything there is to know about this place. Think you can do that?”

“It’ll be done, Mistress…” She gets up and heads toward the exit.

“Sit, I’m not done yet.” I stop her. “Take your time and work on it, I want weekly reports about anything of note. When you’re done here, I want you to construct a similar net in Apricot City. I also need information about Green Pear City, we were supposed to go there after Apricot, but now I’m concerned about the situation there. I want you to find everything you can about Marasi’s whereabouts, and who is he working for.”

She nods. “It’ll be done, Mistress…”

I give Jerro a look to see if he has an issue with it, something I do now without thinking.

He smiles at me happily as if I did him a huge favor. He never shows so much emotion… Why is he looking at me like that? What does he see? Hmm… oh wait, his skills could come in handy when it comes to constructing an information net too…

“Jerro, you’ll work with Sharla on this, you’ll dedicate your predictions to assisting with her tasks.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” he replies happily.

“Good, now to the next order of business. Talbot?”

My old accountant perks up from his abacus. “Hmm? Yes! Yes! There are currently 5,263 souls living in Red Cedar City. 3,609 whom are adults, and a 1,654 whom are under the age of fifteen. This is accurate for yesterday, hmmph, the treasury is nearly empty, 9462 golden peas and no magical coins. I recommend raising taxes as soon as possible.” He sits down back to moving beads in his abacus.

Is it all numbers to you?! These are people! “You’ll do no such thing! The people have suffered enough!"

“Yes, Your Majesty…” he deflates, sitting down.

"Where did all the money go exactly?” I ask.

"Your Majesty. Ship captains are not free, and we had to ship a lot of food to Apricot City. You demanded that we'll pay any price for transportations, and the captains have demanded a high price. There was also a large payment you demanded to transfer to one named Daor for saving people's lives."

Right... we had over a hundred gems in the treasury, if each gem is 500 gold coins, that was over 50,000... “Talbot, how many captains did you have to pay, and how much money did they demand?"

"Ten ship owners. Each demanded five thousand gold coins."

Are you stealing some of the money? I can't help but frown. "They all demanded the same price? How would that even work?"

Jolla is the one to offer an explanation. "They all work for the Lord Gemhand. He's the one to call the prices on such things..."

Right... well... it looks like I'll have to do something about him... I'll talk to Sharla later. "Talbot, what’s our food count after we shipped that food to Apricot City?”

He moves his hand in his long white beard, absorbed in his abacus. “Hmm? Food?” He raises his head to look at me after a long moment. “Yes, yes. Our stores are full, Your Majesty, do you suggest we export food? Hmmph. We have 602 bushels of wheat, two…”

“Enough.” I raise my hand sharply. “We have plenty of food, correct?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty. We have enough food for thirteen months, Your Majesty. Assuming the next harvest will be average, and our storage won’t be…”

"Ok. Good. And Apricot City? How long will their food last?"

The old man raises his brown eyes from his abacus. "I do not know, Your Majesty. I will need their headcount to calculate."

"Very well. You’ll sail to Apricot City. I want you to count the treasuries of Apricot City, give me a headcount of civilians living there as well as their current food situation after the aid we sent them. Please come back when you have an accurate report and a detailed report about the situation within the city from General Salik.”

“Your majesty, I…” He goes quiet, squeezing his long beard as if he's about to rip it off his chin.

I put a hand on my hip. “Yes? If you have any questions, speak up.”

“I-I’ve never left Red Cedar City…” he admits, lowering his gaze.

Let's separate them for the time being. Tasiya was in a direct contact with Marasi. I'll have Sharla investigate her first, and if they're all working for someone, Tasiya will have no one to turn to... Unless it's Gemhand... and if she turns to Gemhand, I'll have the perfect excuse to hang him... “Aw, well, it’s time you leave the city and see the world then. Jolla will come with you, you two seem to be getting along.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jolla raises her head from her parchments and fixes her spectacles, seemingly unbothered by my suspicions. “I’ll be sure to report to General Salik.”

“Thank you.” I move my gaze to my armored boyfriend. “Kolag, how’re the recovery efforts in Red Cedar coming along?”

Kolag's visor moves from focusing on my hips to my face, and I already feel warmer. We've been at it for a few days now. While he's only limited to touching me, there are a lot of ways to enjoy just that. “Pretty well. The orcs haven’t done as much damage to the city, only the people, and the people are recovering. The problem is petty criminals. I want some funds to expand the Peacekeepers Knights, we lack equipment and...”

“Didn’t you hear? The treasury is almost empty!” Talbot gets up to his feet, waving an angry fist at my armored boyfriend.

