This is a daily reminder: You have 40 unallocated stat points
Sister had started on our new clothes. She fell asleep before getting too far. She started with a basic covering for our front to cover ourselves. It had leg holes for our front two. Qorth had tied it behind my back. Sister gave up on our ‘tail’. I start spinning my thread, having to imbue it white. It was now blood red naturally. I just shake my head at it.
“Qorth could you bring the container over her, sister asleep and my legs are busy.”
My front two legs are holding me up while my hind leg pulls thread from my tail to my feet hands. She nods and brings it over. I lift it and drink from it. My ‘tail’ twitches.
“My lady… your tail is expanding…”
I sigh, I suspected it wasn't a tail anymore. A spider abdomen. Not much reason for it though. It started expanding when I drank though. I tilt the container to my lips, an angle that steadily grew as I emptied it into myself. As I drank my abdomen swelled. I look behind me. Spider booty is only somewhat engorged. The volume similar to what I consumed. Is it a store for my blood? I eye the other containers…I do need to see how big it will be if I am to make myself robes.
Okay ten containers of blood is alot. It's a proper spider abdomen now, the blue and black mithril hairs spread out across it. The muscles I saw made more sense now, to hold my immense posterior aloft. I can feel the blood sloshing in it. Ready to energize me. Not yet truly consumed.
I knit some cabling to cover my abdomen. As amusing as having my anus hanging out for all to see I decided it would be better to cover it. The covering I wove could be pulled to keep tight should my abdomen shrink. Since spider butt precludes any hiding, I decide to make my new robes have leg holes for my six walking legs. My hand feet I will rest in a pouch under my carriage? Is that what I am calling it? Whatever. It is long work. Qorth falls asleep next to sister.
-----
-That's not a tail.
Sorry sister, spider booty afterall.
-Thought we didn't need that cause our organs are in our torso.
Well we store our blood in there now. It fits ten containers.
-By the system.
I think it looks rather nice.
-You would.
I squint in the direction of sister. She huffs out a sigh and embraces me.
-I accept our spider booty, there is no hiding us now.
Acceptance. Come I will spin the thread while we both work. We weave together, our robe coming together quicker. We finish near the time for morning exercises.
My new robe donned. I take a moment. Six scaled legs ending in three toed feet clawed for gripping threads. The bottom of my feet are sensitive now, able to triangulate vibrations in the ground. My swollen abdomen pointing up in the air as I walk. My robes cascade down my back, the leg holes keeping the robes pulled up to my spider abdomen. The abdomen itself has cabled ropes crossing it, covering my more eye catching parts.
-As if the abdomen isn't the eye catching part.
Shush now. We are glorious.
She hugs me as I thought that. Before I wake Qorth, a level sister? She agrees. Our crafting had raised our agility pass the three hundred mark, another boosted slot. We gain an additional two stats per stat now for the three hundred sweep. Strange that it went one, two, two but what can you do?
Level raised to 8
Strength raised to 328
Agility raised to 359
Perception raised to 400
Constitution raised to 360
Presence raised to 373
Mental Fortitude raised to 405
Intelligence raised to 584
Soul raised to 341
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 12
Remaining soul 13
Remaining soul 18
My soul burn wakes Qorth.
“Sorry, I did warn you.”
That there was no escaping this now, escaping us. She nods and smiles.
“Are you ready, my Lady?”
Not really, my sister pushes me and I walk out after Qorth.
-----
My eye level is higher. Seems longer legs make for higher perch.
-Could scuttle or bend the legs more.
Maybe not scuttle but I lower myself, arching my legs more, like a spider. My eye level is actually lower now than before. My new robes drag. I lift myself up more, just to the point where my robes won't double as a mop. My eye level returned to my previous night's place.
Qorth exits the dungeon first. When I walk out the guards panic. Their weapons are drawn. I cross the room quickly and turn around holding my hands out.
“Still Sara Maxwell Magdeline, I just went through a few changes.”
They paused, “Sorry, [Priestess]. Sir Ujan said that you would be coming out with spider legs. The previous shift was rather incredulous so we didn't believe it ourselves. But by the systems.”
I wince at that. It's going to be a long morning.
-----
“You have provided me with such a great banquet of panic today, spider [Priestess].”
Gregory was the most accepting of my changes. The others paled and panicked. Some thought I was a monster to slay until Sir Ujan intervened.
We were having breakfast. The grease is just as unappetizing as always. I stood at the table not really having much of a sitting position. My legs under my carriage prevented me from resting. I may need to rethink that. I could just make it a proper spider leg.
-I like the additional dexterity of hands though.
“So now a spider cat lizard. Anything new to expect tomorrow?”
I shake my head, “No, I'm good on changes. I'm still nervous of people seeing me.”
“Is that before or after someone charged you with a wooden sword?”
I sigh.
-----
Isabella comes over to me when I enter her classroom.
“Sir Ujan told me of your changes, he hadn't described your abdomen though. May I?”
