You have gained [Throw Knife] Intermediate 1
Intermediate - knives stick in things better
Gain 8 exp
-That should help.
I agree. You think ten engraved is enough.
-I think I would like to make mental ingots first then shape them into knives.
Ah, then we can hopefully reduce the activation time. Hey I have a thought. Can you take over magic I start?
-I haven't tried, but sure, let's see.
I form a mini Sara on my shoulder. I know she can sense things in my mana aura.
-Let go of the magic.
I do so and Sara remains. I smile. The illusion changes.
-I can feel your shoulder.
I smile at that. Progress. The illusion winks out. Sister?
-Going to work on some things in here. Want to get to at least competent soon so I can talk outside.
I throw more knives. Something moves in my soul scape…It's eating the grass. Sister? More giggling.
You have gained [Dungeon] Basic 4
Gain 1 exp
-----
You have gained [Two Separate Minds] Competent 2
Gain 4 exp
She had made a horned rabbit. It's just munching the grass down there. Hop hop. So cute. I make an illusion obstacle in front of it. It turns away.
You have gained [Illusion Magic 2] Apprentice 1
Apprentice - you can smell though your illusions now you weirdo
Gain 6 exp
Wait if I can smell, I can also feel. I make an illusionary Sara that's petting the rabbit. It flops over exposing its belly. Well use to the attention. I remember sister doing this. For hours. Strange, I know I can feel but the rabbit can too? Or is it because I expect that? I will the rabbit to straighten up. It does. It's just another implementation of my will then. If I don't direct the rabbit he just goes off to nibble whatever. So it has regular instincts and I can get it to do things. Well mister rabbit time to put you through your paces. I form more obstacles. Alright, rabbit act as if they are real and get through your maze. He sucks at it. I smile.
-----
You have gained [Alcohol Tolerance] Apprentice 1
Apprentice - hangovers only last half as long
Gain 2 exp
Only Six more tiers to go.
-Soon enough, are you having fun with mister rabbit?
Yes sister, I check my reserves. I pull out another rabbit. I watch it form from my soul mana, first bones, blood and flesh then fur. I'd look away but I can see everything in here. They start hopping over each other. I smile.
Received 14 exp from 33% share ring
And another one bites the dust. I will four of the blood containers outside. It's not long before sister pops in holding two, one under each arm. She puts them down and rushes forward to pet mister rabbit. Miss rabbit nuzzles her side. Barbain and Beatrice enter with the remaining two containers. They freeze on seeing the two rabbits.
“You made horned rabbits? Are they dangerous?”
I pop an illusion Sara next to her, “They won't attack someone with my soul.”
I smile as they rush over to give them more love.
“You're not going to harvest them for blood are you?”
Barbain asks the unthinkable. Sister pales at the suggestion. I walk my illusion over.
“While others could eat them. I suspect I would not derive anything from it. I don't restore blood from myself after all.”
“Will they give exp if killed?”
Beatrice also wishes to murder them. Sister exclaims while hugging the rabbit closer to herself.
“How could you ever think of murdering the cuteness?"
Beatrice rolls her eyes.
“You could make other not cute things to test right.”
I suppose I could. I form a goblin skeleton. The B's blanche. My soul core drops ten percent doing it. The bunnies were only like one percent each. Difference in soul value? My arcane core feels at its regen limit already.
“Okay like seriously don't do that. Also holy shit that's a level fifty goblin skeleton.”
I shrug, I mentally force it stationary.
“Something not cute.”
Yet I feel sad seeing the poor girl goblin skeleton again. It doesn't have her memories but I feel she needs a spear anyways.
Beatrice takes her head. No exp. I suspected as such.
“I can't gain exp from the soul mana I make. Either its part of the dungeon or simply a facet of a geas I placed on myself to prevent such. I assumed you gained nothing as well.”
Beatrice nods. Most likely my soul prevented it.
“Why did you make a geas for that?”
Sister answers Barbain, “Mother required it before she taught me the soul mana convert. Said melding soul mana to your soul was how you lose your mind. It's impossible not to go insane apparently, the soul mana has random memories that would slowly clutter your mind.”