I raise my eyebrows, surprised. I’ve never seen this kind old man loses his calm before. What are you hiding that you're so nervous? Enough. Enough with the paranoia. He could be innocent. It might just have been my order to leave the city, he’s stressed… “Sit down, Talbot!”

“Ahem… I’m sorry Your Majesty, but we can’t spare the peas.”

“There are nearly ten thousand gold pieces in the treasury, and I also have my personal funds. It should be enough to equip the knights. After that, we’ll see what we can do about coin. I’m suspecting we might have some money back at Apricot City, but if I’m wrong, my personal funds will do until we can figure something out. I have plenty of magical gems left.”

“Hmmph, yes, Your Majesty. Your Majesty, may I ask. How many magical coins do you have?”

“A little over five hundred," I lie just in case. "Should be enough, correct?”

“For the next two years, if there are no further expenses, but there are always expenses. For the next year then. Hrmmm...” The old man looks at his abacus, but he doesn’t move the beads, only shaking in place.

Leaving the city will be good for him… and I need him somewhere else right now… I hope I’m wrong about more of my advisor being traitors... and I hope I'm right about Apricot City treasury… Even if the gangs took everything, it should be recovered from their hideouts. I hope their hideouts are within the city… I’ll write to Salik to look for it…

“If no one has anything else to add, this meeting adjourned!” I declare, getting out of the room. The soul of the blood fae is still burning in my veins. I want to start meditating, I need to absorb it, and I can't let Kolag distract me from doing that anymore... But before that.

My eyes settle on Jerro, the only one who's walking by my side and did not go on his own way. He knows I have something in mind. "Tell Sharla to investigate the Lord Gemhand. It's high time we expose whatever game he's playing.

Jerro nods. "That is a dangerous move, Queen. If anything should go wrong, the threat to the east shall increase."

"That's why I assigned you to Sharla, to make sure nothing goes wrong."

I leave him behind and head for my room, sit on my fortress of pillows, and lose myself in a deep trance. I can get stronger with this, I will get stronger with this!

{28} Brigit (August) The 15th

"Mistress?"

I do not get to meditate for long. Sharla's gentle hand on my shoulder wakes me up from my trance at sunrise. The furniture in my room casts odd shadows with the dim light coming through the window. It's hypnotizing. Twilight was always special.

"Mistress?" Sharla shakes my shoulder again, and our eyes meet.

"Yes?"

"I need you to take a look at this." She hands me a letter.

I unfold the parchment and read the following.

Tell your King that the time to attack is now.
There's no need to wait anymore.
She just killed all of her orcs.
There's no army here.
If he wants this territory, he'd better comes before she recovers.
I'll make myself scarce.

"Huh... Olfgram?"

"He would deny this has anything to do with him." Sharla giggles and licks her lips with a tongue that's twice as long as a human's. "But I stole it from a man who left his mansion. Jerro said this had to be done or we'll all die. We already showed this to Kolag, and Jerro sent him to arrest Gemhand and bring him here."

I get up to my feet. "Lead me to them."

"Of course, Mistress." She flourishes her hand and strides smoothly towards the hallway outside my chambers, ignoring the awe-stricken maid who waits nearby.

I follow suit, matching my steps to hers. "I did not expect you to find such good evidence so soon. Do you know how much of his gold he keeps here in my city?"

"A lot. I know he hasn't moved the share he got of our payment to transport food to Apricot City yet. But he has been moving his money out north for a while now. I doubt we'll find it all."

"That makes sense, if he always intended to remove me."

The dungeons are far less equipped than they were the last time I was here. There isn't a single torture device. Nor is there a single prisoner. Kolag isn't a big believer in prisons. Criminals are to be held here for a day or two until their trial, and not a single conviction leads to imprisonment. They either lose their heads if the crime is severe such as murder or rape, or they're put into work for their city to repay their debt if they cannot afford the fee for their smaller crimes, such as theft and assault.

"You better tell us what you've been planning before Inara gets here. I believe you'd prefer my gentle hands, Lord Gemhand." I hear Kolag's echoing voice and step at the corner to listen. Sharla grins and leans on the brown stone wall near me. She rests her head on my right shoulder, and hugs my arm to her chest.

Olfgram's snort conveys his sneer. "You're a fool, Sir Kolag."

"Maybe so," comes the echoing response. "But if you talk to me now, I'll ask Inara to spare your life. I'm one of the few she listens to, if you have any chance of survival it's me. We both know you'll eventually break, there's only so much a man can withstand. And we both know Inara will kill you the moment you break. Save yourself the torture and pain, and you might even save your own life with me on your side."

No, Kolag... I'm going to kill him regardless... but nice try...

