This is a daily reminder: You have 40 unallocated stat points
A supplicant has tied themselves further to you
Remaining Soul 14
I hug that part of my soul, hoping Beatrice well. Soon enough my [Supplicants]. Just two more daily reminders. I head off to train with the knights in training. I feel the anvil weight less than ever. If I had to get another shackle would it have to go around my neck. Gregory would enjoy seeing that.
“Hey, you will lapse into bad habits if you always spar with Qorth.”
I stop before I pair up and turn. A male Lamia was the one who spoke out. I shrug and square up against him instead. The way he could move was very different than Qorth. I could understand the need to test oneself against different opponents. His serpentine movement made it hard to predict how he would dodge. At first I thought he wasn't able to move his base all to quickly but his ability to spring from his position simply showed that his previous dodges were just play. As per usual I gain another level in resist blunt.
[Resist Blunt Force] is now [Resist Blunt Force 2] Basic 1
Resist Blunt Force 2 - to better resist all those welts under your scales
Basic - you only bruise half as much, wouldn't want to waste the blood
Constitution raised to 332
-Aw system hasn't ragged on us about blood in forever.
You realize thinking about it will just make it happen more often. I feel her mirth at that.
“Thank you, ummm…”
“Philip, [Priestess].”
I smile, “Thank you, Philip.”
I go about healing the various injuries accrued.
-----
You have gained [Body Morphic Magic] Competent 4
Gained 16 exp
The passives on my ovaries release. That took longer than expected. I shift the color on one of my forearms. The scales are hopefully a deep purple now. My passives attach. Only burning half my core to do so. Sister is not awake to notice. I take another bite of grease sighing.
“Why are you making them deep purple anyways, you just make them stick out more.”
“I prefer it over pink.”
“I figure you just make them disappear all together, they seem so obtrusive.”
Huh, could I make them translucent…I pick a scale on my left hand and focus my magic. It drops my core to a quarter and the scale becomes see-through, I don't bother attaching a passive though. Wonder if there are any monsters out there with chameleon-like traits. I ask.
“Never heard of a monster like that. Why do you ask?”
Qorth also shakes her head, damn, “Figure if I study it, I could make it so my scales could change color based on my mood.”
“You already have illusion magic.”
“Which can be noticed by any mental sight available.”
Gregory shrugs at that. I finish my grease.
-----
“Wait, they actually let you come with us?”
“Best to keep a healer on hand in case you do something stupid like lose a hand.”
He scowls at that and ignores me as we walk down the tunnel.
-Seeing Gregory reminded me of a thought from reviewing your memories. We could make our nails clear.
O, let's do that after this set of scales are finished. So focused on my scales I forgot our biggest liability.
We finished walking out the tunnel and into the dungeon. Only seven knights in training this time. Qorth would be the eighth. She would have been considered sooner but her stalled leveling lowered her evaluation in Sir Ujan eyes. Even as her dirt magic has been flourishing under her increased mana reserves. She must be eager to level.
-You know she is.
I feel sad that she has little desire for it to be with me though … okay, that's a new emotion. When I get attached to the soul exchange.
-Devouring.
Right. Devouring, no I still lament that. But being a part of her soul, that I yearn for. But I can't force such. Connections…
-More to think about.
I suppose. I walk up and heal an injured leg. Can't get too distracted.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 40 unallocated stat points
“I must insist you return with us, [Priestess].”
I see a shadow fly across the now empty fields of my instance of the citadel dungeon. The knights in training had killed the last Drakenoid. I look up but don't see what caused the shadow.
“Is it because whatever is throwing that shadow prowls the field?”
Ujan nods, “The field boss is a level three hundred drake. As you are unarmed, it would be wise to return and not tarry. It should be gone next time we come in.”
Until they kill all the drakenoids again. Mister Drake is going to be a permanent bar on my blood collecting. I start walking back with the knights.
“Will iron weapons pierce its scales?”
