This is a daily reminder: You have 48 unallocated stat points

  Done. Tempting as it is to deliver the goods in person, I won't take Lea's job from her. Not on her second day. Speaking of.

  “Yes, Sara.”

  “Thought I said to call me Violet.”

  She smiles, “I will when you both are present, but you are still Sara.”

  I shrug, “I finished the clothing, any suggestion on what I should craft for the store?”

  “Life bandages would be preferable.”

  “I don't have a life core anymore Lea, it is absurd for an undead to make life energy.”

  “Yet you are alive, will I not have a life core either?”

  “All but certain. You will have to make do with a [Blood Mana Core] instead. Have you grown an arcane core yet?”

  She frowns, “No, not yet Sara. What properties does it have?”

  I didn't remake my core until my body was alive…but she is more than undead. Gah what are the rules here. She looks at me with her head tilted.

  “Sorry, it's like a life core but using it increases your thirst.”

  “That doesn't seem advantageous at all.”

  I shrug, “I don't need a soul image to heal bodies with it. In fact, recreating a body is completely feasible. Though without a soul, its use is in only remaking bodies for my daughters so far.”

  “So then blood bandages?”

  “I am unsure if they would work like life bandages, I lost [Health Regen] as well. I actually have a different avenue for healing goods.” She raises an eyebrow, I explain. “One of the knights is experimenting with my blood, perhaps healing potions can become a mainstay. But that will be later, any other ideas?”

  “Winter is approaching, perhaps heated clothing. If possible you should make a floor frozen as well.”

  “Are you suggesting making the dungeon more miserable to drive sales?”

  “Yes.”

  I laugh. Lea apparently wishes me to be a different kind of monster altogether.

  You have gained [Vampress Matriarch] Basic 8

  Gain 10 exp

  -----

  My fairy forms next to Barbain's head as I watch Lindur finish swallowing a drop of blood from Barbain's finger. The budding vampire matriarch turns to me, looking annoyed.

  “Do you plan to intrude every time I grow our house, Red?”

  She speaks with our voice…a product of her new tier.

  “Sorry, my skill leveled. I was curious.”

  “Yes well…” Barbain pauses, concentrates, “For one who is so for ceremony, you interrupted mine.”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  “[DiQueen].” Lindur bows her head towards me. Barbain becomes exasperated.

  “Please none of that, I'm still ‘She who Mourns’.”

  “Thank fuck, I was struggling with the weight of it all.”

  “You still owe me respect though [Supplicant]. Even if our mother is lax.”

  “Of course, mistress.”

  I raise an eyebrow at Barbain.

  “Don't act like your soul doesn't sing when hierarchy is acknowledged.”

  I get pensive. She gets a wry smile.

  “So should I expect a witness everytime?”

  “No, I shouldn't…you plan for more?”

  “Can't very well generate soul at any speed without them.”

  My eyes widened at that.

  “Barbain, you've…”

  “Hahaha, oh system I can't believe your face. Lindur asked me to ask you to turn her. I don't think you realize this but you stopped my aging and probably your own. I can easily wait for my dungeon.”

  Static body…I hadn't really thought about it. Violet, are we immortal?

  -Probrably Red. Vampires exist until slain.

  The illusion dissipates as I slump down in my smithy. Violet joins me.

  Mother?

  Sorry, I'm afraid of watching those I know die.

  So don't let them?

  -It has to be their choice, Barbain.

  Well no shit, mother. But even in a mortal life, you have to say goodbye. Besides you're a tier four, are you not already on track for no wrinkles this millennium?

  She's right…I was signed up for just that. All I can do is offer a way to continue for those I care about. We have a very long time to collect goodbyes. I direct my thoughts again.

  Thank you Barbain. Why did Lindur decide to become a Tibyder?

  She said, I quote, “Fuck, if I had that many fucking legs, I could get over this shit.

  I giggle, I wish her the best.

  -----

  “I was hoping for my new under garments this morning.”

  “You still have to finish paying for them, Kal.”

  She pouts as I wipe her down and dress her in her work out clothes.

  “Why is it that you do not join us in our morning exercises?”

  “The Lord asked that I not harm you during your stay.”

