“A new knight will be assigned to you.”

  “No.”

  The marques is surprised by this. The count tries to dissuade me.

  “Surely last week's captivity shows you are in need of protection.”

  I turn to the gnome, “I'll not have another pointlessly die for me.”

  The marques bristle at that. I don't care much at the moment.

  “We still need someone assigned to you, I have reports you have special needs.”

  “If it's all the same, I prefer you just give me a key to the dungeon then. I'll take care of my own needs.”

  He narrows his eyes at me. I stare back.

  “You'll have your key.” The Brakear nods to an aide who leaves, “I will still be assigning you a knight in training to you, if only to keep communication open. A Queendom knight title allows communication with their superiors, unless you prefer to take the title yourself.”

  No doubt also obedience. My passivity to such has been to my detriment.

  “I respectfully decline. I have no desire to sever my own titles to equip yours.”

  He quirks a brow to that. The aide returns with a dungeon instance key. I promptly swallow it to the shock of all those watching. My chest warms, a part of me now. I am done with those taking what is mine. I release my soul from its hiding for a moment, to make a point.

  “My due compensation. I will only say this once, if anyone tries to imprison me again, it will not end well for them.”

  I return to my clinic over the protest of those assembled.

  -----

  It was after morning exercises. Qorth approached me.

  “Hail Sara Maxwell Magdeline. I have been assigned to you as an aide-de-camp.”

  “Seems they are being rather free with my name, did they assign you because you were the only one to speak to me.”

  “Liar who tell lies, they asked for volunteers and I was the only one who stepped forward.”

  “I don't recall ever telling you a lie, Qorth.”

  “Says the villager who is the daughter of a countess.”

  “Which is true, I'm adopted. Come I have something I need to learn from Dame Isabella.”

  She scowls at that. I raise an eyebrow to her.

  “I would prefer to become a fortification knight, not a life one.”

  “I will attend the dirt classes after I gain what I need, I am hopeful it will only take this once.”

  “Thank you, to the one yet to be proven true.”

  -----

  “I was expecting you to be spending time recovering.”

  “I've been sitting in a cell for a week, the last thing I want is to be resting.”

  “Lying truth, were you really in a cell for a week?”

  I ignore Qorth, “I managed to raise [Sustainer Magic] to competent. Dame Isabella. Please instruct me on the next step.”

  “I don't understand how that would have been possible being bereft of mana, but you also should have starved in that cell.”

  Isabella mumbles the last part. She speaks clearly for the next.

  “Some warnings, [Body Morphic Magic] is powerful, it is easy to overdo things, even easier to lock your body into unfavorable configurations. Any change you make should be considered and taken slowly. A clear understanding of your goal and an open mind to change. Do you understand Sara?”

  I nod.

  “Eyes on then. I will change the color of my scale here. A small change and since I am open to it being different something I am willing to change back. Observe.”

  She points to the back of her hand. I watch the life mana flow into the spot. What was once green changes to yellow. A minor thing. But illuminating all the same.

  “Good, now I will change—”

  I focus on my own hand, it has pink scales for others, ultra violet for me. I form the magic she did imparting purple to them instead. The magic twists as I make mistakes but time slows and I correct them to what I had seen her do. My arcane core starts to dip as I continue my focus. Soon enough the scale is different then the others. A deep purple, I hope. I want to smile but nothing. Not even this.

  You have gained the skill [Body Morphic Magic] Basic 1

  Body Morphic Magic - weren't satisfied stealing traits?

  Basic - changes require significant effort to make permanent

  Gain 4 exp

  -Guess not.

  “—it back…”

  “Thank you Dame Isabella, I was able to gain the ability.”

  “O, right, [Priestess]. I am glad to be of assistance.”

  I spend the rest of the class making each scale on my left hand deep purple, Qorth confirmed it for me. Qorth accepted some life magic from Isabella, if only to learn a new convert. She was adamant about not screwing up her eyes. She struggled with it a bit but when she settled she spent some time watching me change my scales.

  “Almost tempting to be a life knight if one can change what they don't like about themselves.”

  “Your only disagreement with that is that you would need a hundred perception right?”

  “I suppose, tiering is a daunting prospect, my people live such short lives compared to the majority of races.”

  “I didn't know that.”

  “Aye, fifty is a long life for us.”

  Reginald must be ancient then. The class ends and we head to the spars.

