You have gained [Two Separate Minds] Basic 8
Gain 1 exp
I'm standing in the guild hall with various other adventurers. Apparently this is a golden opportunity to get hired and learn some magic from a rich noble kid. Each key is on an adventurer and apparently the nobles are to select which they wish to hire to guide them into Gadvak dungeon. Since I became a key it's not like I can hand mine off. Seems there are more keys then noble groups, good I'm by far the lowest level here, no one is going to want me.
I wait for the sorting to conclude so I can go back to the clinic. The various groups pick their guide and it's almost over.
“You there, hiding at the end, my attendant tells me it would be most hilarious to pick you.”
Sigh. I walked over to the blur that called me out.
22 Human Basic Mage, Student
21 Human Basic Mage, Student
“Mistress, I would ask you to reconsider. I am ill equipped to be a guide.”
A familiar snort sounds, “Mistress I assure you, this one is a prodigy.”
It's Barbain, damn it she would not have recognized me if I had my ears out. I would have recognized her if I had my glasses. There is no getting out of this, Barbain can tell it's me. Even if I am almost as tall as she is now.
“It is decided then, prodigy you are with us.”
I put my best Marie face on and stand with them. Their teacher comes around checking the various groups.
“You're not getting extra credit by making this harder on yourself Beatrice.”
“I have it on good authority that this one will prove most useful.”
The teacher waves her off. The various groups head to the dungeon.
“I want each group to bring back ten goblin ears per student. Do not attempt more on this first trip, head back before this evening or you will be staying here until the morning. Adventurers do not help the students unless they are in danger of great physical harm, answer any questions your charges have, they are here to learn.”
We line up and wait as the various groups descend the stairs. It's weird how after a certain point their smells disappear. Guess a product of the instancing. I find a problem as it's almost our turn. Each adventurer is keying the interface. Best to just keep it cool.
“Where is your key priestess?”
I touch the interface and walk forward, no barrier stops me. The teacher arches an eyebrow at this. I hear Barbain whisper to Beatrice.
“Told ya, hilarious.”
-----
“Go on get it over with so we can start slaying goblins.”
Barbain attempts to tackle me with a hug. That I don't move causes her to hurt herself. I reach over and heal her injury.
“Okay, what the hell, Sara?”
I answer with a hug of my own.
“Sorry, I gained some weight.”
“You are right this is hilarious.”
“So why are you here in the capital?”
“Has anyone contacted you about your mothers?”
Barbain expression grows dark, “I know that they are with grandfather and are kept underwatch to keep them from wandering off. My mother attacked me when I visited them, she only stopped when she realized I wasn't you.”
I hug her tighter, “I'm so sorry.”
She returns the hug, "It's not your fault. I thought you were in Yetna though.”
“I was until I was spirited away by Gadvak cultists.”
I separate from Barbain giving myself some room. Not sure how much I should tell them.
“What those losers want with a Maxwell.”
I pull my hat off, Barbain sees my ears and falls over laughing. I look very cross at her. Then a thought dawns on her and she rushes to hug me again.
“I'm sorry you must have had to kill a Pimar for this, I'm so sorry.”
I mumbled my answer.
“What was that Sara?”
“She said it was a Yetna Tiger.”
Barbain starts laughing again.
-----
I'm standing next to Barbain while Beatrice fights alone.
“You sure you should let her fight alone.”
“Ah she'll be fine, how did you get so big?”
“I ate a spider.”
“I don't get it.”
“Spider females are bigger than males, so now I'm bigger.”
Beatrice doubles over laughing after killing another goblin.
“Is that why you weigh so much?”
“No, that was from an iron horned rabbit.”
Beatrice misses a swing of her rapier, but finishes her fifth goblin with water magic. She walks back after removing both ears.
“You are really distracting, but I'm done.”
“A question, mistress.”
She arches an eyebrow at me.
“Is your teacher one to fail you over unsaid instructions?”
“All the bleeding time, her favorite refrain is ‘you should have asked more questions’.”
She says the last part in an exaggerated shrill voice.
“Then I suggest collecting ears from five more goblins, the guild only recognizes right ears for goblin bounties.”
“That would be the sort of twist that gets her cackles dancing. I'm taking a break, it's your turn Barbain. ”
Barbain heads to the next set of goblins as me and Beatrice follow behind.
“Not going to ask if your aunt will be fine.”
I smile, “I've sparred with her, goblins are not a worry.”
Guess Barbain is a gossip. Not surprising. The two of them are sleeping together.