  She stares at me then laughs, “Don't say that to my brother, I am sure he would demand such assurances be lifted.”

  A pity she said that. It wouldn't be proper to go against the wishes of one mistress, even a temporary one.

  -----

  The spar between Delores and Kalidia is evenly matched. Jeremy walks up to me. He notices my eye movement following the flow of blows.

  “Good morning Red, you seem to have an eye for this.”

  Bleh, now that Sister pointed out his crush I can't avoid checking the smells. Way to make this weird, Violet. She giggles next to me.

  “Good morning, Sir.”

  “Would you care to spar?”

  I take a moment…

  “Alright.”

  -Sister!

  Nothing says I have to strike him.

  Both Delores and Kalidia stop, curious at this new development. I separate from Violet as Jeremy tosses me a wooden sword and I wait for his move. He doesn't, he addresses me instead.

  “Are you not going to take a stance? Come, you can have the first strike.”

  “Apologies, sir. I will not risk harming you. You may attempt to strike as much as you want though. I am ready.”

  He grows annoyed at that, “You would aim to make a mockery of me by allowing me to strike you with no retaliation?”

  I gave him a toothy grin, “I said nothing about allowing you to strike me."

  Incensed at the giggles coming from the mistresses, he decides to take the first strike afterall. It is blocked. As is every subsequent blow. He grows winded as his fury is spent in futility. One last swing I raise my sword to block. I drop the wooden blade. My chest burns a rather familiar pain as Jeremy's sword slams into my side. My soul etches. Changing the notification from ‘your manifestation’ to ‘both your bodies’.

  You have gained [Blood Mana Core] Master 1

  Master - a physical blood core forms in both your bodies

  Gain 96 exp

  I see my sister hunched over as Jeremy grips my shoulder. I look up at him to tell him I am fine when he rears back.

  “Your left eye…”

  Shit, the core is empty, my thirst is roaring. My sister has the blood skin. She begins to drink and I do not feel my thirst change. I push the bliss she causes to my other attention. Her imbibing is only filling her core. It is filling slowly…damn.

  I start to feel my own blood pull into my core. No, be patient core. My thirst increases at the denial. I can not allow my body to die nor will I abandon my duties to hide. I get up and walk to my sister. Her core is only at a quarter but she hands me the skin. I can feel our other attention tremble at containing the bliss.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  I drink and the bliss bleeds through. My face becomes flush and I only manage a tenth of my core before I pull away. Anymore and I would lose myself fully. My sister's hand is on me. Seems we can share our control.

  “Thank you, sister.”

  She smiles weekly as she stares at the blood skin.

  We need to take our time.

  -I know. Systems, I know.

  “Red, Violet are you alright?” A chorus of concern.

  “Sorry, everyone. We should be fine, we just need a moment to adjust.”

  “To what?” Kalidia.

  Violet's smile grows a bit stronger, “I am not sure you have a secret equal in value, Kal.”

  “Does it have to do with that growing smoldering red eye?” Jeremy opines.

  The skill just grew to apprentice six. Nevermind…my core is not yet generating blood mana. Does it need to be filled? I think towards the one in our soul core.

  -Don't. You'll drive us mad with our thirst.

  Which is manageable for now. Barely. The bliss begins to fade. I push what remains to my other attention and help my sister up. Our smoldering eyes meet each other. I close the offending eye, she does the same. The glow seeps from the rim of the shut eyelid. Violet disappears into our dungeon.

  “Is she going to be alright?” Delores asks.

  She is in her couture.

  “She is just making something.”

  “She is elsewhere? I thought she was an illusion.”

  Jeremy must have convinced himself Violet wasn't real, but then does that mean the crush is for Violet and not me? Since she was who he met first.

  -No.

  But…

  -He didn't start preening till he saw you. Maybe he has a thing for red heads.

  She pops in before I could rebut her. A black and red strip of cloth in her hand. An ultra violet one was already over her eye. I cover my own eye, tying the cloth behind my head.

  “Thank you, sister. Not an eyepatch?”

  “You know it will be in both our eyes before the end.”

  I sigh.

