I haven't slept yet. I help the mistress get ready for the day. A wipe down. Clothing and a new flower. Ultra violet again.
“You're looking well today, Red.”
“Yes mistress, I skipped sleeping so that I would be presentable for you.”
“Will that not affect your health?”
“I feel it is the opposite, mistress.”
Because of your issue.
I simply nod. Violet pointed out that we had plenty of constitution to stay awake. The longer we do the more our lakes can fill. Undying blood kinda makes us unneeding unless we are injured.
I followed her to the estate's dining room. After seating her, I take up my position behind her.
“Ah Sara, there is word of a Drake prowling the axen herds to the south. You may have the day off tomorrow to hunt said beast.”
I give a slight bow.
“Thank you, my Lord.”
“I wish to go too.”
“Delores, there is no way for Sara to both protect you and slay the creature.”
She pouts.
“I will make sure to bring back some prime axen meat, mistress.”
“Why not drake?”
“Its meat is tougher than axen. Not as good.”
She pouts again.
You have gained [Dungeon 3] Competent 1
Competent- Your soul stretches farther, and a new instance key, any monster that dies in your dungeon will no longer see your soul as a threat
Gain 12 exp
You gained 16 unallocated stat points
Need to hatch that egg. Eggs. The second mithril hare gave birth.
Are you good with setting up the new instance?
-Who do you think you're talking to, Red?
Right, my apologies.
I get a mental raspberry for that.
-----
Alright, that's the dryad flower. Seems growing a new one on my head takes blood. It prevents me from making more plant seeds. We really do need more adventurers to die here. I make a dungeon hydra and Maknor spiders in the cave. Dungeon mithril hares are in instance three, four, five, and now eighth. Perhaps instance eight might cause an influx, being easier.
Got a pretty decent amount of room in my regen. I place a dungeon giant scorpion at the back of eight. Only temporary. To guard the core.
I teleport back to my couture.
“Hi Qorth.”
“My Lady.”
Very cordial.
“Something wrong, Qorth?”
“I am saddened by recent events.”
“I'm just glad I didn't have to lock down Leacea as a [Supplicant].”
Qorth gives off waves melancholy, “Then you ate her.” Just a murmur.
Did I not tell anyone?
“Qorth, I let her go.”
She looks up at me, surprised. “Truly, but what of the repercussions?”
I sigh, “Taking her life would have delayed things but ultimately I don't think I want to eat every Elf I see. I would have to commit to that if I ate her, it would be a betrayal of her death otherwise. Either rate, I have no need to level so your memories will be fine.”
She looks annoyed, “Are you putting off leveling because of me ‘considerations that are annoying’?”
I bark a laugh at that, “I'm only sitting on two levels and a whole heap of soul burn.”
“I still worry about you not being as prepared as possible.”
“We seem to be at an impasse then, I do not want to rush you and you do not want to leave me vulnerable. I don't plan to level for at least a week Qorth, I need to let my soul rest.”
“I am ready now, Matriarch.”
I pause and look at Qorth. No hesitation.
“Would you mind waiting for this evening. I'm sure Red would wish to be in attendance.”
“Of course, my Lady.”
-----
“Now Sara, dying your hair is just unhealthy, it's going to make it brittle.”
“Thank you for your concern, miss. Your tea, my mistress.”
Delores was annoyed at that.
“Have you actually dyed your hair, Red?”
“No, mistress.”
“Are we really playing this prank further?”
She looks to Hiscurl. He answers the unspoken question, “She believes what she says.”
Not the first time he phrased it like that. If you believe the lie can you defeat [Detect Falsehood]. Seems rife with abuse with compels and geas.
You have gained [Vampiric Blood Kinesis] Competent 1
Competent - Body Morphic Magic uses your blood to maintain your changes, the longer you keep a form the less it takes to maintain, the longer you keep a form the more blood it takes to change it
Gain 8 exp
… My life core releases it passives. I'm not burning any blood. Is my attendant form my default now…Violet did reform me as that.
Violet, are you burning blood.
-Not when I change to our true self.
About that, my attendant form seems to be my default.
-...I'm sorry, Red.
I'm not worried about it, it seems the skill is more about changing what is default.
-Remake your ovaries.
Right, I wouldn't want to make having them be onerous. I use life magic to restore them and attach my blood passives to them…blood passives, it's like I have an all new core. My soul thrums at that.
-...What did you just do?
Not sure, other than set my passives. I had an idle thought of how we were using our blood like a core.