She shivers at the thought, I do too. Then she stands up shooing the two back to the rift.
“We got more hydras to slay. The rabbits will still be here when we are done.”
They grumble but head out. I look at the pile of bones. The strain on my arcane core has lessened but they feel foreign to me now. Dungeon bone, I mentally will them away. I have mixed feelings about bringing that form into existence. It was the same as the one before. Not a generic one but the specific one I killed. If I remade an elf would it be Sencea or Vanessa? They wouldn't be in them but their instincts would. I think I'll avoid making anything more than rabbits from now on.
-----
“That should be good for now She who Mourns.”
I smile as Fran pushes forward ten large gold. I ate three axens last night to make a massive amount of silk, fire thread, and ingots. The B's never ask what happens to the carcasses I drag into the rift. What is left, I had the soul scape absorb. Aside from the horns.
“Have you heard from Cecelia?”
“Not since she sent a missive about how you might be reaching out to me and that she was heading to Falver.”
My mother demesne. They plan to destroy the Gadvak cult. How many will die. Are they in danger? Less than I am in I would imagine. Wonder if she had to break up with Thane.
“Mourns?”
“Sorry, was lost in thought. When should I bring more?”
“Check in a week and I should have a list of things. Are you doing alright? This all must be a lot for someone so young.”
Stolen story; please report.
“Barbain has been helping, is there a book on enchanted embroidery designs I could acquire?”
He smiles at me, “I'll see what I can do.”
-----
You have gained [Triage] Basic 3
Gain 1 exp
“Seems odd to hire a priestess that only bandages people.”
31 Troll Tier 4 Adventurer, Apprentice Mage
“I am simply conserving my mana, in case there is an emergency.”
They aren't really listening. I pull the silk tight. They wince. They gave me the five large silver I quoted them. I don't feel bad about it, the amount of silk I used on them would have brought in more if sold to Fran. Lindur enters the clinic. It's a bit afternoon.
“Guild master wants a word with ya.”
I raise an eyebrow and follow her.
-----
? Orc Maknor Alchemist Guild Master, Merchant
It's never good when a different guild master is here. I decline to sit, the chair looking like I'd break it even before I started carrying an anvil in me.
“Seems young to be killing hydras.”
“I'm not here to waste your time Victor, don't waste ours.”
He looks annoyed but just sighs.
“I am Victor, Guild Master of the Maknor Alchemist. There has been an influx of hydra blood far more potent in life mana than usual. I spoke to Winctal and comparing the dates, she seems to assume you are the cause. Miss?”
“She who Mourns. Is this a problem?”
“Not for you, I would ask to know the technique you use so that we might increase the amount produced.”
I shrug.
“You don't know?”
I do but I don't feel like telling. I simply stare at him.
“She who Mourns, I am willing to give a great deal for more potent hydra blood. Better blood means we can dilute it and make more with less.”
And have less adventurers collect it. I think I am out of the blood collecting game. Now how to get out of this conversation.
“I'm afraid, my time has been growing more limited. I've been entertaining two students from the mage college and once they grow bored my time at the clinic precludes any adventures in Gadvak.”
“Surely this is more important than sitting around in a clinic. I can hire a team to escort you into the dungeon if need be.”
“You want to deprive my hall of its priestess Victor. It took a lot to secure her.”
“Yet, you are loaning her out to the children of nobility.”
They stare at each other annoyed. I just want to leave. Sister is asleep, I can't even distract myself.
“This is all rather troublesome. First silk life bandages start showing up that don’t seem to run out of mana, now the supply of extra potent hydra blood is about to run out.”
What? Okay I should have made those bandages out of dissolving silk. Shit. Note to us, three day silk. Will give me something to do since Fran is all full up. I keep my face passive.