  “But how?” Jeremy sputters. Kalidia and Delores just shake their heads.

  -----

  You have gained [Permanent Blood Mana Sight] Apprentice 9

  Gain 6 exp

  I sigh, I shift the eye covering to be both my eyes. My sister does the same.

  “Violet?”

  “Kal, it is only to not worry the others. Are you happy with your purchases?”

  The seed has dissolved, she nods and hands the clothing to me. I place them in my couture for later. Red does the same with Delores' new robe.

  “How can you see?”

  “Think of where you are, Kal.” A whisper. Next to her ear. Not spoken. Her eyes widened. She only came to the realization that this is my soul space. I do not need eyes here.

  I smile, because my one eye can see every blood vessel in her body. No, not the vessels, the blood itself. It is spider webbing in her body. The cloth does not block my sight of that. In fact the removal of physical visuals only made it clearer. What will I see when the other eye opens…

  I'm nudged by Red.

  “Sorry, I'll go see to it.”

  I am in the conference room.

  “Greetings [Guild Master].”

  The blood in his brow constricts, presumably the muscle is quirking his brow.

  “Apologies, my thirst has caused my eye to flare, you understand the feeling caused in others on seeing it.”

  He coughs, then motions to the containers behind him.

  “Your request came in, hopefully out of seven you will have your breeding pair.”

  I nod, “Thank you, [Guild Master].”

  I move the container to my nest. Four for me, three for Red.

  “Why is it that I only get three?”

  “Odd number and I retrieved it, sister. We can always do rock paper scissors.”

  We do, she loses with her scissor throw. I enjoy my four catfish. My core only moves another five percent…

  -----

  Between us we had a breeding pair. The other five were just fodder for our soul. Maybe we can grow a tenth of an inch. I return to Delores.

  “Apologies mistress, there shouldn't be any more distraction.”

  “Your face is flushed again.”

  Damn it, I should have waited longer. She laughs at me. When Violet returns with no tell tale flush, we leave the store. We head back out to the forest of tigers.

  “I'm surprised you haven't tripped, Red.”

  Okay he is paying attention to just me…I feel Violet's amusement.

  “This is no issue for me, Sir.”

  “Well make sure to stay close, reflexes mean nothing if you don't see the tiger coming.”

  I direct another tiger away from his blind spot. Only from the front dears. We find a clearing and wait for skills to improve. Violet pulls out a table and some chairs while I prepare the tea.

  “This is getting absurd now…” Jeremy becomes exasperated.

  “Can we sit on illusions, Hischurl?”

  “They are real, my Lady.”

  Jasmine's frown joins Jeremy's own. He examines the chair even as both Kalidia and Delores sit. Jasmine, after some trepidation, joins them. Jeremy looks as if he wants to demand an answer but holds off.

  “Your tea, my mistress.” I whisper.

  After filling their cups, I am in the viscount kitchen collecting some cookies. My eye covering raised. Barbara walks by and notices me.

  “Have you abandoned your charge again?”

  No back handed comment this time. I look at her. My right eye tears and I cup my eye. My lateral eyes tear as well. I am breathing hard. I see the notification and pull the cloth back over my eyes.

  You have gained [Permanent Blood Mana Sight] Competent 1

  Competent - All your eyes are blood eyes, you see more, and your eyes mesmerize based on your thirst, the more eyes they see the more bewitched

  Perception raised to 984

  Damn. I walk over to Barbara and wave at the very creepy smiling lady. Damn, she is ripe for giving me her…my sister is next to me. She is also staring at the neck but pulls me to the plate I prepared. We both return before the woman snaps out of it.

  Thank you sister…I should have more control.

  -Nonsense, I only am better because my thirst is less. The day is half way through, perhaps a nip while we watch them drink tea.

  Violet hands out the cookies while I nurse my bliss. Never more than my other attention can contain. I look at the various guests. Before the blood was static but now I can see its movement, its purpose. I can tell oxygenated vs non. It is bizarre to say the least.

  You have gained [Vampiric Blood Kinesis 2] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - Any blood in your mana aura is under your control

  Gain 6 exp

  But isn't—

  -Stop, don't look at them or think about it.