-I suppose so. But I think our soul core only has room for the current set of magics.
I wasn't suggesting an actual blood core.
-...
Sorry that's just jinxing us, isn't it?
-I only felt the soul thrum the first time.
“Does the mistress wish me to brew more tea?”
“No that will be all, Red.”
I clear the plates and cups.
-----
“We can not allow Qorth to re-enter the knight-in-training program.”
Qorth blanches at Sir Ujan.
“That is rather unfortunate, I—”
“Before you tell us no, please hear our counter offer.”
“Proceed.”
“We offer Qorth the opportunity to fight in the tournament of choosing, this should provide her the opportunity to be selected by a house. Knighthood would thus be conferred if selected.”
Meaning house Magdeline would be able to make Qorth my knight officially. I look to Qorth and she nods.
“We accept the proposal. Is there a design that is preferred? How soon will the tournament begin?”
“Two months time, we will be sending Dame Hecnae to demonstrate structures we would like you to construct. My understanding is that structural changes will require time.”
“Correct, I can only generate so much soul mana at any given time. I will be using this instance for the venue.”
Peter interjects, “There won't be any monsters here then?”
“It will be my first action to move them to other instances.”
-----
I hand my glasses to Qorth.
“Thank you, my Lady. For the glasses and securing this chance. I will not fail, ensuring I place highly to not bring shame on your house.”
“I'm sure you will do fine, I've even secured an instructor for you.”
“You work quickly, my Lady. I can not fathom which retired knight you were able to procure.”
“Not quite retired, but disgraced Qorth.” Cecelia enters my Couture.
I smile, “Miss Cecelia, are you to be my instructor…”
“That is correct, if you are to protect my daughters then I must ensure you are up to the task.”
Red shows up just as Qorth finishes getting thrashed.
“Good start, we will resume tomorrow morning.”
Qorth begins to heal herself, Cecelia bellows.
“Only heal wounds that will hamper your performance, Qorth.”
Qorth stops, caught unaware. She comes to a moment later. She does not resume healing herself.
“Rough.” Red intones.
“Mom only got faster, she grew a lot to help us. Rock paper scissors for turning Qorth?”
Red shakes her head, “She spent the most time with you Violet, I think it's only fair you do it.”
She turns to Qorth before I can tell her otherwise. I have turned every one of my supplicants.
You won't be allowed to turn both our mothers.
-I am fine if I get Magdeline.
That's surprising. She willingly let me have mom? Before I can ask why she intones the familiar words.
“[Supplicant] Qorth, do you wish to be as damned as us and revel in blood, to share my bliss and become a true daughter?”
“[Matriarch], we endeavor to show you the control and patience necessary for such a boon.”
I reach over to my personal knight and feed her the bliss. My soul eyes flash as her very nature is changed. She does not quiver, I feel her soul sing but she maintains her poise. Her fangs become needles and all she can sustain herself on is blood. She gains her title only those with my blood can see.
You have gained [Vampress Matriarch] Basic 5
Gain 10 exp
Red tackles her in a hug, “Congratulations Qorth.”
“Thank you, Lady Red.”
“Formal, even though I am your mother.”
Cecelia barks a laugh, “That only shows she is your daughter, Sara.”
I smile as Red sticks her tongue out at mom.
“The lord has given us the day off tomorrow to hunt a drake to the south Violet, I got the last one, only fair you handle this one.”
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“Red, I ended the scorpion, you're not trying to stay in the dungeon are you?” She totally is.
“It's not what you think…my babies need me.” Liar.
“O not again.”
Cecelia bemoans while Qorth grimaces. I quirk an eyebrow. Cecelia answers my unstated question.
“You'll see when you get back.”
-----
This is a daily reminder: You have 32 unallocated stat points
Both Qorth and Cecelia volunteered to accompany me, leaving Mags behind to watch Red. I wanted to see the hatching which only caused both Cecelia and Qorth to hustle me out earlier.
It was a pleasant walk, the sun shone up above. I traveled as my Tibyder form, it was my blood default so far. Still sad, Red is stuck as an attendant.
-----
“Why do you have the sling on your back, Red?”
“I need to wake my little babies before my big baby. Glad there was only one this time. Thanks for the book.”
I start channeling sustainer into my many hugs. The hatch, they know I am their mother even though I am an attendant.
“Waist and legs dears, I will be rather sour if you nip my brain again.”
“Red, what are you doing!”
