I stare at the last piece of mithril I need to swallow. There is a bit of iron left in my forehead. If I eat this, my hair will be mithril. Will I even be able to cut it? Sister pops out an illusion and floats to my forehead. She finger flicks me in the forehead and the fuck, I felt that.
-Mental constructs in my fingers.
She sticks her tongue out at me. I smile. We might not be able to cut our hair after this.
-Not immediately but we will find a way, we still shed hair either way. I prefer not having a bullseye on my forehead. Besides, we need to make the next finger flicker regret it.
I plop the final bit of mithril in my mouth and swallow it. My body warms, it's complete. My hair snaps off again. I feel the fur of my tail let go too. I'm a mess. I gather it all and walk it back into my room. One rift jaunt later I walk back out with my new lighter hair.
-Might want to do a blood run tonight. We got a container left of hydra. Sister, are we comfortable birthing another Sara into our mind.
Didn't know we had a choice in the matter
-It's our skill, I just feel that if we add more, the time we get to walk around lessens. I'm fine with our division now but with three of us? That's only seven hours. It gets worse the more we add. Where would they stay? Would they wait in the soulscape or be a passenger like it was before our dungeonification.
It’s even worse when you consider there would be a Sara whose hours of control would be only during everyone's sleeping hours. We don't do well when we get lonely, I think half the reason this is our now was because we isolated ourselves. I ended up making an imaginary friend
-I'm quite real, thank you…sorry you ended up with the way too early shift, sister. We could try shifting the schedule so that I can take up some of it.
Its fine sister, I find it calming. No more Sara’s?
-Agreed.
Our soul warms.
I look at our skill. The ominous ‘so far’ has fallen off. Sorry future Sara’s that never will be.
-It was for the best.
I feel a great deal of fury approaching me. My sister's illusion goes clear. She wishes to be ready. A very irate adventurer barges into the clinic. It was the one with the meticulous cuts. He lifts me up easily. Right, I don't weigh half a ton anymore. Still over three fifty though, that anvil still in me.
“Why did the bandages fall apart?”
That was loud. I scan him with my life eye, the wounds are healed.
“I don't understand, you are uninjured.”
“Bitch, I cut myself to get bandages to sell and they just fell apart as I was cleaning them. What the hell happened to my bandages to sell?”
Still yelling. I can hear the guild master approach.
“I suggest putting me down. I don't think getting physical is a good approach here.”
He punches my gut. Breaking his hand in doing so. Mythril scales. He hardly deformed my gut doing it. He drops me and staggers back.
“The fuck?”
“Kills profits kills again, I am mighty curious why you are accosting our priestess.”
Just how many adventures have variations of kill profit.
“Bitch sold me bandages that fell apart.”
“Were you not healed?”
“Thats beside the point.”
“Did she sell you bandages or healing services?”
“The bandages come with the service.”
I really wish they would leave. Profits wince as he holds his hand.
“I demand compensation for my broken hand.”
“Wait, you break your hand punching me and wish to be compensated?”
He looks annoyed and leaves. The guild master lets him go.
“I'm assuming you prefer not to have another inquisitor visit.
-----
The smug asshole brought the inquisitor himself. He had his hand wrapped in my older bandages. I just grasp the bridge of my nose. It's healing it wrong.
“Hugo informs me that you first scammed him on bandages and then broke his hand.”
I look at the imposing woman.
“I sold him healing services, that his aim was in procuring life bandages and not my stated services is not my business, nor really yours.”
“You presume to dictate my business.”
“I do, and will continue to do so. The man assaulted me after he became irate. That he broke his hand punching me is wholly his fault. I had left it at that but it seems here we are.”
The woman looks at me, judging my words. She turns to Hugo.
“Is what the priestess saying true?”
“She sold me defective bandages.”
The woman picked the man up, similar to how I was earlier.
“Hugo, [Tier 4 Adventurer], did you lay hands on the daughter of a [Countess].”
The man pales immediately.
“She a what? I … I… did.”
She throws him to the retinue of guards.
“I would prefer we dro—”
She looks at me annoyed.
“It would seem the [Priestess] is foolish Hugo, you may leave.”
He does so. The guards follow after.
“I believe I warned you to stay out of trouble.”
“My efforts to change my bandages was to do just that.”