"Now you're making a fool of me, Kolag."

"Punch him." I hear Jerro's voice.

"No." Kolag responds. "I'll leave the torture to Inara. I'm sure she can do better."

"Or Sharla. She can do better than Inara."

Sharla snarls on my shoulder. "Did they just have a venom contest over who's girl can torture better than the other? Men!"

I can't help but snicker. "I think they're trying to scare Olfgram with this. But if we're being serious, can you really get answers out of him?"

"Sure can! I won't even need to torture him. Gimme a few days with the rot, and he'll spill the peas."

"I'll try talking to him first." I step into the cell, and Kolag backs off. The middle aged man is tied up by his hands to the wall by bronze chains and cuffs. Even tied with his hands up in the air, he still manages to maintain a sense of dignity by sitting straight and looking me in the eyes.

"You've had your chance, Lord Gemhand, you'll regret not taking it," Kolag declares.

Gemhand scoffs in his direction for a split second and focuses on me again. "Let's talk business."

I cross my hands over my chest. "Let's. What do you want for the information of which king this is and who you were writing for?"

A bitter smile forms on his face. "My head itches... do you mind?"

I fold my hands over my chest. "No. I'm not scratching your head for you. Go on."

He shakes his head and sniffs haughtily. "Hands... you don't appreciate them until they're bound in metal. Very well. Negotiations can only be called negotiation if both sides hold equal power. We do not. My only power is the information I have, and once you have that, we both know you'll end my life."

He's not wrong... "What are you suggesting then?"

"I would recommend you not to kill me, for your own safety, but I doubt you'd listen. Here's my request: Bring me a woman's head, and I'll give you all the information you need. If I'm going to die, I'll drag down the rotten harpy who framed me for something I never did."

"Who?"

"Her name is..." The words die on his lips when Sharla shift into a petite middle aged woman with her graying hair tied up in a bun.

"Me?" she asks, a mocking grin etched on her face. "Or the real Nira? Because the real Nira is already dead, for a... I don't know? Three, or four days? I've lost count."

A vein pops in Olfgram's forehead. "I'll KILL YOU!" he screams. He turns his red face to me. "You think that's everything, little brat? No. A full scale attack is coming to eliminate you all. My letter was only meant to rush this attack. You and me are dead, whether it's now or whenever that attack will come. It's just a matter of time. Even if you somehow survive, my extended family will still come after you."

I raise an eyebrow. "I thought we're talking business, not threats. I thought you were a business man, not a brat who tells me what will happen to me once I hurt him..."

My words seem to offend him from the way his jaw clenches. He takes a deep breath in order to calm down. "Apologizes for the unsightly display..." he almost whispers in a futile attempt to regain his dignity. He turns to Sharla. "I... Is Nira really dead?"

"Want me to bring her body? Or just her head?" Sharla asks mockingly. "Yesterday you told me how you had everything a man could wish for. For a man who had everything, you sure made everything in your power to lose it."

Olfgram clenches his teeth and turns his head toward me again. "My businesses won't last for long under these restrictive laws, if you didn't regulate my prices, I wouldn't have to do this. It's all your fault to begin with."

"So. You've tried to replace me because I've been regulating the prices merchant buy from the craftsmen? Is that it?"

He sniffs. "Is that it, she asks? Is that it?! IS THAT SNAKING IT?!" He takes a deep breath again before he talks in a calmer voice. "A word of advice, young lady. Don't threaten a man's family. There's nothing a man won't do for his family."

Right... he still holds a grudge about that... even if I allowed him to move his family away as a show of trust... in hindsight that has been a mistake.

"What now?" I ask, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"You tell me, young lady. If there's a chance I could ransom myself for information and gold. I know you need gold..."

I raise my hand to cut him off. "I actually don't need gold, I have enough magical coins as you call them to last me for a few years, probably with an army of mercenaries. Aside from the gold I'm going to take from your vaults anyway. No. You can only offer me information, and the only reason I'm even talking to you is to see if you can offer me something so good that'll be worth sparing your life."

"The Gemhand family will..."

"I do not care what some merchant family think they can do to me. Whatever you already did was bad enough. You made an enemy of me, now you're warning me not to make an enemy of your family who are already my enemies. If you give me one more empty threat, I'll let Sharla handle you. Offer me something worthy of your miserable life. Think. Think hard. There must be something worth your life."

He squints, shakes his head and snorts. "There is. But you'll just kill me after I tell you. I'm afraid I'll be taking my secrets to my grave."

"And if we promised to spare you?" Kolag butts in.