The spider starts to burrow into my flesh, the pain is immense but it's to keep them from fighting. Hopefully no one o fours. All forty are in me. I giggle at the pain.
“Why, in system name, are you letting them eat you?”
“Because they would eat each other if they didn't. My babies are incredibly cannibalistic.”
I take a sip of blood. It's annoying that my life core is useless for this, now. I asked Sir Ujan to send his trainees into the dungeon and he agreed. Fresh faced knights who all die and fill my lakes. Too proud to take their time they rush back in. I hope it will be enough. A week of feedings is a long time.
I push my sustainer magic into the hydra egg. While Mags tries her best not to murder every spider she sees in me. The shell begins to deform. Baby needs to get through before mommy can help her.
“Where did you even get these eggs from?”
“I birthed them, grandmother.”
Mags brain once again short circuits. I take another swig of blood to restore my flesh. Two of you come out. They rip through my skin and I put the first one in my mouth and chew it up. My big baby head finally makes it through. I give her the first slurry. That's a good girl. I chew up another, sorry baby, mommy mouth is smaller this time, you will need to be patient. Mags does not mentally engage again for quite some time.
-----
I can smell the drake…and I can smell the blood. That's annoying. Cecelia notices my change in mood.
“What's wrong sweetie?”
It's Qorth that answers, “There is blood in the air.”
“Drake blood and burnt flesh, I fear our quarry has been poached.”
We exit the forest line to a vast untamed plain. I see an axen herd with an axen that is five times in size.
? ? Flame Axen, Lord of the Plains
“Never seen a title on a monster before.” I spy the charred remains of the drake.
“We need to leave now.” Cecelia pulls on me when the Lord turns its head towards me and charges.
I will my mithril blade and shield out and move forward. The lord of the plains soul is the biggest I've ever seen in a monster. A soul twice as big as the dungeon drake. I must have a nip. I create a giant wall in front of the beast. It crashes through it, a second and a third before slowing. He looks down at me and opens his mouth. Flame…axen…I move. The fire burns the ground where I was. I reach a leg and stab my sword in, it doesn't get far, the blood only lets me claim five of this giant's stats. He kicks me which my shield takes the brunt of. I'm tumbling head over head from the blow. Dizzied, I see him ready to charge again. I form a void construct burning a decent amount of my arcane core. He plows into and rears back. A shower of blood only increases my desire. He shambles back, wary to charge again. I scramble up the earlier leg and push myself into the shoulder wound. My body absorbs more.
“STOP.”
I spend all of my mental core to pause the Lord. What was going to be a buck is simply a frozen beast. The body trembles, both his and mine. I bury myself into his shoulder wound. Pulling his blood into me. He collapses as my stats hit five hundred stolen. This is so much and I just keep eating. Red will regret not coming out to play. I regret that she can't. The thought causes me to almost choke. Its breathing slows. He feeds me for a long time.
You have claimed the Title Lady of the Plains
Lady of the Plains - all monsters will either defer to you or challenge you in these plains.
As a dungeon you may create a free entrance to this place.
Permanent Title with Unique Slot
Five hundred Temporary stats become permanent
I black out.
-----
I come too coughing. My throat burns. A lifetime of eating grass and plowing cows. Until a spider went and crawled into my shoulder. Gross. Cecelia is dragging me out of the lord by my horns…shit.
“Let go, I'm awake.”
Cecelia does, “Sorry sweatie, you had burrow yourself in there and when the beast collapsed you got stuck. Qorth and I have been hacking our way to you for the last hour.”
“Sorry, it was an open orifice of blood delight.”
I absorb more of the standing blood and restore my body to the living. I hope my sister didn't black out as well.
Are you alright Red.
-That was so delightful…but I died. My babies got a bit through me before I came too.
What do you mean they got a bit through you.
-*giggle* We are going to run out of blood here I think.
Damn, sorry. Any luck on making a sleep aid.
-Still reading the book, seems fairly straightforward. Will need to experiment on chiseling out [Blood Kinesis] Basic.
“Violet?”
“Sorry, I was checking on Red, apparently she blacked out and died too. She is not certain if there is enough blood in the lakes now. Other than horns, is there anything new?”
I bend myself so my lateral eyes can see my forehead. A horn at each temple, they are thick and mithril color… a flick of a finger… not just color, mithril horns. They wrap around my head instead of the axen scythe like horns. From vampiric to demonic… huh nothing that time. I shrug and admire my new crown… my soul thrums at that. I'm shaken. By mom.