“Yet, here I am, again.”
“Sorry, I had hoped he would let the matter drop.”
“You got in the way of a better life, he clearly wasn't willing to let it go.”
“Is that why you outed me?”
“Outed?”
“As a [Countess] daughter.”
“Yes, he should at least understand the crime he will commit should he deign to kill you.”
I look at her annoyed and she leaves me at that.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
-----
“You're the daughter of a [Countess]?”
Damn it, if Lindur knows then everyone must be talking about it.
-She’s not a gossip.
Exactly, she'd be the last person to pay attention to such.
“I take it everyone talking about it then.”
She shrugs and is next to me in my aura. It's nice to see the growth. She is looking over my sister with her mental eyes.
“They are talking more about the bandages than anything.”
I huff at that. Sister makes faces at Lindur. She doesn't care.
A rumbling happens, it is followed by large noises. I raise an eyebrow, Lindur leaves the clinic. I pull my aura in when the guild master comes in.
“Mourns, a building collapsed near the west gate. You're with me.”
I nod and leave with her.
-----
The people they pull out are all wearing their robes, Gadvak cultists. Damn them. I begin healing. Triage.
-Hiding in plain sight.
I stop the bleeding on another. A desire to just leave grows. I go to another and save their life as well. Did any of these monks kill my daughters? Another lung restored, a puncture sealed. I catch a smell of mother. More bleeding stopped. She was here, but not anymore. A woman's missing arm is sealed. So she began her offensive. A man dies before I reach him. The person dragging him lets go and hunts for more survivors. My emotions are in turmoil.
-Its alright to feel sad at death. Not all of them had to be as evil as those that harmed us.
Killed us you mean. I heal another.
-We got better.
Tell that to our daughters.
-...
Sorry, that was unfair. Another will live. I take off my hat.
“Mourns, what are you doing?”
I glare at Winctal.
“They need to know that they live because I allowed it.”
All their eyes are on me. Some are of hatred, others of shame. I continue my triage.
-----
The b's are sitting with me in my soul space. We had our daily alcohol leveling. I was emotionally drained.
“So you just took your hat off revealing your existence.”
“It felt profound at the time.”
“So what happens now?”
“I don't know Barbain. I think I prefer to draw their attention at the moment.”
“Why's that mistress?”
I take a steadying breath.
“I need to tier. It won't be long before the both of you are changed as well. Better they are looking here than scanning around for others.”
-Don't lie to them.
They look at me shocked.
“Sorry, after the fact justification. I actually lost my temper at the whole situation. I was saving the lives of my would-be killers. Hell, some of them may have killed me. Damn it.”
They hug me. I cry the tears I had held in. When I ran out of tears, my sister nudged me.
-Are you ready, sister?
Yes.
You are now a Tier 3 Chimera (Vampire Progenitor)
Level reset to 1
Strength raised to 216
Agility raised to 186
Perception raised to 248
Constitution raised to 216
Presence raised to 257
Mental Fortitude raised to 226
Intelligence raised to 224
Soul raised to 287
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 19
Remaining soul 20
A supplicant wishes to offer the rest of their soul
Accept?
“Denied.”
Barbain pouts at that. I look at her annoyed. Beatrice I expected but Barbain…
“No need to rush love, the slow hug is just as good as the quick and tight one.”
I gag at Beatrice words. She just smirks and wrinkles her nose at me.
-Vampire Progenitor…
I know, but we must do our best to shape it as best we can. The guild master pokes her head into my rift.
“Fuck Mourns, you just lit up every soul sense in the city.”
“What?”
“Your tiering like the wailing of a child, anyone with a soul sense can feel when someone goes up one. Every tier is louder. Bleeding crown going to know someone needs an ennoblement. You're doing your best to stand out today.”
Why have I not felt one then? Do people not tier that often?
“Shit, mother letter said to do it in a dungeon, why didn't mine work.”
“Probrably because we can hear everything inside it, unlike Gadvak.”
-We aren't multiple instances.
The guild master notices my sister.
“Really leaning into the spider side there.”
She looks annoyed.
“A dungeon manifestation should be intimidating.”
Guild master scans the spider centaur.
“Then why did you leave the cat ears?”
She huffs and turns her torso away, arms crossed.
“So what do we do?”