Olfgram shakes his head. "Your promise means nothing. You're nothing but a gullible idiot this witch keeps around as her personal pet snake."

I sigh. "Sharla. He's all yours. Get out that other secret too. And don't take too long."

"Of course, Mistress." The smile on her face seem unnatural for a brief moment, it reaches her temples and makes me shudder. It then it turns back to a normal human grin.

I glance back as we turn to leave the cell. She reaches for her pouch, and chokes Olfgram with her free hand. The man opens his mouth, gasping for air, and struggling in her grip. Sharla uses that open mouth to push a small item into his throat. She lifts Olfgram's chin and forces him to swallow.

"What was that?" Olfgram asks, horrified.

"You'll be feeling that in less than an hour, honey pie~" Sharla calls out behind her as she joins the rest us.

"I'm not comfortable with torture," Kolag admits with an echo.

"It's not torture, silly silly knight~ I'm incapable of harming people directly. I gave him a drug."

"A drug?"

Sharla licks her lips and I notice that her mad inhuman grin is threatening to split her face again. "Yeah. Pixie dust. It'll make him feel really good. Want some? I've got tons, Ryon loves this stuff."

I can tell Kolag is frowning behind the tilted helmet. "How will that help us?"

Sharla pats his pauldron affectionally. "Leave the information gathering to me nighty knight. You focus on bashing skulls and piercing hearts, especially this young lady's heart. You two are so cute together, you almost made me cry."

My face heats up, but Kolag's voice is neutral. "I'd still like to know your plan, Milady Sharla."

"Oh I'm Milady now? You know that trick won't work on every woman you meet, righty sir nighty knight?"

"What trick?" he asks, a baffled echo from a steel helmet, impossible to read. "Will you stop changing the subject and answer me? Please?"

"Ohhh fine! Fiiiine! I'm just going to give him a lot of pixie dust for a few days. Then he'll want more, and he'll only get more if he talks. This works on most mortals. If that doesn't work, there are other methods." She turns to me. "Mistress, there should be magic that lets you read minds, or a potion that forces him to speak truth. You should look these up."

"I still have to unlock my grimoire, but a potion, yeah, I'll look that up..."

*~*~*

Interlude 130.1

Berthold.

Berthold passes between the trees of this wide forest. Berthold always liked the forest, he might find a new fairy here.

But he's loyal to Sharla, yes, he is! And he has a mission, he can't stop for fun. He can spot the road and he follows it from within the woods. This leads to Green Pear City. Another city that's supposedly under Inara's control. Mad people who worship mages should live there too. Berthold shakes his head. He can't understand their minds.

This city should be close. The road is wider and have more tracks on it. People who leave the city for foraging tend to widen the roads near the city, Berthold knows this. Yet, there are no new tracks on this road. The newest tracks he found are over three weeks old. Something is wrong in this city. This is why Berthold avoids being seen.

And there, between the trees he can finally spot a wall. Berthold holds his fist, signaling for his scouts to halt. He doesn't want to be spotted by the sentries and the men behind him are really bad at sneaking in a forest.

He guides his men to turn back, they'll make camp. Tonight, he'll go alone and scout the place. with his new gifts and ability to see in the dark, he will be undetectable.

Night has fallen. The crickets and owls mask Berthold steps, and the moonlight shine brightly in Berthold's view, casting a wide array of solid looking rays of silvery light. Berthold touches one and feels the caress of his patron on his arm.

He has no time for fairy wonders though, he has a mission here. He strides forward, closing the distance on the walls that are visible between the trees a few kilometers ahead. He spots the orc sentries on the trees and he already can tell what he'll find in the city.

Orcs.

These savages are here.

And unlike the ones in Red Cedar, these aren't exactly friendly.

He climbs a tree and peeks at the city anyway, he needs to confirm things.

The gates are open wide, broken. There are bodies near it. The city had experienced a battle not too long ago. He watches quietly and spots a pair of orcs drag a group of bound women from the city. Their screams are loud enough to hear from the other side of the forest.

Inara’s going to love hearing about this...

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 85
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 21 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral 6:1, neutral : elemental 1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 30 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/23 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 69 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 7 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 93/104 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIa. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 20 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 1465 Magic Gems. 1420 Golden Peas, 45 Silver Scales, 32 Copper Bits.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
1 potions of Lesser Healing.
2 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
42g Rose petals.
20g Lavender petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Locked.

Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 4462 Golden Peas.

Kingdom’s citizen: Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children. 5263 total.
Apricot City: approximate 800+ humans.

Kingdom's army: 93 Footmen. 13 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?

2024-01-04 18:47:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 130 in color

2024-01-04 18:46:17 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 129 colorless

Chapter 129 A Bright New Horrible Day.