“Violet don't ask questions then start preening. Right, there was some sort of sack that had taken up residence where your heart was. It connects to your throat. Considering what we saw it might be how the axen breathed fire. Other than that no other changes I can see my Queen...I am not sure why I just said that.”
I'm a bit shocked too. Her eyes widened further.
“Your [Matriarch] title has changed. It now says [Queen]...”
“I need to go over my notifications…” but first, I turn my head and engage my flame sack. Flames billow forth cooking my throat, I cough and swallow the flames.
You have gained [Resist Heat 2] Apprentice 1
Apprentice - O hey thats hot enough to melt mithril, burns take less blood to heal
Constitution raised to 911
I cough more, I walk over to the blood and heal myself again. It will be awhile before I can spit fire. The heat is too much. I fear I will choke every time. Seems my stats cut off again cause [Vampress Matriarch] threshold at basic would be nine hundred. But then why did resist heat raise me…
“Are you alright, Violet?”
I nod, “Sorry, apparently it is a flame sack and I only managed to cook my own throat. I'll get to my notifications now. Where is Qorth?”
Maintaining a lookout, my Queen.
Don't you start.
I hear some chortling in the distance. Right first notification.
Strength minor boon 500
Double stacking of boosting slots
I suspect I will be seeing that a lot.
Strength minor boon 700
Skill Hold Ground acquired
You have gained the skill [Hold Ground] Basic 1
Hold Ground - ability to hold your ground
Basic - scales off strength
Gain 1 exp
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
Which are, system? Nothing. I had a help system for all of two days. Whatever.
Agility minor boon 500
You can engage two agility skills in conjunction
Can I finally light step while I run? I skitter and yes finaly when it doesn't fucking matter…I'm not bitter.
Agility minor boon 700
Double stack a boon woooooo
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
Great, it's going to say that every time something crosses seven hundred.
Perception minor boon 500
A new boost slot
Perception minor boon 700
Double stack a boon
… You know we want to do it, Red.
-Bitch please, [Attention to Detail] is already double boosted.
I chuckle at that. I fear our tea pouring might start counting atoms soon.
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
Constitution minor boon 500
Skill Resist Hunger acquired
You have gained [Soul Etching] Advanced 3
Gain 160 exp
Uh oh.
You have gained the skill [Embrace Thirst] Basic 1
Embrace Thirst - The more you drink
Basic - the faster you can curse
Gain 1 exp
Ooookay not terrible. Scary name but my skill, my path. I have to want more, not hide from it. To expect better, as befitting a Queen…okay I really need to get to that notification.
All minor 500 boon
Double thresholds
Huh, looking at my stats, it feels like they are applied top to bottom. The system feels like a bad text parser sometimes. Just think if stats slowly climb instead of flat amounts, half my stats wouldn't be nine hundred at the moment. Nevermind, if I want to be a stat junkie there are plenty of my subjects around me to devour… I really need to look at that notification.
Constitution minor boon 700
You know its another double stack
I had my suspicions.
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
Presence minor boon 700
Double stack
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
Presence minor boon 1000
A third boosted slot
Better than blanket aura augments.
First Presence Major Boon
Adds an aura to a slotted Title
[Matriarch] becomes [Queen]
Queen - unique slotted title, permanent, project an aura of sovereignty to all. Those who hold a piece of your soul see you for what you are when in your aura. Supplicants to your daughters also give you a part of their soul when they offer them to your daughters. Your soul gains are increased by your all minor boons now.
My soul warms. I feel my soul get etched…
You have gained [Soul Etching] Advanced 4
Gain 160 exp
A new pop up shows up…
Queen - unique slotted title, permanent, project an aura of sovereignty to all. Those who hold a piece of your soul and all monsters born by you see you for what you are when in your aura. Supplicants to your daughters also give you a part of their soul when they offer them to your daughters. Monsters give a bit of exp they earn to you. Your soul gains are increased by your all minor boons now.
Red, you called your babies princesses didn't you.
-Sigh… I suspect our blood problem will be solved soon. Every monster I birthed has mithril horn crowns now. They are thinner denoting their station…the aura effecting us too isn't.
Of course it is. I direct my thoughts back to Red.
What's another aura I need to contain? Ask Mags if she can teach you [Aura Control].
Back to the notifications.
Mental Fortitude minor boon 700
Skill Resist Addiction acquired
You have gained [Soul Etching] Advanced 4
Gain 160 exp
I don't want to look. Sigh, swipe.