  -----

  “How are you not in chains, deserter spy?”

  I don't bother looking at Gregory. I watch the current spar. Qorth is doing well. They are faster now.

  “Are you ignoring me again? It didn't end well for you last time.”

  I look at him.

  “You broke your hand last time, would you like to see if I deign to give you back the ability to hold things again?”

  “The look in your eyes is deader than before, where is your rage?”

  I look at him again, “My rage is reserved for those that have gravely injured me. Your posturing hardly rates.”

  I feel his annoyance grow when Qorth returns.

  “Preys on the weak to hide his own, is there something you require from the [Priestess].”

  “Ya, a fucking emotion that isn't apathy. The fuck you mean hides his own.”

  “I only name them as I see ‘em.”

  They bicker as I sit alone. The three hours my sister sleeps is too long. It's so hard to come out anymore. But I can't hide with mister rabbit the fourth and granny missus rabbit the third. Sister needs her time away too. How many will survive this war? How many will die because they know me? I denied our gift to Tim, he could have had a way back. Granted, not sure he would have appreciated becoming a daughter. I look at the two bickering. One who believes nothing I say while the other delights in the pain of others. How long will my memory of those two be?

  -----

  I get up from the table. My plate of grease, empty.

  “Would you show me to the dungeon, Qorth?”

  If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “Haven't been? Its entrance is rather ornate. They say tier twos are fancier.”

  She leads me to the central spire. We aren't really paid attention to till we come to a set of doors with two guards standing on either side. The double door itself is three times my height, a black wood with gold inlays. They form symbols I do not recognize. Is it art or language. I don't bother asking.

  There is a mana interface beside a guard. My mana aura touches it and the doors part. The guards start to fluster as I walk forward.

  “You didn't say you were going in and how the hell it opened.”

  She follows me in, as do the guards. The door opened into a tunnel that sloped downward. I turn to those behind me.

  “The Marques gave me a key for my purposes. While I allow for one to follow me, I do not give the two of you permission.”

  The two knights are shocked at what I say but one regains his composure and asks a question.

  “A confirmation of your name, [Priestess].”

  “Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”

  He turns to leave, beckoning his pair to come with. Qorth was mystified by the whole situation. I continue walking down the tunnel. She follows. After a point the guard disappeared from my senses, the line that marks the instance passed. Qorth is hustling up next to me.

  “Seriously truths that have to be lies, why do you have access to this? You never even brought out a key.”

  -At some point she is going to believe what you say.

  Doesn't matter.

  “I ate the key, it made me the key.”

  Her walk slows, not understanding. The tunnel ends and I see an open area that leads to a mountain. Milling about are Drakenoids of different colors. Were the knights expected to eat them?

  ? Drakenoid Skirmisher

  ? Drakenoid Heavy

  ? Drakenoid Spearman

  Armed and armored. I never did get a name for the dungeon. Tier two though if what Qorth said means anything. Did Tim kill these alone? I step into my soul space.

  “You know she's going to follow you.”

  My sister sits with her eight legs under her. I walk up and go to hug her. We cry into each other, hugging. It is the scene that Qorth walks into. I feel a great deal of bewilderment and fear from her. I slowly extracted myself from my sister. It had been two weeks since we had such comfort. The pain I feel is barely soothed. I go to my sword and shield, my water wand next to them.

  “Are you ready for this sister?”

  I nod. To feel something.

  “You will need to leave the rift before I do Qorth. There is not enough air in here when I close the rift.”

  I'll be back shortly sister.

  -...

  Qorth has yet to move. I look to sister and Qorth disappears. I leave the space as well. Qorth is on her ass propping herself up with her arms. She looks at me, her strong yellow skin becoming paler.

  “Truths that are inconceivable. Is anything you told me a lie?”

  “I never told you a lie, my actions may have been misleading though.”

  I walk towards a pair of drakenoid, a skimisher and a spearman. I will my shackles off. The skirmisher comes in close. I take a leg off. A construct hurls a knife at his head. It sticks in his eye, the face pulps a moment later.

  You gained 80 Exp from Drakenoid Skirmisher

  Why was I able to [Identify] the war golem but not these. I ponder this as the spearman closes the distance.

  “Present your neck.”