“So you weigh a lot from a rabbit, have the ears of a tiger, and are physically bigger from a spider. You are a rather eclectic mix of monsters.”
I give her a toothy grin. She raises an eyebrow. Then she looks at me closer.
“You don't gain only one feature per monster do you. I can see at least three different tiger traits.”
Shit. I shrug.
“So what else did you take from miss spider.”
I squint at her. This sets her off laughing again.
“You are most hilarious, I am told adventurers do this to learn a magic school. I will provide you mana from any that I know.”
“That won't be necessary.”
“Too proud to learn more than life magic.”
Barbain is walking back, “It's ‘cause she already knows all the converts.”
“Really?”
“Ya, aunt Marcene was bragging about how she managed it in a half hour.”
“Prodigy indeed.”
Must maintain Marie face. Beatrice switches places with Barbain.
“So you admitted that I was your niece."
Barbain sticks her tongue out at me.
“So you got kidnapped by cultists…what's wrong?”
She noticed my distress. Damn it.
“I don't want to talk about it.”
“Was it worse than the slavers?”
“I don't want to talk about it.”
“It's alright if you had to kill them to escape.”
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“Damnit Barbain, I died and they killed my three daughters, I'm not broken up about the bastards. It's all I can do to not go out there and slaughter every last one of them.”
She looks at me shocked, then tilts her head.
“Daughters?”
Before I can answer, “Oh fourth tiger trait, I can see her tail.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
-----
“So let me get this straight, you can make daughters by giving them your blood.”
I nod. How does she wear me down to get these answers out of me?
“O I totally want to do this Barbain, convince your niece to catify me.”
I'm not sure I can pinch the bridge of my nose harder.
“You do realize there are zealots out there murdering infused Pimar on the off chance that they might be my daughter, right?”
“As if they would attack a noble's daughter.”
“They already killed a Magdeline and a Krakner.”
“When did [Countess] Magdeline have a child?”
I just stare at her.
“Oh my system, the blood soaked priestess adopted you.”
Barbain looks distressed over that.
“Mom felt it would better protect me, Barbain. Look, my ears are still Maxwell and Blacknell.”
“And your tail.” Beatrice adds in.
“Why did you call my mother the blood soaked priestess?”
“‘Cause she is, she slaughtered countless brigades and slavers to tier up. They say she is the youngest non-inherited human to ever reach tier two, and certainly the youngest to hit three.”
Barbain coughs at that. I give her a look that hopefully says shut up.
“I hear she is about to start a new campaign against the Gadvak religion. Already burned down a monastery from what I heard.”
Nope that was me. Unless there were more monastery fires. Should I be leaving this all to her…
“So the problem will solve itself, make me a cat girl please.”
“One I only met you today, and this would make you into my daughter. Like full stop you would hear my voice in your head for every system change. I don't know you, that's a lot to ask to bind yourself to me.”
“Are you saying I wouldn't make a good daughter?”
I ignore her interruption.
“Two I've changed since then, fancy having spinnerets and three knees per leg.”
I punctuate that by placing a foot hand on her shoulder. Showing all the bends of my legs.
“Okay that might be a bit much. But your rabbit traits didn't go over. Also spinnerets?”
“Ya spinnerets right here.”
I point to my crotch.
I feel a wave of fascination from Barbain.
“Barbain dear, as my attendant, you would test these changes out for me wouldn't you?”
“Sure.”
I look at Barbain as if she is insane.
“Did you hear nothing, there are people trying to kill me, and anyone who looks like me. Why would you risk that?”
She hugs me, “Because if they go after me they would only piss off the school, the Blacknells and the Maxwells.”
“No no no no no, I'm not risking your life like that.”
“Too bad, it's my life to do what I want with it.”
I rest my forehead against hers.
“What's the real reason, Barbain?”
I feel her distress. So much sadness.
“I want to be able to hug my mothers again. I lied earlier, they can't tell me apart from you. Marcene thinks the geas is to kill any black and blue haired Maxwell. If you change me, perhaps they won't try.”
No wonder mother wanted my hair to change. Then again the woman preens over her hair.
“You would be giving them up to be my daughter.”
“Thats just silly, you still see Cecelia as your mom even though you got infused by Magdeline, right.”
I nod.
“So please, give me this chance.”
Damn it. On the chance for a hug. I do the same.
“The next time you go back to visit them, I'll go with you.”
She frowns at me.
“You don't have to be my daughter, if … what are you doing?”
Beatrice is startled and drops her cup. The blood she had dripped into it spills out. She sighs and uses water magic to put it back in the cup, gross, yet I know I'll still drink it.