A new day is a new opportunity.
Choices and ideas you did not hold yesterday.
Potential limited only by what your mind can figure.
You can change the world or yourself for the better.
Yet, potential is there for your ill and suffering as well.

Tiyadi, the Silver Lord of Time.

The tentacle pulls my head toward the abyssal creature, dragging me forcefully on the ground. I fight with everything I can, pushing the ground to get away, digging my nails into the creature's wet flesh. I'm like a bug in a spider's web, my struggles amount to nothing. I cast a few more spells and they all get sucked into the creature as another tentacle wraps itself around my legs, pulling me in opposite directions, stretching my body in the air.

The pain is overwhelming, my spine feels like it’s going to pop at the base of my skull, and my heart is about to burst out of my chest. “Kolag! Please! I know you’re in there! Kolag!”

“̴͈̩͑͆̽̉̽̎̉͝N̸̡̺̫̥̄̃́̀̈̈̅̈́͠͠o̵̧̞̖̜̩̰͌̽̋͆̂̔̀̓̐̎̍́́́̚ͅo̴̧̲̰͓̙̝̞̖͂̀̔̾̊̆ọ̸̤͚̈̍͊̕ǫ̴̫̠̺̩̭̗̹̦͕͚͔̯̜͔̌̎ȏ̴̹̍̈́̉̅̑̅͛̍͘̚s̵͍̘̭̙̠̳̰̗̮̟̎t̴͎̋̆͆̓̈́̈̆̇̂̅͝͝…̸̧̨̛͍̬̰͎͓̱̱͖̪̳̹̩̄̉̉̀̋͌͘ ̷̛̘̣̻͙͋̓̿̅͆̓̐̓̌̀̍n̸̛̪̭̰̯̲͚̖̙̻̰͈͉͙̒̉̀̓̈́̉̓̇͜͠ô̵̦̮͚͍̼̪̓͗͠ò̸͔͓̹̠͂́̕ơ̵̰̮̼͍̣͕̙̲̍̿̏̆̂͆͒̆̏̆̐̕͝ȍ̷̧̹͉̆́̆̐̇̅͑̎̈̎̋̑͝͠š̴͖̦̪̜̬̠͕̩̩̲̎̔͛́̿̈́̋͜͜t̷̥͊̈́͌̿͌͠…̷̭̘̬͚̘̯͚̗̗̭͓̬̤͒̔ͅ NO!”

The tentacles retracts into the elongated head, which turns back into a human. I find myself on the ground with a dull thud, and Kolag falls to his knees with a metallic clank.

I get up to my feet, gasping, using this rare opportunity to look at the details of his face. I've only seen his face twice. Once at the tower, before I knew him. And the second time was a very brief look I had before Jerro covered his face when we won over Red Cedar City.

Now I have the time to admire the face of the man I love, and I do not like what I see. His gaunt face and shrunken cheeks look like he hadn't ate a single thing in days. His unkept hair is messy and could really use a wash. There are random patches of shaved spots on his head, chin, and jaw, as if someone took a razor and removed hair randomly without any sense of proper looks.

But behind all of that, a bright smile reaches his gray fatigued eyes. “I managed to drive him away!” he declares happily. “I can do this!”

“Yes, you can! See?” I reply excitedly.

I etch the memory of his face into my mind, blinking and focusing to make sure I won't ever forget how he looks like. I then hold his jaws and kiss him before he can say anything further. I don't care how he looks, that can all be fixed. I want him. I need him. Nothing matters right now, only the fact that he doesn’t wear his helmet and I can see and touch his face.

It doesn’t matter that he tried to kill me over religious ideals not too long ago. What matters is that he went against everything he believes in just for me. He even managed to stop his demon, for me. Gods and demons can’t stop us! Nothing can!

After a surprised moment on his end, he stands up and embraces me tightly. He kisses me back. I arch, letting him hold me, moving my hands in his long patches of hair. I don’t know how long we have until the demon takes over again. I want this moment to last forever.

Unfortunately Kolag breaks the kiss and gently pushes my shoulders. “I have to find my helmet before this thing takes over again, it wants to kill you as we speak. Wait here, my helmet should be in the middle of the camp.”

“What about the orcs?” I call after him.

“All dead,” he replies, rushing toward the middle of the camp.

A wave of mad cheers comes from the crowd behind us, sending a pulse of ecstasy through my body. The energy from the crowd mixes into my love and lust for Kolag, making an odd soup of butterflies in my belly We won! The orcs are all dead, and I saved whoever I could save! And these people love me again, they're all ready to serve again like good pawns. They'll suck my fingers if I tell them to and...