  Never before have I demanded a neck for this, never had I hurt before in this way. When I grieved my daughters I was dead as well, my emotions muted, time to process, time to hate. Here the rage simmers while my grief swamps it all. I am a coward and I am rushing towards this bliss, this relief. A balm for my soul. My body quivers at the thought. A wall on my soul falls, becoming open. The spearman kneels before me. I walk up to the soulless drakenoid. A point of no return. A distinction. I never even ate the goblins while they lived. Too afraid of enjoying it like the rabbit. To create an addiction, to see every neck as a possible meal. I clamp down and drink. Deeply. My body sings in bliss, my soul tremors as it feels the pure joy in the taking. I cry as I feast…acceptance.

  -Acceptance. Sister, I can feel it. I can feel the bliss. Thank you … for sharing this.

  You gained 80 Exp from Drakenoid Spearman

  The bliss leaves me as the soulless husk returns to the dungeon. -Aw, it ended for me too. My chin absorbs the mess I made. I remove the blood from my robes, to drink as well. Better than axen at least. I turn to the frightened Orc whose fear only grows as I walk towards her. I stand there thinking of what to do. I look down at the usually towering woman. I breathe.

  “Today has been a lot of things, Qorth. In some ways my freedom has killed a lot of things I cared about inside myself. I hid myself, afraid of what others may do if they knew what I could do. It didn't work out well. You are currently my aide-de-camp. Half the people involved with me have died or ended up broken in some way. Hell I broke a man and then got him killed. You volunteered to be the Marques eyes and ears on me. Are you a spy for him or do you wish to tie yourself to me?”

  My sister pops onto my shoulder. She feels the crossroads we are at and wishes to see what happens.

  “I truly am just a volunteer, she who thrills in blood.”

  Suppose I do now.

  -We always did, we just are afraid of what that means.

  Still are. But we stand before someone who we can rob the blood out of, ending their life, taking their memories. I am at the height of my craving for bliss. And we don't. I breathe. I get a mental hug from sister. I may not be able to hold myself back from dungeon spawn anymore, but here. Here at least I do not.

  “Sorry, I used you to test myself Qorth. That was unfair and cruel. You can report what you wish to whoever is your superior.”

  I start to head to the skirmisher corpse.

  “What did you mean to tie myself to you?”

  -You did offer.

  I did.

  “I have the ability to bestow a unique title. [Supplicant]. I will let you borrow five of my soul for you giving me one of yours. Permanently. I will devour your soul bit by bit until all that remains are your memories and my soul. When my soul is greater, you will become like me, no longer a short lived orc. An infusion of sorts. In the end I can make you my true daughter, if I feel I can trust you not to go on a murder spree. Knight in training Qorth, does that appeal to you. Know that my soul obeys me and every level you will resist me less. Your levels and mine.”

  She shakes a bit, torn at the implications. I am offering her a path to a longer life. In service to me. Then again isn't that the knight thing to do?

  “What happens when I become a true daughter, she who terrifies with all one can want.”

  “A need for blood, a growing addiction to its bliss. I am incapable of getting nutrients from anything other than blood. I am an amalgamation of multiple monsters, tiger, spider, iron rabbit, hydra. My mind has been divided in half and in taking my title it will happen to you.”

  “If I don't, am I to be food for you.”

  I feel it's more of if she does she will be food to us.

  -Shush.

  “I have already given you leave to report what you want. I have already warned the [Marques] that those who attempt to imprison me will regret it.” I bark a hollow laugh at the next thought, “In some ways I've grown more reckless, less caring. Am I seeking death? I don't know. Sorry, I'm just morose and you're an audience to hear it.”

  She sits there where sister left her, thinking to herself. When I come to the decapitated skirmisher a container plops down. I use my water wand to fill it. A rift later I head to a threesome this time.

  -Ha.

  The skirmisher goes down much like the last. The two spearman attack.

  “Stop, lower your necks.”

  They do not and their spears graze my scales. It's a punch in the gut but their spears break, not my scales. I take the right one's leg and stomp on his head. The other has run back to retrieve the skirmisher sword.

  “Present your neck.”

  You have gained [Mental Magic] Intermediate 2

  Gained 8 exp

  This time he does. I drink deeply again. Sister and I both quiver. We drink our grief away. It returns when the spearman is dead. But even the small reprieve was welcome.

  You gained 8 unallocated stat points

  They are able to resist compels not directly targeting them. It's a waste either way, better to start infighting then command them all. Where is my next snack?