“What, I had to get into your good gracious somehow.”
“Barbaiiiiiiin could you try to control your girlfriend.”
Beatrice drops the cup again. Scowls again.
“How'd you know?” Barbain is confused.
“Tiger trait number five, I have their sense of smell.”
She blanches at that. I flick her in the forehead.
“Gah that really hurts Sara, like you smack me with a piece of iron.”
That was literally what I did, hmmm maybe I shouldn't do iron infused finger flicks.
“Back to the topic at hand, if grandma and grandmother don't attack me on site, I'll consider making you my daughter. No reason to jump into danger if we don't know if the reason you are doing it will even work.”
She nods sullenly. She doesn't need my burden, if grandmothers don't recognize me, I'll just make sure they will, that will fix the problem for Barbain. Beatrice hands me her cup.
“You do realize I can apply a curse on you with far less.”
“Oh please do, having [Resist Curse] would be so useful, even at the apprentice level.”
“You're not wrong about that, an elf tried to shrivel my ovaries today.”
They look at me aghast as I drink my delicious bounty. Damn her.
All stats increased by five temporarily.
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 6
Gain 10 exp
I smile as she shudders. I handed the cup to Barbain.
“Not as much as your crazy girlfriend.”
“But you seem to enjoy it so.”
I look at Beatrice annoyed, resisting the urge to flick her in the forehead.
“Ya, well, the more I drink the longer it lasts."
“Hmm that would be a problem.”
I take Barbain's cup. How did I end up like this?
All stats increased by one temporarily.
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 7
Gain 10 exp
“Sister is going to be so annoyed that I was the one that got to have fresh blood.”
“Sister?”
Shit. I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Remember how I got [Parallel Minds]?”
“Yes, I thought you were dying from all the screaming.”
“Sorry.”
She flicks me in the forehead, then regrets it as she rubs her finger.
“Gah, is your forehead iron too.”
“Well ya, all my bones are. But back to what I was saying, after the hydra, it became [Two Separate Minds]. There are two me’s in here now.”
I tap my temple for emphasis.
“Wait so like right now?”
“Well she is asleep at the moment. We switch off at midnight.”
“But wouldn't you be asleep then?”
“Only the mind sleeps, the body just keeps on doing.”
Speaking of midnight, the dungeon starts to dim.
“We should head back.”
-----
“Well then present your bounties.
Beatrice and Barbain each give their teacher ten right ears.
“Ah, one of the groups actually managed to talk to their guide. I suppose your ill choice has proven better than everyone else's. You can head back to the capital, unless you wish to start the next assignment.”
“What would that be, professor?”
“Five Axen horns from each of you.”
I start walking back to the capital.
“Where are you going priestess? Your betters have yet to dismiss you.”
I so want to use [Horror Aura], I refrain because last time it didn't work out so well, and I wouldn't dare trouble my sister like that…again.
“We're fine with waiting till tomorrow, best not to overexert ourselves.”
Beatrice and Barbain jog up to catch up to me.
“So why did you leave?”
“She is probably setting you up again, you can sell axen carcasses at the guild. We should bring a cart tomorrow.”
“Not like any of us can pull that much weight Sara.”
I give Barbain a tigerress grin. A different thought occurs to me.
“O I go by She who Mourns here, or Jam, best not to go around saying Sara.”
Barbain looks sad at that.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 8 unallocated stat points
You have gained [Two Separate Minds] Basic 9
Gain 1 exp
Why the hell is Barbain here with a dirt wall between us…and I'm naked making underwear again. Damn it sister. I take a moment to review the previous evening. You say you don't want to cause trouble and yet you manage to tell Barbain everything.
“Hello, other Sara.”
Beatrice is here too. I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“We both are Sara. It's just two consciousnesses with one soul.”
I finish the underwear I was working on and throw it at Beatrice.
“Thank yooooooou.”
“Don't you have to sleep?”
“I have eighty constitution, this is nothing.”
I shrug.
“Are you not impressed? I had to endure quite a lot to get so far.”
“Eh.”
“Oh what has the prodigy level fifteen managed.”
I look at her annoyed, not rising to the bait.
“The prodigy doesn't wish to discourage her lessers.”
I punctuate it with sticking my tongue out at her. Perhaps I simply grabbed a different bait. She huffs and Barbain leans in cupping Beatrice ears to prevent me from hearing.
“Sara is already tier two.”
“I can still hear you, Barbain.”
“That can't possibly be true.”
Beatrice is shocked by this revelation of my tier. So is Barbain but she already knew. I tilt my head towards her.