You have gained the skill [Embrace Bliss] Basic 1
Embrace Bliss - Euphoria is addictive
Basic - But its best to still be functional, you can move bliss to just one of your attentions but only so much, how much you can shunt scales off mental fortitude
Gain 1 exp
I breathe. Another skill that will grow. I must make sure to make it stay positive. You hear me Red. We are more.
-More.
Okay we need to workshop that response.
-Sorry, Forever more?
I pinch the bridge of my nose. I push a mental image of it across my soul of me doing it.
-It just all cringe here.
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
Mental Fortitude minor boon 1000
Gain another boost slot
…Embrace?
-If we must, I'm going to suggest moving the [Resist Drain Mana] boost to it as well.
Double embrace? Sure why not. Don't run into drain effects often.
Intelligence minor boon 700
Double boostin' wooo
700 major boon is not activated, requirements for fifth soul boon not met
All minor boon 700
Gain 3 additional stats when gaining a stat
Now it's one, two, two, three? So eight total. The terrifying gets more terrifying.
Intelligence minor boon 1000
Gain another boost slot
Gained 531 exp from Flame axen
You gained 16 unallocated stat points
Soul raised to 896
Finally done. My soul core begins to burn. Fuck…
You have gained [Vampiric Blood Kinesis] Intermediate 1
Intermediate - An undead vampire making life mana, laughable. Life magic becomes Blood Magic, Life Mana Core becomes Blood Mana Core, health regen becomes blood regen
Gain 16 exp
You have gained the skill [Permanent Blood Mana Sight] Basic 1
Permanent Blood Mana Sight - always seeing, becomes visible the thirstier you are
Basic - Blood red eye dot, Storm coming dun dun da da dun
Gain 3 exp
My left eye feels a pinch as I roll them. I can't shift it to my laterals. Sigh. At least I kept life mana sight…that I can't make mana for…shocked, I'm still a priestess. I try to engage my life sight. My blood core dips. Seems I can engage it through blood mana which of course makes me thirsty. Bloody hell.
I check the description on [Blood Mana Core].
Blood Mana Core - you have a blasphemous aspected core of Blood energy
Basic - a nascent blood magical core, grow it with Blood magic
Apprentice - you can now draw mana from your core, you thirst grows as you do
Competent - your core regens its own Blood mana
Intermediate - your core has been subsumed by your Soul Core
Advanced - doubled in size, all blood cost are halved
…So I can use blood mana instead of blood for my various healing…but I still grow thirstier doing so. On the one side blood lake may not get drained, on the other hand my thirst could demand more from the lake. Already getting thirsty. The life eye convert sucked.
-You should look at [Blood regen]…
Trailing off is never good.
Blood Regen - Make blood from blood mana
Basic - Hey you can make blood that makes you thirstier
Apprentice - your mana made blood has healing properties
Competent - giving your mana blood to others heals them, just don't put your soul in it
Intermediate - all your blood is mana blood
So now the Sara the mithril node, silk generator, is a magic blood resource.
“Sara, your left eye got a red dot. Its intensity is growing.”
…Right, before I have to be starving for it to show. Now it is just going to be a thing.
“Sorry mom, it seems my thirst is easier to gauge than ever. I can't turn off my blood mana sight.”
She pales, “Blood mana?”
“Remember I told you my life magics were becoming unable to affect me. Well Intermediate of the skill turns all your life magic into blood magic, including my core. Using it increases my thirst.”
“O. Do you know when you will pass this on to your daughters?”
I close my eyes and feel out the ritual. “I suspect it will be the same time as the blood curse. Competent. I understand If you don't wish to proceed. I can wait out your cool—”
“I don't know if I will go to competent but I am fine with Basic.”
I hugged her. “I need to go kill an axen, mom.”
She shoos me away.
I head to the herd. They all are docile to me. I am their Lady now. Strange, everyone tells me I'm not a monster yet I now bear a monster title. My soul thrums at that.
-If we are going with being more than a simple undead, why not be more than a monster.
Our soul quakes at the thought. To be more. Our manifestation and dungeon half become more integral to our soul at our acknowledgement. What was just a quirk of the system giving us this title now becomes thoroughly a truth. Lady of the Plains.
A huff out a laugh. I look at the herd. Your strongest bull and cow. They approach me and I drink them dry. I do not take their stats, would not profane their sacrifice to be a part of me. Would not end the meal so soon.
Gained 23 exp from Axen
Gained 22 exp from Axen