“Sure, my tail swelled from eating. It happened after he left.”
Her eyes look over me. Her concentration is greater than before. Studying my new anatomy. I activate my cover trinket before she speaks again.
“Your abdomen is mostly filled with organs holding free floating blood. I count at least ten separate ones. What organs that are different are mostly lining the bottom of your abdomen. I have not studied spider anatomy in depth but the legs are quite reminiscent of them. That your uterus remains is curious but your top half is mostly mammalian."
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“Will I still be able to bear children?”
“The pelvis is open there and a birth canal is still present. I do not know how your body will handle it but I think you have a good chance. The system recognizing you as a race helps I think.”
I smile at that. Seems live births are still my thing.
-----
“Due to the various changes, it was deemed best to send you to Sir Krakner camp.”
Count Ericnae trying his best to only stare at my upper body.
“The various recruits were understandably shocked by your recent metamorphosis.”
I sigh, I look to Qorth. She nods, she will abide by whatever I request.
“I would like to bring my aide-de-camp, I have plans on making her my personal knight.”
The count looks to Qorth, “I'd be honored to accompany my Lady.”
“So be it, we will provide you a carriage and an escort.”
-----
Getting in the carriage was a thing, my abdomen needing to squeeze to get in. I have to sit backwards, my ass hanging out over the middle of the carriage.
“We will need to get you a carriage more suited to your needs, my Lady.”
“They will be your needs soon enough.”
I spend some more of my stats to punctuate my point.
Level raised to 9
Strength raised to 334
Agility raised to 365
Perception raised to 406
Constitution raised to 366
Presence raised to 386
Mental Fortitude raised to 416
Intelligence raised to 590
Soul raised to 346
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 11
Remaining soul 12
Remaining soul 17
When my soul burn cleared I wrinkle my nose at Qorth. She laughs at me. I can feel Barbain and Beatrice are ready to tier up now. Glad that I can help them have a longer life.
“Do you have enough to subsume my soul?”
I give her a sad smile, “It will happen in three levels.”
She looks annoyed at me, “Do not give me the melancholy, I demand you get it over with already.”
“Its going to hurt when we cross the point. The first part etches major boons into you.”
She stares at me intently. My newest arcane core burns into me.
-Can't say she doesn't want this.
I sigh.
Level raised to 10
Strength raised to 340
Agility raised to 371
Perception raised to 412
Constitution raised to 372
Presence raised to 399
Mental Fortitude raised to 427
Intelligence raised to 596
Soul raised to 351
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 10
Remaining soul 11
Remaining soul 16
I breathe for a moment.
“Is that all you have?”
Level raised to 11
Strength raised to 346
Agility raised to 377
Perception raised to 418
Constitution raised to 378
Presence raised to 412
Mental Fortitude raised to 438
Intelligence raised to 602
Soul raised to 356
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 9
Remaining soul 10
Remaining soul 14
More breathing. She gives me a quirked eyebrow.
-Wait for it.
She then clutched her own chest. A new arcane core forming. I smile at her.
“The next part will hurt worse.” I turn my body towards her and embrace her, my sister alights onto my shoulder. I was no longer on the seat. I activate a cover trinket for the screams to come.
She returns the hug, and whispers into my ear.
“Make me your’s, mistress.”
Level raised to 12
Strength raised to 352
Agility raised to 383
Perception raised to 424
Constitution raised to 384
Presence raised to 425
Mental Fortitude raised to 449
Intelligence raised to 608
Soul raised to 361
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 8
Remaining soul 9
Remaining soul 14
Her screams louder than either Barbain or Beatrice. She had neither of the major boons I was inscribing into her. My soul cat eyes watching. Just like with the other two she loses consciousness only for her eyes to snap back open. She pushes me back for a moment. Listening to her system voice. Her breathing is starting to become steady.
“I am glad to be able to stay up with you now, my Lady.”
I smile, “Sorry for the pain my empathetic hydra.”
She smiles back.
I picked up the cover trinket, shrugged and pressed it to my chest. It become bound to my soul.
“My Lady?”
“I felt it was important to have, whether sister was asleep or not.”
-----
Qorth took care of most of the outside duties while we traveled. I stayed hidden and cramped in the carriage. When her second half woke up at midnight she was happy to spend the night talking with me. It was all new to her for a second time. I wish I had been there for the B's.
When the carriage stopped, she led me to the clinic, the various knights tilting their heads at me as I passed. All and all, a rather awkward affair. I kept my head up high through it all. Qorth left me for a bit to tell command I was here and to deliver her orders.
I spent the time meeting the current clinic staff and doing some touch up healing for some of the current patients. It wasn't till evening that Qorth came back.
“The camp commander would like to speak with you.”
Phenolp's family name came from this knight. Did he know who I was? I was nervous but I went to his fire. When I arrived I found an older man with violet skin and greying hair, his soul greater than my own. Small similarities between his features and Phenolp greeted me. He looked at Qorth.