  -This is going to take longer if you keep partaking.

  I don't see you saying stop. Two more containers plop out. I fill them. When I exit the rift Qorth is waiting.

  “Could you tell me more of what your changes would entail?”

  I look at her, then remove my robe and show my mostly pink scales to her. I bend all my knees, my feet hands exposed. She recoils from it. I shrug and head to the next grouping. Only two this time. My knifes finds both their necks.

  -Aw.

  Make up your mind. A mental raspberry greets me. Two more containers.

  “I don't see the injury where the spearmen hit you.”

  She asks as I fill another.

  “Huh, oh that's ‘cause my scales are mostly mithril. Pretty sure it will bruise under the scales.”

  “You have mithril scales, is that part of the package?”

  -Seems she waffles again. Best break the bad news.

  “Sister and I are quite certain that you only get iron scales and bones.”

  -We really need to push both of them into tier two, if they got our bones they could be suffering.

  I felt their skills were much more stacked then ours, wouldn't be surprised if they were close to a hundred strength already.

  “Why would that be?”

  “I ate an iron horned rabbit. My mithril required me to eat a hundred pounds of the stuff.”

  “You ate a hundred pounds of mithril.”

  “Better that, than to weigh half a ton.”

  A pack of four this time, including a heavy. I point to the big one.

  “Fight the other Drakenoids.”

  My mental core sits at three fourths. Plenty for the night. As the infighting begins I throw more knives. They paste the three leaving the heavy standing. I clamber up him and sink my fangs into his neck. The bliss fills me but always ends too soon.

  -It does.

  Three more containers filled. What is that nine so far?

  -Only eight.

  Still twenty-eight to fill. There are enough out there. But I probably shouldn't drink anymore.

  -Sure you can stop?

  I give a shuddering breath. A good test I suppose.

  “I know it's too late for tonight but are you alright with sharing exp next time. The armory has rings to spare.”

  “Afraid my soul is too greedy to share with non [Supplicants]. If I kill and absorb, none goes to the ring.”

  “You could have said no, Lies for no reason.”

  I throw her a ring while placing a one percent on my own. I showed her I was wearing it and then I approached a lone heavy. The fight isn't long and I start filling the next container.

  “So I need your soul to share exp with you.”

  “Only if it's me absorbing it, you're more than welcome to share the exp you absorb with me. The problem is, I don't want to be in the back line anymore. Not with someone who already knows.”

  Another container and a five pack.

  You have gained [Mental Magic] Intermediate 3

  You gained 8 exp

  Mental magic really is cheating. Five more containers appear.

  -Aw, I'm proud of you. Decapitating instead of sucking him dry.

  I chuckle. The tired orc follows behind.

  “Whats so funny?”

  “O my sister made me laugh is all.”

  -Good to see it’s still possible.

  Yeah.

  -----

  -Aw so close, you had to drain one at the end.

  The pack had an extra one, clearly couldn't go to waste.

  -Except I can see there was the exact number needed that you walked by to kill this pack.

  She got me there. At least we share the feeling now. Wonder why it didn't before.

  -Maybe because we weren't letting it touch our soul.

  That's a scary thought, I don't think that wall can ever exist again.

  -Acceptance.

  Acceptance, for what we are. A vampire.

  -With cute ears.

  Speaking of, think we can fix my ear now?

  -Do you want to?

  It was my mistake. But no, let's not dwell on it. I want my Maxwell blue back on our head. My manifestation can bear the grey to remind us. I need not burden you with it. She shifts her illusion to the other side of my head and focuses. It itches but I don't move. My arcane core dips but before long she finishes.

  You have gained [Body Morphic Magic] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - Attach a passive life flow to maintain changes, depending on how desirable the changes the sooner the lock

  Gained 8 exp

  Wouldn’t all changes be desirable? A passive attaches to my ear and my various scales. I feel like we might be nearing my core limit.

  -Actually with us being two minds on things it's possible for us to have a difference of opinion on changes. But ya, we will need to wait for some changes to solidify before pushing on. Still want to train it before becoming an adult?

  I hear the hesitation in her mental voice, we will be skipping ahead by so much. But we are being tossed around due to our age.

  -It was a chance to have a normal puberty.

  I think that flew out the window already.

  -You know what I mean.

  I did. There is still time before that step.