“Aye, if you can get close enough. It prefers to swoop down to carry off its victims into the air. After a certain height it releases its victim, usually over the rest of their party.”
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
“That seems to be a difficult strategy to best, how will the knights in training engage such.”
“Dirt knights will aim for its wings while all knights engaging will wear at least five hundred pounds of armor.”
“So the creature has an upper limit to what it can take off with?”
“O it still tries, but it doesn't get very high before letting go. Still plenty of injuries for you to take care of.”
“Can it be compelled?”
“Doubt the magic could reach it but dragon kin have strong mental fortitude to begin with. I would not rely on such a strategy."
-----
“You want to fight the drake don't you?”
No I want to drink the drake, combat itself is bleh.
“I'll not engage such until I have a better idea of how the fight goes, my gluttony will just have to wait.”
I feel Qorth disappointment, it can't be at my prudence.
“Were you hoping to eat the drake as well?”
“It has to be better than what they are serving in the mess.”
“That’s not a very high bar.”
She barks a laugh at that.
“Besides, Sir Ujan would notice the field boss was not up next he came in.”
“Could try it on the night before the day of rest, sure he will not bring recruits in the next day.”
“With the war, I doubt a day of rest will be observed, he is rotating the trainees.”
She pouts at that.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 40 unallocated stat points
“Your continued slaying of the field is going to hamper my needs, Sir Ujan.”
We are at my clinic after another dungeon run. I had requested a conversation from the marshal.
“Do you have enough for another week and a half? The [Marques] shall be releasing five more keys to our group then.”
He pulls out two wine bottles. Quirking a scaled brow ridge at me.
I smile at the offer, “I can hold out till then.”
He sees that I am mollified and drinks the bottles down. He leaves after filling a glass for me.
-One of these days you're going to have to save a glass for me.
Come sister, I had the last one, swap with me now.
I am back in our soul space. I feel as she swallows the liquid, our soul warms at the bliss. It is my first time on the other side of this. I need to be more conscious of my sister. I hug our soul, hoping she will not be too angry at me for hoarding the blood. When she is finished with our bounty I find myself looking at Qorth again.
19 Orc Knight in Training
Ah, it's been ten days. I can level again. But I don't feel the desire to.
A Supplicant has returned a part of the soul they borrowed
Remaining soul 19
20 Orc Knight in Training, Tier 3 Adventurer
I got both her gain in soul and one of mine back.
I smile at Qorth, “Congratulations on your level, I didn't know you were an adventurer.”
She seems distracted, “Oh yes, my Lady. Orcs tend to flock to martial careers in hopes of swift leveling.”
To stave off aging.
A Supplicant has returned a part of the soul they borrowed
Remaining soul 19
Guess she had a spare. She looks to be concentrating.
A Supplicant has returned a part of the soul they borrowed
Remaining soul 19
What?
A Supplicant has returned a part of the soul they borrowed
Remaining soul 19
A Supplicant has returned a part of the soul they borrowed
Remaining soul 19
Qorth breathes out. She returned it all. Guess she found my soul unpleasant. I reach out, feeling that single droplet of blood begin to pull. She grasps my wrist.
“Do not misconstrue my intentions, my Lady. I wanted distance to evaluate where I stood, to ensure my feelings on the matter were my own. I want a clear head before I decide my future.”
A clear soul, “I will await your decision then. My geas is still in effect, the next level as supplicant must be yours if that's the route you wish to take.”
She panics a bit at that. I raise an eyebrow.
“Ah well, I only just got to that last level. I'm not sure when another will reach me.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 40 unallocated stat points
“Now this is strange, usually it's just you being a mass of depression. Now it's Qorth as well. Are you infecting people with ‘woe is me’?”
I wince at Gregory's words. Qorth has been morose since she removed my soul. There is not much I can do, removing a conditional geas with the intention of violating its conditions would make any future geas of that nature weaker.
“It is of my own doing, perceptively annoying, the Lady had no part in it.”
She still refers to me as her Lady. Something she wants to do or a part of her I changed. I guess I should be thankful she can't sense my feelings anymore. She starts scritching me behind my ears. I look at her questioning.