You have gained [Acting] Basic 6
Gain 2 exp
-----
You have gained [Soul Etching] Intermediate 3
Gain 80 exp
You have gained [Blood Alcohol Intolerance 2] Basic 1
Blood Alcohol Intolerance 2 - Take one down, pass it around
Basic - you can taste the alcohol they drank to spike their blood
Gain 3 exp
You have gained [Alcohol Tolerance] Apprentice 2
Gain 2 exp
I seized for a moment, not expecting that. The earlier tiers must have already been included in the initial etch. Bleh, why have they been drinking this.
“You seem displeased there, Mourns.”
“Sorry, my tier up made me able to taste the alcohol you drank in your blood. I find Dragon Fire Spirits to be rather awful.”
-I actually tasted it as well. Why is this the only thing you can pass through?
That's not true, I felt it when you dripped acid on our body.
-You weren't too pleased with that, nor with the cutting.
“Aye it is, but it's cheap. If you want something different you can supply it. With all that copious amount of money you just dried up.”
“I figure the adventurer guild master would be pleased I wasn't drying up the demand for piss poor hydra blood.”
“Eh, there are always requests to do, I just don't like seeing money being left on the table.”
Neither did Barbain and Beatrice.
“I'm not killing hydras forever, let's not have me destroy the potion market when I move on.”
“Is that before or after you put out reusable life bandages?”
I look at her annoyed.
“I am still shocked that the adventurers I treated are cleaning and reusing the bandages. How did this get back to the alchemists anyways?”
“According to Victor, some noble came in asking where they might buy some more.”
I bury my face in my hands. Just the ones attached to my arms. Lindur has enough spider nightmares.
“Doesn't matter, I'm going to start making them with dissolvable silk anyways.”
“Ah, now you're thinking about money.”
I glare at Beatrice.
“Wait, you make iron and silk. Where the fuck is the silk coming from.”
“There are things one is better off not knowing, Lindur.”
The guild master takes a sagely tone. Lindur just scrunches her face annoyed.
-----
“We really aren't going to sell the blood anymore?”
“I don't want the attention, Barbain.”
“But you already gained it.”
Beatrice prodding as usual.
“And hope to lose it. Why are you both so interested in money anyways.”
“Aren't we trying to gear up for the third floor?”
“Well how much do you need? It's not like I didn't make ten large gold today.”
Beatrice freezes.
“Fran really gave you that much?”
“Wait wait wait, you're telling me you just made ten large gold from just last night smithing work.”
“And weaving.”
“Why are we bothering with hydras for?”
“Their blood is the tastiest in terms of dungeon blood.”
“Ah yes gluttony, speaking of, I was thinking of bringing a few different drinks tomorrow for you to try.”
“Thanks Barbain.”
“Whats the tastiest blood overall.”
I blush at Beatrice's question. It's the soul value that improves the quality. Mother of course. But I have no desire to tell the B's that.
“Awww I can feel her flustering.”
Damn it Barbain, I ran off to the dungeon. They easily kept up with my plodding pace. Laughing all the way.
-----
We got nine hydra today. All thirty-six of our containers are filled. That still leaves fifteen up, counting the six before.
“Seriously how much do you both need, I feel like we could start breaching the third floor on your days off.”
“Well a new rapier and a better robe would be adequate, that would be two large gold, what about you Bar bar.”
“Eh, just a robe for me.”
“I could make all those things.”
“Your iron is too heavy and robes need more embroidery than liquid repellent, Jam.”
Damn my pride as a crafter is shattered. Barbain hugged me.
“I'll make sure to give ya five large when we return. This effort is mostly for me anyways.”
We all settle inside my soul scape. Another evening crafting. Bandages 2.0, now with planned obsolescence. I start work on a shield after I made enough for the clinic.
You have gained [Dungeon] Apprentice 1
Apprentice - you can now manifest in your dungeon
Gain 2 exp
But I already could. A pair of arms hugs me from behind.
“The system means me you dunce.”
I knew that.
-I know you did.
“Weird so now we can talk without illusions, I feel you can't leave in that body.”
My sister pauses for a moment.
“Seems not. But now the rabbits can feel the scritches for real.”
No more mentally making them respond. I take a breath.
“Are we alright with all this?”
“What, becoming a dungeon or a silk weaving eldritch horror?”