No! Enough! I lost way too much here... I lost the orcs, I lost most of my army. We're defenseless. And those people are cheering because they're simply happy to be alive... it's not even about me.

Of course it's about me! Here!

I raise my hand at the crowd, the gesture is an impulse I simply can't hold back. The cheers turn wild, feeding an electric current of mana through my veins, refilling the mana I've used in my battle with the orcs. Furthermore, it feels as if it also heals my apparent blood lose, with each cheer I feel more invigorated and powerful. See?! All of these pawn are cheering for me! Me and Kolag! They love us! Good pawns! Good dogs!

Why? Why would they cheer for me? I doomed them to slavery! I'm no better than Luard!

"Yer Majesty." Aisha steps forward with a light bow. "The orcs are all dead?"

And you just said you hate me... why the respect? I nod. "If a few survived they're hiding and unwilling to fight us. You're all free. I'm sorry..."

"Yer alright, Majesty. It's them orcs who should be serry. Rotten savages!" She spits on an orcish corpse and kicks it.

I have a feeling she's just saying it to stay on my good side...

Would you stay by my side? Tell me what the people need? I need someone who does... Kolag, for all of his quirks, isn't the best person to understand your cult... I mean... your people. Sorry. I'll be honest. Your worship disturbs me..."

"Ha! Ya, Jalier is a weird god." The chubby woman wipes dirt off her face, tucks her blond hair behind her ear, and folds her hands on her bountiful chest. "Them people either born into this religion or sold into it. It's no different from any other brain rot I've seen out there. People worship the strong, hoping to get scraps by being good little boys and girls. What god ye worship, Majesty? I'll do me best to translate their beliefs to yer faith."

"I'm an atheist. It'd be more accurate to say that I'm agnostic though."

The middle aged woman glares at me. "Agnostic?" She tries the word, testing it on her tongue.

I shake my head. "I know the gods are out there and that they're powerful, but I don't worship any of them. They haven't done anything for me. Actually... one god just tried to have me killed by ordering the man I love to kill me. I hope to have nothing to do with the gods."

She frowns. "That's possible? To have nothing with the gods?"

I sigh. "I had nothing with the gods until today, and I hope I will never have anything to do with the gods ever again."

"But if you have no god, what will happen to your soul when you die?"

I roll my eyes. That argument again... do these people really believe their soul survive their deaths? With the amount of souls I had, I doubt their souls just move to some promised afterlife... someone makes use of that energy.

"Let's leave the theological argument aside for now. Would you be willing to convey the people's needs to me?"

"Of course, Majesty. We need healing potions as soon as you can make them."

The crowd cheers again, sending a shuddering wave of pleasure throughout my body. I do my best to suppress the odd lusty response I have no control of and nod. "Good. I'll get to it once we get back to the city. I better go check on Kolag.

It'll be really annoying if I have to change my underwear every time a crowd cheers for me... Whatever this fae blood in, it's fucked up. First the crazy bugs infection. And this odd reaction to people's adoration... At least it refills my mana and heals me, which is odd... I clearly suffered from a blood loss earlier, and now that's no longer the case, which makes me wonder... If my bloodline get stronger, would I be able to regenerate over the cheers of a crowd? Limbs and all?

I leave the cheering crowd behind, and run toward the location Kolag is. Five minutes later I find him in the middle of the ghostly camp, his face covered by the metallic visor again. An overwhelming sense of loss takes over me when I see him with the helmet on again. “Can you take off the helmet and kiss me again?” I ask, almost begging.

“Right here?” he gestures around. I look around. In the dim dying fire I count hundreds of mutilated corpses, all ripped to shreds. Inner organs and limbs litter the floor, and the ground is muddied with blood and guts. Some of these organs and limbs are even arranged in some sick sense of order and patterns. Like some twisted sense of art, they create strange runes that sends a chill down my spine. The worst part is the corpses of young orcs. The demon did not spare the young, if anything, it seems like it paid a special attention to them. Each orcish child or baby is placed in the middle of every horrific organ art.

This is a slaughterhouse, not exactly a place for kissing.

“Yeah… let’s get out of this place…” I say, trying my very best to suppress the acid that’s lurching in my throat. “I need a good bath and a good sleep… at least we don’t have to worry about the orcs anymore…”

“A good bath would be nice. I did not have one in years,” Kolag notes, the irony apparent in his echoing voice.

“Aw, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

He chuckles. “Don’t mind it, I’ll get out of this armor eventually.”

“You will! And then you can take a bath with me.”

“Ahem… ok.”

I giggle and hug his armored arm to my chest, I can tell he’s blushing. “You don’t like the idea?”