“You broadcast your emotion with these ears of yours, you need not be an empath like ‘cares not for feelings of others’ to notice. I find it calming to do this.”
“I'll have you know I care greatly about others feelings, I relish them all.”
Blood vampire meet emotional vampire. I guess I can live with being an emotional support cat. As long as the scritches keep coming.
-----
Another evening after a dungeon run. Qorth was quite aggressive about having a slot. Sir Ujan relented. I had mentioned, it would be helpful if Qorth could catch up to my level. She'll have a permanent place in the knights in training going forward. I best hold off on slaying the drake then, to avoid the marshal ire further. I sigh, still holding off on levels.
You have gained [Body Morphic Magic] Intermediate 1
Intermediate- can visualize the end result of possible changes
Intelligence raised to 565
The change in my right hand nails were complete. I turn to my left, engaging the magic. I can see my nails being clear before I begin. I smile and push my magic to do so. My passives reattached. That should be enough for now.
But I do wonder… I take my body as a whole, I see how large I will become, a good six and three quarters kings feet tall, with very broad shoulders but a modest chest, the hips much wider longer towards the back, almost a spider abdomen at that point … why does it have six additional legs… not even human legs but spider ones. If what I see is my future, my current legs are going to almost shift backwards while my pelvis becomes a kaboose. The four of the additional legs will be in front of my legs, the last pair behind them…
-Seems lovely.
My soul quakes at the admission…if this is my future why have I not already become this. Sister, is this what we want? Truly want…
-You haven't felt the stability and motion of it like I have. I always felt more at home in my manifestation than our body.
It doesn't have the big bulbous spider booty though. Tail looks thicker though…
-Why would it? That part of the spider has all the organs our torso currently has.
I try to visualize them away, to remain bipidel. It doesn't shift. Why?
-We already accepted it when we first got our scales and hand feet.
I…I am not sure I ca…no, my sister is me. I know that when I have them I will grow to love them as much as she will.
-Are you sure?
I am, I trust you sister. I feel the warmth. I look at the rest of my body. The shoulders become slender, the chest more prodigious. You know we are going to lose our butt in all this.
-Not like we will be able to sit on our ass anymore. Come lets set our boob job already.
I bark a laugh at that. My arcane core is empty again. It wasn't gaining any mana. I push my reserve regen to it, it moves slightly. Overdid it again.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 40 unallocated stat points
My sister had failed to notice but our fangs were going to be narrower and longer. No longer tigers canines but the creature of the night we are inevitably becoming. That we already are. She sleeps now as I focus on that change, I will need to make the change permanent before she wakes and sees my memories. Before she can panic and try to change who we are. I pour our mana reserves into forcing the lock, she will be upset with me in three hours. But acceptance is necessary. I feel my mouth change, the fangs warping and lengthening.
I flick our new fangs when I am done, all four have greatly sharpened, no longer the type to tear meat but to plunge and pierce arteries, the change already complete. Ready for those who dare to take from us.
I sit thinking of how we will change. It's an hour or so in quiet contemplation. My mornings alone in my thoughts. Or is it still evening.
The passives on our pituitary gland release. Finally, I scan any other organs that are static. Thyroid seems inert as well. I form our mental mini self and gah looking through all these eyes is a bit much. I close the eyes on my face and look again through the illusion. The illusion grasps my neck and reactivates my thyroid. Attaching my reserves to it, I breathed a sigh of relief.
My fire and mental core are now low as well. I lick my lips … I haven't felt this hungry before.
-----
-Sister, why are our reserves…oh my system you didn't.
I did and you know why.
-...
I need you to acknowledge it.
-...Acceptance. Still annoyed you did it while I slept.
Our shared soul warms, Acceptance. Not my fault you were staring at our future tits. The fangs were there then.
-...We will be glorious. But I fear our new hunger.
I think restarting our body woke something in us.
-Thyroid does regulate metabolism…