“Mama couldn't hear that.”
“Are you sure, or was she letting you spill secrets when you thought you were safe.”
She blanches at that. I start laughing.
-----
Miss eighty constitution is sleeping in the cart I am pulling to the dungeon. Barbain is with her, also snoring.
You have gained [Two Separate Minds] Apprentice 1
Apprentice - You need only sleep for ten and a half hours
Gain 2 exp
-Oh wow this is weird.
Morning sister.
-Morning, so like I'm here and can see and feel everything but have no control on anything.
Well it is still my turn.
-Not sure we should think about it like that.
That's fair, maybe I can mentally will things for you to control, like when we still had [Parallel Mind]. Here you can control my skeleton sight. Okay that is really disorienting when you shift my sight like that, could you give it back.
-Sure, sorry about that. I'll just go back to being passive.
Aw, I didn't mean to hurt you, now I feel bad too. O I know, try to use our mana aura and make constructs. Wait am I feeling bad cause I made you feel bad or because your feeling bad is bleeding into me.
An illusion of myself appears next to me and shrugs. Now there really are two of us. My mental core starts to dip. She vanishes.
You have gained [Illusion Magic] Intermediate 4
Gain 16 exp
-Maybe a bit too soon for full body illusions.
We'll get there, might be a good solution to the too many Sara problem.
-Ya.
A mini Sara pops up on my shoulder, she has given herself horns and bat wings. Not sure that's a good idea, our subconscious might get ideas.
“You're probably right.”
The wings and horns disappear.
You have gained [Illusion Magic] Intermediate 5
Gain 16 exp
If anything, our illusion magic is going to see markedly good improvement. I feel this size isn't hurting more than what we are recovering.
“I know right.”
“Who are you talking to Sara?”
“It's She who Mourns or Jam, Barbain.”
She stares at the mini me on my shoulder.
-Ha.
She then reaches out to grab her, when she does the mini me burst into a cloud of illusionary blood.
“Oh system, I'm sorry.”
That wasn't very nice. The mini Sara pops up on my other shoulder with two heads each sticking a tongue out at each of us. That's really weird.
“Sorry.”
Back to one head. This is my life now. Hey, have you actually reviewed our previous evening yet? I yawn.
-O right I should get on that.
New rule, we review memories before engaging. My soul thrums at that.
-I felt that.
Sorry. You know we do that shit all the time.
-Ja, ja.
“JAM.”
“Yes, Barbain?”
“I was asking if the illusion was the other mind.”
“I am.”
“How is she speaking?”
“Illusion magic intermediate has sound illusions.”
I'm just going to keep pulling while you two talk.
-K.
-----
“Wait, I missed out on talking to both Saras.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Do I need to use a geas to get you to say Jam.”
“You wouldn't dare.”
“Eh, my mental magic is not high enough anyways.”
I watch as they slay Axens. Every time they do I drag it to the cart. I filled up a container I brought with us as well.
Temporary buff has ended
You have gained [Resist Curse] Apprentice 2
Gain 2 exp
Barbain jogs over to me.
“I got [Resist Curse].”
“That was the plan, wasn't it?"
“Well ya, but I wasn't sure it was going to happen.”
Beatrice finishes their fifth axen by herself.
“You know the other mages were in groups of threes and fours.”
“That's Beatrice's fault, she always wants to make things harder on herself. She says it's not interesting otherwise.”
“Which is why I would love to become your daughter Jam, you just exude making it harder on yourself.”
I look cross at Beatrice as I drag back her latest kill. Barbain starts to remove the horns as Beatrice grabs a cup from her bag. I roll my eyes at her.
“Oh don't act like you don't relish this.”
All stats increased by one temporarily.
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 8
Gain 10 exp
All stats increased by one temporarily.
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 9
Gain 10 exp
One more until I can see if I can bring my daughters back. No, I can still feel them. I will bring them back.
“Jam?”
“Oh sorry, I was lost in my thoughts, ready to go back.”
Barbain nods and I pull the cart. The teacher sees us again.
“Good, bring back the materials to the guild. I must apologize Beatrice, your selection of guide has indeed been most rewarding for you. Your final task is a hydra kill. I see a blood container, you haven't already completed the task have you?”
“It's axen blood for our guide.”
The older woman has a question on her brow.
I just keep pulling the cart. No reason to explain myself.
“What do you think her next twist is?”
“Funny enough, blood from hydra is what the guild wants, you can fill four containers from a dungeon hydra.”
“Oh ya, we use that in alchemy class.”