“Um… er… ah…”

“If you won’t say yes, I’ll tie another knot in your tongue.”

“Yes, I like that idea…”

“Then it’s settled! The first thing we do once we manage to get you out of that armor is have a good bath together! For now…” I take a step back from him, and form a few water patterns together. “Nimuwal” <water boundless> I splash him with my water jet. I move it around and clean his bloodied armor. Hugging a battered chunk of metal covered in blood isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, I’d prefer to hug a clean chunk of metal. Yeah... a clean chunk of metal is so better... I want him, right now... I need him! We almost died... I almost died... What if I die without ever being with him?

Looking down, my snake-scale armor is covered in blood too. “Or shakat.” <True cloth.> I try my cleaning spell, but it doesn’t work, scale isn’t cloth apparently. I splash myself with the ‘Water Jet’ briefly instead. We make our way out of the orcs’ camp, we pass through the half ruined groveyard as we head back to the city.

We make our way back to the city at the mass crowd of my people. I notice a group of people crowding near the half destroyed gates, but they make way when I approach.

"You'll find a new man soon. A trader. He will take care of you and your son." Jerro tells a young woman in a coif and a baby in her arms.

"Thank you, Your Grace Holiness." She moves and makes way for the next woman in line.

"You shall die within two months. If you want to live you should poison your eldest daughter." Jerro declares his statement to the middle aged woman with the colorful shawl.

"What?! I can't kill Nima! What are you thinking?!" The woman chides him, horrified.

"Then you will die." Jerro states the truth as he sees it.

"Is there no other way?" The woman asks, desperately.

"You could leave the city and leave your family behind."

"Sir? I-I can't just leave my family, they depend on me! What exactly happen? Maybe I can stop it..."

"Your daughter stabs you with a kitchen knife. There is nothing you can do to stop it. Either kill her, or leave the city."

"T-thank you, sir." The woman covers her mouth and moves away.

"Welcome back, Queen." I'm about to clear my throat and ask what's he's doing here when he talks to me before I even ask . He doesn't even turn to face me. "There was no need to leave the city once you've made your choice about the orcs. I'm waiting for you. A grave threat is gathering in the south, and another threat is brewing in the east. The Sage of Ice will require your help to maintain her territory soon. Without the orcs, we are all doomed. You'll need an army."

I cross my hands. "What kind of threat are we talking about and how long do we have?"

"I... I don't know. It is not clear. I see armies marching. A war."

Another war... Great... "Ok... We'll do our best to prepare, but we'll lick our wounds for now. Come on. Let's go back to the palace, I'm sure we could all use a good sleep. I know I could, I've been awake for a while now."

We enter the city under the buzz of people whispering to one another or heading home. People gather items from the earthy streets into their homes. Children run barefooted around us, and the ravens call a top the wooden rooftops. We make our way to the palace, Kolag and I holding hands, while Sharla and Jerro trail silently behind us.

"I'll go lock myself up in the prison," Kolag says the moment we cross the double doors leading into my palace.

He's no longer holding my hand, but I hold his. "You will do no such thing." I don't leave a room for an argument.

"And what if..."

"You will come with me to my chambers." I cut him off.

"You're not afraid I'll kill you?" He does not look at me, too afraid or guilty to see my face. The very notion annoys me to no end.

I squeeze his hand. "No. You had the perfect chance and excuse to kill me. You did not take it, you chose me at the end. Even back then I did not think you'd kill me, and you can be sure I am not about to think that now. Now you'll stop mopping in your self guilt and pity, and come with me. Is that clear?"

"I..."

"Do you want me to punish you?"

"I... I don't know."

"Your punishment is to come with me, right, now."

"Ok..."

We make our way to my rooms. I order the maid out and close the door behind us. "Your punishment is to touch me."

"Inara. The demon is..."

"I don't care about the demon. Deal with it. You'll touch me in the most lusty way you can think of, and you'll keep your demon at bay. Or I'll remove your helmet and kiss you right now!"

He just stands there, glaring at me behind that damned visor.

"You think I won't do it?" I step closer and place my hands on the sides of his helmet. "You have ten seconds until I..." I gasp when he pushes me against the wall, crushing me between metal and stone, hands roaming across my body.

I moan softly, my hands searching for the patches between his plate, where I can feel his flesh under warm leather. "I love you, Kolag."

"I love you too."

A few rays of sunlight enter my room as the giant ball of fire is rising in the horizon, shedding light on this bright new horrible day.

*~*~*

Interlude 129.1

Elder Gorlor

Elder Gorlor digs his way from under the corpses of his brethren, he feels the sun shine on his blood covered head. The blood of his brethren. The blood of his pack. The blood of their young.