I pat my sister's hand.
“You know better than to insinuate that we are a monster.”
“Sorry.”
“I was more wondering about not going after the cult.”
She takes a deep breath this time. You don't actually have to breathe do you.
-Shush you.
“Its still an option after we replace our iron.”
“Unless something else distracts us.”
“We are part cat.”
I snort at that. I look down at the arm hugging me and notice my sister's scales are deep purple.
“That's cheating you know.”
She laughs my laugh. I smile.
“You know, I think I can make this manifestation look like anything.”
“At which point it soul etches us.”
“Perhaps a geas then?”
“Maybe just an acknowledgment of a truth.”
Anything we manifest as in our soul scape is distinct from our body. We do not subconsciously change ourselves based on it.
-I like it, leaving the option if we find something we consciously want.
My soul warms.
-----
You have gained [Two Separate Minds] Competent 3
Gain 4 exp
Every three awakings.
-So it seems. Time to customize my manifestation.
Actually you sure you don't want to listen in on my shoulder. She takes control of my shoulder illusion.
-Still can't see.
Almost. I'm sure you working out the illusion will help.
“I suppose.”
Lindur looks up from the illusion in front of her.
“Why did you make a second one of ya on your shoulder.”
Did we not explain this to her?
-I don't think so.
I grip the bridge of my nose.
“Sorry the reason we don't sleep is I have a skill that gives me two minds. Right now both minds are awake. Wave at Lindur other me.”
My sister waves in a direction that's not quite where Lindur was. You know you could have waved where you could hear her heart.
-Thought I did, I think the hearing through illusion is not as good as the real thing.
Maybe it's because it's like hearing through one ear. Try making a hearing illusion on either side of your head.
She does. Then waves at Lindur direction. Well at the direction of her heart. Her head a tad bit higher than that.
My sister turns the illusion to give me a raspberry. Lindur had already gone back to studying the illusion in front of her. Doing her best to not catch this particular brand of crazy.
You have gained [Illusion Magic] Competent 4
Gain 12 exp
I pull my aura back in, my sister winks out, ending the illusion. The adventurer from the previous day comes up. Shallow cuts everywhere. Almost meticulously. I shrug and bandage him again. He pays my five large silver and leaves without saying anything.
“Did that seem odd to you?”
“Fuck if I cared, lets get back to my training.”
She stares at my illusion with her two purple diamond mental eyes.
-----
“I thought you were afraid of etching yourself if you made your illusion look different.”
My sister is sporting bat wings and devil horns again. She answers for us.
“We came to a truth that whatever we do as a manifestation should not subconsciously change us.”
“Alright, so why the horns and wings.”
“Cause I'm evil Jam.”
“Is that why you're so small, all the evil in Jam amounts to a pixie?”
My sister pouts in the direction of Beatrice's voice, a tad off as we are walking.
You have gained [Acting] Basic 7
Gain 2 exp
I smile at that.
-----
Why a spider centaur.
-Eh, apparently I can only manifest as things we killed, or us. Nothing stops mix and matching though.
“Is this because I mocked evil Jam…”
My sister walks to Beatrice and cups her jaw in our dainty little hand. That she had to bend down to do it makes it all the more intimidating.
“Do I look like an illusion, [Supplicant]?”
“No, mistress.”
Our soul quakes at that, both Beatrice and mine. Okay maybe let's not role play evil overlords.
“Sorry sorry sorry I didn't mean to.”
My sister disappears. Aw come back. Please. She appears next to me as just us. I hug her as she weeps. The tears that flow disappear when they leave her face. Our manifestation doesn't leave things behind. We cut her hair to see if she could make iron thread but it simply returned to soul mana. Technically we could just make those things but our body can make it far easier than utilizing mana. Beatrice comes over and envelopes us both.
“I know you didn't mean to force an answer from me, Sara.”
Or to change her soul to relish it. My sister shudders some more but quiets down after. Barbain scritches my sister's head.
I look out at the supplies we gathered. Enough to eat and drink for a day. Tomorrow is the B's day off.