“You may return to your assigned area, I will be talking to Miss Magdeline alone.”
Qorth looks at me and I nod to her. She leaves us. I was the first to speak.
“How much do you know of me, Sir Krakner?”
“I know that my great great great granddaughter gained a tail and black and blue ears before she disappeared with a girl with similar features. Your mother informed me Gadvak cultists had killed her along with you. ‘Course now you are here but with spider legs and quite alive and it just makes me a wee bit curious how it's all possible.”
I take my legs out of my carriage pouch and sit down. I tell the man about how I died, how Phenolp died, how I turned my daughter's bodies to ash. My run in with a spider and a hydra. My time at the academy. How I ended up here.
“You telling me they kicked ya out of the citadel cause you grew a few legs. Ain't the worse I've seen.”
“Really?”
“Aye, on the coast plenty of fools be grafting plenty of fish parts to themselves, gills, fins, tails. Knew a fool who decided squid tentacles would be grand.”
“Is that how you see me sir, a fool?”
He shrugs at that, “First time I saw the system acknowledge such foolishness, always heard it required a pregnancy first. Ye ain't pregnant are ya.”
I scan myself to make sure. No, the ovaries were still busy making their eggs.
“Not currently, sir.”
He laughs at that, “That you had to check with your life eyes makes me think you're active.”
Still just ten, I grimace.
“Sorry, with the surprises my body has given me, it's best to be sure sir. I assure you, I am not ‘active’.”
He shrugs at my emphasis. “Was she happy with ye?”
“She hadn't forgiven herself for my changes. She felt she had pushed me into them. She was ready to devote her life to me. I was cruel enough to try to ensure she tier up so we have more time together. She was my daughter and I still miss her.”
He nods at that. We stare at the fire. Time passes without anything said. I hear someone approaching and I get up to bid the knight a good night.
“Hail, Sir Krakner, a report.”
That voice and smell, I turn to the man, “Derrick?”
I see the man, feel his emotion go from surprise to dread to guilt. Why would he feel guilty? Upon seeing me. He recognizes me. He is afraid of me. He pales. A man with a crossbow who I told about my smells… A man who had knowledge on how to ambush me.
“Scout Derrick, you look as if you have seen a ghost, out with the report.”
-Sister, we must ask him.
“Um right sir, I found their camp. It's about ten miles in that direction. I'll get with your cartographer and get the exact position.”
He excuses himself and leaves. I do the same, following his scent. He doesn't go to the cartographer. He is fleeing the camp. Fleeing me. I go after him. He might be able to mask his scent around him but he still leaves behind a scent unaccounted for in the grass. His fears are sweating out of him. I follow the stench, my suspicion only growing. When I reach the forest he fled into I expand my aura outward.
-----
He had moved quite far from me. The tracking is a slow affair. But it leads me to his fire. I enter the open space where he sat. Sister joins me, her hatred fueling my own.
“Were you the one who killed me and my daughters?”
The only question that had been on my mind.
“I am.”
My body feels as if it moves on its own. Sister speaks through her illusion.
“Present your neck.”
He kneels before me, head down. Good. I reached the worm, coward, murderer. My finger tips his chin up a clear path to his neck. I will not bend to this filith. My two front legs lift him up from his armpits. Time slows. To do this, to end this man, I will revel in his death. In vengeance. Will I be a monster, sister.
-He killed our daughters.
He did. My rage and my fear fight within me, as they do in my sister. We echo each other's emotions, heightening them further. To take this bliss into me, to end this man. My thirst doubles and I hesitate. I feel my sister's comfort knowing we have already decided. My thirst grows more. I still hesitate at the line. I breathe ready to let him go when I take in the smell of his bolts. Not the same of course, not the same. But still the arrow I saw as Phenolp fell fills my mind.
I clamp down on his throat, drinking deeply. I do not bother with his stats, and I do not switch with my sister. I will bear this sin. He must feed my thirst. Till there is nothing left. I pull the man into a hug, to ensure he will not struggle. I drink him as my body fills with the bliss of the kill. But he will die too soon, my desire not yet filled. I channel my sustainer magic into him, willing his body to keep making me blood. I hear ripping behind me but I do not care. I gorge myself on this murderer's blood. It's an hour before I let him go. A desiccated corpse. He had not died of loss of blood but heart failure.
I look behind me, seeing my abdomen swollen to a new size. I sigh, my tears have already started to dry. I hadn't even realized they were falling. I killed a man. Righteous or not, it was an execution, not a defense, or my aura consuming me. Not a mistake. I personally drank a man dry and devoured his soul. My body tremors in the ecstasy of the act. The bliss not fleeing for real souls. I struggle with our emotions of revulsion and elation. When it begins to quiet, I become morose. While I am satiated now, will dungeon blood be enough anymore? A line crossed, a monster born… Acceptance.
-Acceptance.