  She grabs my face and stares at me and I stare at her.

  Violet speaks, “Apologies everyone but you need to leave the dungeon now.”

  They had not expected a demand that burned half our mental core. They get up and start running.

  “Violet what gives. That is way too much.”

  She just stares at me intently.

  “Please say primes for me sister, I'll start. Two.”

  She is in full panic, “Three.”

  “Five.”

  -----

  “Ninty-seven.”

  I breathe, they are finally outside our dungeon. Beyond our mana aura. Adventures hitch before I relax myself. Breathe.

  “Are you going to say why you just freaked out and decided to level our math skill?”

  “Better than you realizing that everything in our dungeon is inside our mana aura.”

  Her eyes widened. All the adventurers without a mana aura in my dungeon suddenly seized, or to put into better words she was holding all their blood still.

  “Sara stop, you'll kill them. Breathe let go, don't think about their blood.”

  Various adventurers are semi lucid but she does let go. I tremble, with her.

  “How did you not do the same?”

  “My mind isn't in blood lala land as much, remember?”

  She needs my stability right now. To think it is possible to ignore this much blood. To not realize how much we thirst—

  She barks a laugh. I look at her.

  “You're a shitty liar.”

  I smile, perhaps I needed some stability as well.

  “We never did learn to lie at a noble level.”

  We exit the dungeon to some very angry and concerned people.

  “How dare you use mental magic on me?” Jeremy was first.

  “I did what I needed to keep you from harm.”

  Hischurl was between me and his Lady. He growls, “From what?”

  Red answers, “From us, we gained a rather dangerous skill.”

  His stare, and hand on the hilt of his sword shows he is taking this seriously. Red sighs.

  “I prefer you don't attack me with a sword I just forged you.”

  His eyes widened. Jeremy interjects, “The sword was made by the dungeon, why are you claiming—”

  “Do not be dense, brother. They are the dungeon, your stupid illusion debate finally has an answer.”

  Jasmine grows pale, “Your … laugh.”

  Delores gives her a hug, “Sorry, it wasn't my secret to give, Jasmine.” She looked at me, “Why was it dangerous to be in the dungeon?”

  “It was dangerous to be inside my mana aura. It just happens that everything is inside my mana aura when in the dungeon.”

  Jeremy reaches towards my collar, a familiar tactic. His arm passes into my aura, his blood stops. He pulls back, rubbing his hand.

  “My hand feels like I slept on it, what the hell?”

  “I control any blood in my aura, young Sdrae. Do not accost me again lest you wish to learn how fast the body dies when blood stops moving.”

  You have gained [Voice Control] Competent 1

  Competent - High emotions will not cause you to slip, unless you want too

  Gain 4 exp

  A lot of tiering today. At least this one was not distressing. Delores puts a hand on my arm. I let go of her blood as I pulled my mana aura to my skin.

  “Will this be an issue going forward?”

  “My sister and I are incredibly thirsty. We will partake after we finish our duties tonight.”

  I see the hand raised. I turned my face for the slap she gave me. It would not do to break her hand.

  “You shame me by putting your safety below my comfort. Go take care of your needs before you see us again.”

  We speak in unison, “As you wish, mistress.”

  -----

  I rub my Violet back while we sit in our blood pool. She took the slap but we both deserved it. She was in our true form while I was still an attendant. Qorth and Cecelia come to us. We both close our lateral eyes on their approach. Cecelia was the first to ask.

  “Why are your eyes covered?”

  “Our blood eyes mesmerize now, we grew blood cores.”

  “You already have a blood core though.” Qorth is confused.

  Violet taps her chest, “It's physically here, for both of us. It came in empty though and being a master sized core, it is taking a lot of blood to fill them.”

  Cecelia turns and runs out, before I can call out to her Qorth asks another question.

  “Can you not use mana to refill it?”

  Red laments, “It would only increase our thirst, we were near our edge after they formed.”

  Qorth pales at that, “So you sit and slowly absorb to maintain your sanity…”

  We nod. I speak up.

  “We should be done before dawn tomorrow. I only hope the core ignites.” A thought crosses my mind, “Apologies if this affects you, Qorth.”

