This is a daily reminder: You have 352 unallocated stat points

  We continue to flee south. No breaking for camp. Any thought of that was dispelled when my forward scout was destroyed. I can see through my undead. I felt it when the sword went through my heart. I shake my head, the heart of the scout. It's bizarre, truly, they are dead and yet I feel pain through them. The other four are spread out and watching each other's backs. I doubt I can stop whatever is pursuing me. But to delay or at least understand it will be enough.

  Rin is on my spider abdomen. She having the lowest stats meant it was better to carry her when she grew exhausted. She was frightened of the idea at first but my words can't be denied. I had felt a twinge of guilt over it all. I was treating her like others treated me. Someone to command. I'll need to calm myself down. To apologize.

  “She wanted to say sorry, [Junior Priestess]. For forcing this.” Said spoke from atop my head to Rin.

  “Nooooo…worries. It was the correct thing to do. My hesitance was putting us in danger.” She replied.

  I frown at that but facing away she can't see it. A city begins to come into sight.

  “Best to steer clear of it, Mourns.” Stone says with a bit of a grumble. I nod.

  He was rather annoyed that I hadn't allowed him a ride as well. Pointing out that his stats were superior did nothing to assuage him.

  Soul lowered to 26

  You have gained [Necromancy Magic] Intermediate 4

  Gained 40 exp

  Another bit of soul breakdown. It hurts. I can smell the various monsters we pass in the forest. But there is no time. The forest is giving away to mountains. There are a lot of smells coming from the mountains.

  “How do we pass the mountains?” Said asks Stone.

  The dwarf face scrunches. He answers, “Normally by joining a caravan. Strength in numbers. But with your needs…”

  “She doesn't have to kill to satisfy them.” Said says from her perch.

  “Oh, plannin’ on askin’ your pliant friend for a nip.”

  I give the dwarf an annoyed look.

  “It wouldn't be asking.” I spoke.

  He grunts, “Glad ya understands that.” He doesn't say not to do it.

  “Willing.” The word comes from Rin. Her skill at [Speak:Common] is improving. Annoyingly at this moment.

  “I'm not.”

  I fear some imaginary line between us would break should I feast on her. I fear it would be tainted. Besides, satiating my thirst would cause her to create her own. I doubt I can satisfy hers with her own blood. I huff out a sigh. I look at Said.

  “She has a reserve she can use if needed.”

  He seems to consider it, then speaks.

  “You still match the [Princess] description too much…I know I said not to do eye catchin’ changes but perhaps ya ears could match your wee one there?”

  I sour at his words…my eyes haven't finished setting. Goodbye beautiful world.

  -----

  The left side of my head hurts. It's bandanged. I couldn't change both my ears, my jewelry was not powerful enough. So Stone suggested I just remove the other. Keeping myself from healing it is maddening. My mood was not improved by the duller colored world.

  I showed my adventurer card. “‘She who Mourns’, what do ya mourn? Your awful healing ability or your pitiful level? How the hell did you get recognized as a [Head Priestess]. Can't even heal yourself.”

  My visible eye twitches at the guard. No frowns. I just try to bear it. “Persuasive words.”

  The guard laughs and hands the card back. He ushers me in.

  “Seems ill advised to join her order, young one.” The other guard says to Rin.

  “I have full confidence in my choices.” Rin says with a neutral voice.

  We went in and waited at the adventurer guild. My ear was turned towards the gate. Waiting for Stone to approach. It doesn't take long.

  “Ya see my card, stop hasslin’ me.”

  “Just making sure, um Stone Cleaves for Profits. Haven't seen any Elves have you?”

  “Other than your pointy ears and this line no. Was I supposed to be lookin’ for ‘em. I could head back out and see if I could scrounge some up.”

  The back and forth continued. Not sure how long it will take. I look at Rin, see her horns. Going by my title…I gave them to her. I don't remember. Does she? I cover my mouth. Said was invisible on my shoulder, she spoke.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Why did you accept her horns?”

  Rin was surprised at the question, she could tell it wasn't actually me who said it. “It wasn't my decision. Seeing the state you were in though, I accepted full heartedly though. Do you not remember?” I shake my head. “To be honest, it didn't feel like you were really there. Not quite looking like you were mentally compelled but more like when you punched Glindinal.”

  That's the G girls name. Finally, that's been bugging me. Wait, I punched her. I think she told me that herself. I tilt my head at Rin.

  “Don't remember that either?” She asks.

  “To be honest a lot of her memories with Glindinal are cut short.” Rin frowns at Said words.

  “Okay that’s twice, some Chimera just used our words and now my name.”

  I freeze at her voice. Rin is shocked as well. There was a bit of stomping and an exclamation, “Randinrin how the hell did you escape the castle. I figured you were forever going to be the [Empress] pet's pet.”

  She was behind me, I did my best not to turn my head. It amounts to nothing when the Elf in question bends past me and looks at my face.

  “Sar—”

  I punched her in the eye. She immediately fell down dazed. There was some laughter in the room. Shin kickin’ country. We quickly hurried the red head out of the room.

  “Rin, wait outside for Stone.” She nods while I internally curse. Another unquestioned order. Nevermind. I hustle Glindinal into the room.

  “Fuck Sarcea, why in the eye, also cute ear. Did you kill a Pimar for it? Why only one though?”

  I rub my face, actually I'm a bit shocked she hasn't gone murder mode.

  “Shouldn't you be trying to kill me?”

  “What for?” She asked with curiosity.