This.

Was the Blessed Rhino a Dragon all along? No. He never acted as a dragon should, but if this is what he hides under his shell… no. Not a Blessed Rhino. A Cursed Rhino.

The human shaman had been a traitor all along, she turned on them. Balgrum had assured Gorlor that she had honor, that she was no twisted shaman. How did she fool Balgrum? How did she fool Gorlor?

No. She does have her honor. Just the human honor, the honor of protecting the weak. Gorlor sneers. That’s a weak honor to have. It is no true honor, it is weakness.

He gasps and looks around him, corpses of his brethren cover the pack’s den, creating odd symbols of the spirits. Young pups are placed in the middle of each symbol. Symbol even old Gorlor have never seen in his entire life.

The red maned shaman and the Cursed Rhino had freed the sheep and killed all of his pack! Just the two of them! How can he call that a weakness?! This is no weakness. This is like the twisted shamans of old. The twisted shamans Balgrum have been talking about, the twisted shaman who had murdered Balgrum’s black fang old pack and turned their strongest wolves into sheep.

Gorlor feels the knots of fire in his belly. He wants to kill. He needs to kill. And this sight. This den. His pack. His spider Gural. All gone in a single night. No. A single hour. Less than an hour.

Elder Gorlor is an elder, he has no fight left. The Bone Chieftess hates him. She doesn’t want him in her Hall of Bones. She won’t let him die in battle. Not even the battle that annihilated his entire pack. No. He always survives, always.

He cannot fight the red maned shaman or her rhino. That is suicide. The Bone Chieftess frowns upon such things.

Gorlor stumbles out of the camp, and walks in a random direction. He will find a monster and fight it with his bare hands. The same way so many elders before him made their deaths. That is acceptable. The Bone Chieftess will accept him in her halls! And soon, he will be with his pack again. He’ll see Balgrum and Agilla. Together they’ll drink and curse this red maned shaman in the Hall of Bones.

*~*~*

Interlude 129.2

Marasi

Apricot City! Apricots are tasty, good for his heart. People sell fish here, yes.

The little elfling steps off his boat in the new strange city. He takes a deep breath, breathing the aroma of stinking fish and disease. Ahhhh, a new fresh land, a clean fresh start, the Lady of Luck smiles upon him.

“Marasi, gimme food!” The familiar voice belongs to Ryon, the young man can never sate his appetite, Marasi is surprised Ryon did not grow a belly like so many giants have.

Wait.

Ryon?

What's going on here?!

Isn’t he working for the crazy Spider Queen? Not good! Not good for his heart! Bad bad!

Marasi needs to think of something, his luck will help!

“Ah, Ryon good to see you!” Marasi jumps atop the edge of a fish barrel to welcome the man.

“Good to see ya! Food! Ah want some pork.”

“No pork in the market, feel me?" Marasi picks a fish by its tail and waves it at the giant. "Plenty of fish, how about I cook you and your friends a good fishy meal?” Wait… they don’t know he ran away from the Queen, do they? They think he’s still in her service… his luck is always good on the peas!

An hour later and he serves dinner to the Spider Queen's people.

“So what are you doing here, little cook?” The giant with the straw hat asks. Marasi forgot his name, Silk? It had to do with silk, yes.

Marasi puffs his chest. “Very important mission. I have to cook something down south, feel me?”

The giant nods with a sarcastic smirk. “A ship is leaving tomorrow morning, the Albatross, I’ll arrange a passage for you.”

Good! His luck had not just saved him, it also saved his time. Bless the Lady of Skies!

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 85
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 21 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral 6:1, neutral : elemental 1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 30 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/23 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 69 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 7 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 93/104 gems

Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIa. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.

Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.

Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.

(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)

Focus capability: 20 patterns.

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Personal Wealth: 1465 Magic Gems. 1420 Golden Peas, 45 Silver Scales, 32 Copper Bits.

Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
1 potions of Lesser Healing.
2 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
42g Rose petals.
20g Lavender petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Locked.

Present Companions:

Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10

Injuries and scars:

Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.

Kingdom’s treasury: 3836 gold coins. 123 magical gems. ?

Kingdom’s citizen: Red Cedar City: 3,881 humans, 1,836 human children.???
Apricot City: approximate 800+ humans.
Twin Moon Tribe: Slaughtered.

Kingdom's army: 40 footmen 284 Footmen ???. 49 Peacekeeper Knights ???. 500 Blood Spears.

Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Old Gardner Tiom.
Aisha?

2024-01-01 17:59:53 +0000 UTC View Post