“Well you're stuck here until things quiet down, miss show off my ears to the people looking to kill me. That really doesn't change much.”
I look at my one container of blood.
“How long, I'm actually low on blood.”
“How the hell did that happen?”
“Eating mithril dried my throat out, I had to lubricate it.”
“Ever hear of water.”
I just glare at her.
“We will fill your axen containers, Jam.”
“It's not actually safe to sleep in the dungeon, you know.”
“And I ain't leaving the hall in case some crazy fucks try to breach the damn place. You're just going to have to make do with your volunteers.”
She leaves. Beatrice pouts.
“How are you going to snag levels if you're stuck here, mistress?”
I smile at her. My core warms.
You have gained [Permanent Arcane Mana Core] Advanced 3
Gain 32 exp
You gained 32 unallocated stat points
You have gained [Mental Arcane Mana Core] Advanced 3
Gain 32 exp
You gained 8 unallocated stat points
And just like that I could lock them in.
-They already were.
I squint at my sister, she gives me a tired sad smile.
“What got you so annoyed?”
“We got five levels worth of exp just now.”
Why tell them sister?
-Acceptance.
Damn, she got me there.
“Think you can manage another level?”
“Just one more, nine soul is still alot.”
Level raised to 2
Strength raised to 220
Agility raised to 190
Perception raised to 252
Constitution raised to 220
Presence raised to 268
Mental Fortitude raised to 235
Intelligence raised to 228
Soul raised to 296
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 18
Remaining soul 19
Everytime I burn just a little less. We are all in a tight little hug. It's comforting. Fuck it.
Level raised to 3
Strength raised to 224
Agility raised to 194
Perception raised to 256
Constitution raised to 224
Presence raised to 279
Mental Fortitude raised to 244
Intelligence raised to 232
Soul raised to 305
You tied your supplicants closer to you
Remaining soul 17
Remaining soul 18
My breathing is heavy.
“Sorry, it's the most I can do for now.”
I swap with my sister. Then lay down as a tiger.
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 24 unallocated stat points
“Does she always sleep in that form?”
“Twice isn't always.”
“You sure you couldn't of sneaked another level in, seems awfully suspicious you stay right at the cusp of subsuming our souls.”
I look annoyed at Barbain.
“I already accepted it, I could have simply waited you both out or taken my gift back if I wanted to.”
Beatrice tackles me with a hug.
“Aw you even called it a gift, that's progress, mistress.”
I suppose it is.
“Its just too bad both me and Barbain were sitting on a level.”
What? They have mischievous grins on. Before I could stop them they gave me one more soul each to hold onto my fives. My soul cat eyes flares.
A supplicant has tied themselves further to you
Remaining Soul 17
A supplicant has tied themselves further to you
Remaining Soul 18
You have gained [Soul Etching] Intermediate 5
Gain 80 exp
You gained 8 unallocated stat points
You have gained [Soul Etching] Intermediate 6
Gain 80 exp
They scream. I feel their souls writhe at the agony. I do my best to hold them both. They decided this themselves. They both fall unconscious. Then immediately open their eyes.
“Why the hell did I just get the major perception boon.”
“I got the intelligence one. No… Sara it's [Two Separate Minds] but why.”
I smile sadly.
“You wanted my traits, I suspect the least noticeable are first. I was heavily thinking of hiding at the time. Sorry for etching major boons into each of you.”
“Shit, my [Parallel Mind] changed too.”
“I'll keep you company, my empathetic baby hydras.”
They will be missing class again. Best to be somewhere safe for their new sisters to awaken.
“What do you think will be next, mistress?”
“Maybe skeleton sight, or elf liver and ovaries.”
Barbain grimaces at that. I look at their [Identify]. Chimera already.
“Will it be as painful next time?”
“Major boon etches were always the worst.”
“Does that mean we will become dungeons too?”
“Going by the title, no. You'll have to earn it yourself.”
“Could you show me some illusion magic, Jam.”
“You don't have the eyes yet, Barbain.”
A purple dot carves itself into her eye. A similar one forms in Beatrice. I can only pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Plan on squinting everywhere, Barbain one thing but Beatrice your sight already was in deficit.”
“The rate you are pushing mistress, tier two around the corner. A demonstration please.”
I just lay back and look up at the galaxy I keep up there. I point to it and they smile.