  “Because you would assume I was a Hybrid?” I wince as Said the last part.

  Another head tilt, then a full on laughter. “Oh my system, you think I thought you were a Hybrid? The [Empress] explained it quite clearly to me that no matter how you looked or acted, you were an Elf.” I wince, “But seriously, what's with the ear? Also how are you throwing your voice like that?”

  “I used [Body Morphic Magic] to change one but found I couldn't change the other with my amount of mana. So I cut the other off.” Said speaks with a bit of glee from behind her. I grow mortified but she doesn't notice when she turns her head behind her.

  “Seriously how are you doing that…Cut off? Change? Your one eye is back to what it was before too. Rin here…you ran away!” I wince again, “Denied your lover you must have fled with her. That must be it.”

  Now I blush at that as I hear Rin's heart rate begin to race. Before I can rebuke her, she tilts her head.

  “Not even a change in heart rate, but Rin is all over the place. But your facial expressions don't match either. This is all very confusing.” She frowns.

  “Do you delight in messing with me!”

  Her eyes widen at my words, daze her a bit but she shakes her head. She grows nervous. “Why do you talk like a dryad? Don't act like you don't. I've reached the core before. Her voice is just like that.”

  I sigh. Said show herself. “She doesn't remember, only that it is her voice now. Maybe it was before.”

  “Before?”

  “I was an Elf.”

  She struggles with the words. Which geas takes precedence? The one that says I'm an Elf or the one that says to kill all Hybrids. I create mental magic and flood my eyes. I can't see them. Right they would be on her soul…

  Soul lowered 25

  I wince again. The newly made soul mana begins to flow through my tethers. I move a bit to my eyes. There, I can see them. They both are lighting on and off, alternatively. I removed my memory before. That's just cutting the soul. Could I cut hers? I reach a hand to her. She shirks away unsure of what I mean to do. I reach one of the blinking parts of her soul. Gone.

  She screams. Then she tackles me, her hands around my throat. Wrong one to start with. But it's fine. Her grip tightens. I see the other geas and cut that one as well. Her hands slacken. She slowly pulls her hands away. She falls back as she cradles her head.

  “What are you? What have you done? She'll know? She'll think I did this. You already ruined this lark. WASN'T IT ENOUGH.” She screams. She tackles me again. Her hands once again around my throat. Her grip is not as strong as before but crushing is crushing. I just wait. “Why won't you die? I don't want to be Glicea. I don't want to forget my name. Why? Why did you condemn me to be a [Princess].” Her tears fall onto my face as she tires herself.

  I feel her pain and fear. I look at her with pity. Her grips slacken. “Pity by someone beneath me…Only beneath me till I die. Soon enough I'll be calling you sister.”

  She gets up and walks away from me. I quickly get to my feet and hug her from behind. Her tears are still falling onto my arms. “Flee with us.” She wiggles and turns around. She grabs the sides of my face. I don't understand.

  Her lips crashed into mine. My eyes widened in shock. Something pushes past them but then she rears back as I taste a bit of blood, a bit of bliss. “The hell, I wanted to make it awkward for you but I cut myself on your teeth.” I grow annoyed at the kiss stealer. Then I give her a toothy grin. This causes her to back away from me. She pales at the sight. I laugh. It calms her.

  “Sorry, my visage is so unsettling.”

  “More your voice, I prefer unique anyways.” She huffs out a breath, “I might as well flee with you for now. Atlas, I assume?” I nod to her question, “Is it just Randinrin or is Hectonal here as well?”

  I hear various curses about guards and endless questions. I smile.

  -----

  “So how many more Elves are we pickin’ up? You're goin’ to stick out in Atlas.”

  I shrug, “She does anyways.” Said quips.

  “True, so what can you do girlie?” Stone asks Glindinal.

  “I can heal but fight.” She says slowly.

  “But?”

  “Or…and. And.” She hesitated but corrected with a nod.

  Stone frowns and looks at Said, “Another for ya to translate for.”

  “Not like you can't speak [Quintarl?ne].” Said huffs.

  Stone glares at the pixie while Glindinal speaks up, “Me [Speak:Common] is just good.”

  Said floats to the Elf, “It's ‘My’ not ‘me’ and clearly you must have meant ‘terrible’ not ‘good’.”

  Stone laughs as Glindinal snatches at Said. I turn to Stone.

  “How soon can we leave?” Said asks.

  He calms, “Two days, caravan looking for guards but they are still supplying up. Be better if there was only one priestess though.”

  I nod and set my [False Soul] to Adventurer.

  He shakes his head, “Too low level for that. Any others?”

  I frown, Basic Mage? I look at him again.

  “Better, I suppose. That level one is rather bizarre no matter what title you use.” He frowns as he says it.

  “What if she showed her total levels?” Said asks.

  He thinks on that but shakes his head, “Can't right say to be honest. They would assume tier two but an adventurer guard sitting at level one? Doesn't make much sense no matter what your tier is. Perhaps it's best if you travel as a passenger and not as a guard.”

  I nod at that. “How much?” Not that I had any money. I gave my large silver to Omontina for the clothes and new adventurer card.

  “Its about three small silvers to join the caravan as a passenger.”

  I get up and head to the door.

  “Where you goin’?”

  Said flits by, “To do a request, could we borrow a Large silver?”

  “Wot for?” He asks with suspicion.

  “Could use a container for blood.”

  He flips me a small gold, mumbling about how princesses don't know jack about prices.