  I pull the cloth up revealing an eye, Qorth blinks back and turns her face. So it does.

  “Sorry, I was hoping with you having a piece of my soul you would not be affected.”

  Qorth breathes, rather annoyed, “You could at least warn me first ‘Reckless and a fool’.”

  “I was afraid a warning would cause you to steel yourself and muddy the results. It was unfair.” I bow my head.

  “Steel?”

  Violet answers, “An iron alloy, basically Red is saying you would harden your defenses.”

  Understanding blooms on her face. Cecelia is back with Magdeline. When they arrive, various mana sights cycle through Magdeline eyes. She stops at the life one.

  “I can see the foreign object in your chest, but not what it is.”

  I look at my sister and see the core clearly. The blood we are dribbling in slowly through our skin is pulling into the core.

  “[Blood Mana Sight] can see it, is this a concern?”

  “Only in that you just became a higher priority target for slaying.” Mags speaks off the cuffs.

  I start to tremble with my sister when Cecelia smacks Mag upside the back of head. Mags rubs her head and explains.

  “Sorry, dungeon core bosses tend to have physical mana cores to carve out. Which is now the case for you two. They are seeable with their respective sights, obviously. Depending on what they are, they have various uses. Powering trinkets to implantation into others.”

  “You can gain a core that way?” Violet asks as I stare at my own core.

  “Not particularly advisable, the core is larger than one can generally have. It doesn't become a part of the person being without dedicated effort in absorbing it. Which causes the individual to either physically gain characteristics of the monster they took it from or suffer damage from the mana type during their trial. I was tempted to try it after hitting tier five but then you told me a better way of growing my own.”

  I remember the conversation Violet had this morning. My thirst increases as I fill my blood core with blood mana.

  Lea.

  “Yes, Red?”

  “What are you doing, Red?” Magdeline grows alarmed.

  -If you must.

  My core is full, it ignites. I open all my eyes and lift the cloth covering them, I will not be interrupted. I move the core past my clavicle, it's too large to get through my throat. That's fine, there is no bone blocking it there. My hand pierces my flesh and grasps the core and rips it out, the pain causes my hand to tremble. I plunge the core into Lea's chest, I leave it there as I pull my hand back. My blood magic does not respond.

  “I can't heal it, sister.”

  Violet has a hand over both our wounds sealing them. My blood doesn't move by my will. I push arcane mana into my artificial heart. The blood moves now. Violet continues to heal my foolishness while Lea begins to writhe. She regains lucidity when the others have as well. She is rubbing her chest while Magdeline yells at me. I can feel the core become a part of her soul, slowly. I smile as the coldness of my own soul warms a little.

  “Why the hell did you just rip out your own core?”

  “I needed to know if it was possible, if it would come back and Lea can't grow her own core.”

  I stare at Madeline. It's my turn to be smacked upside the back of my head. Cecelia heals her hand as she admonishes me.

  “I believe I told you to discuss things before doing something rash.”

  “Sorry.”

  “My magic changed…”

  We all turn to her as her body loses its Tibyder lower half. She keeps the ears. We look at her with questions, “Sorry, the many legs are soothing but I feel I can clerk better with just two.”

  Not as intimidating. A tail sprouts from her back. It has blood red fur. I get up to look behind her. My tail didn't come with me…I sat down before it was noticed.

  “Glad I could give you back at least some magic.”

  “Thank you for this boon, my [DiQueen].”

  Magdeline wasn't done with me, “So you lost your blood magic, correct?”

  “And the ability to move my blood. The artificial heart still works though.”

  “Your eyes have stopped glowing red.”

  But I'm still thirsty.

  “I mean if that is the case.”

  I catch Violet's wrist before she reaches her own chest. She looked annoyed at me, her eyes still blazing blood red.

  “Sorry sister, no one can heal us but you right now.”

  Besides, do you want to lose your tail?

  She is shaken but then looks at our new cat girl, “There is Lea.”

  “Lea is stuck in the dungeon.”

  She huffs but relents. The blood core settles back into its original location. She earns what is becoming Cecelia's special attack when the mesmerize wears off.

  “I literally just told your sister off about rash actions.”