The lid of the chest pokes up.

  “Still undead eh? Sorry Mourns, going to have to lock and seal the chest to pass the barrier.”

  I nod. The lid closes. I hear a bit of rustling as a pad lock is clamped. I try not to think about it. This was necessary to enter Intong. The guild master wanted my testimony. The chest radiates. I feel my mind begin to dull. It's … not … sleep.

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 384 unallocated stat points

  The oppressive force of the chest weakens. As it does, my mind returns.

  Soul lowered to 493

  One way to wake the dead. I wince.

  “‘She who Mourns’ is in this chest? And undead?” An unknown voice asks.

  “Kinda of an undead, identifies as a Vampire if she ain't using her ring.” Stone explains. The lock jiggles for a bit before the lid is lifted.

  I look up at Stone, he provides a hand for me to grab. I grip it and he pulls me up. A gnome stands behind Stone. The room is some sort of processing center. There was a smell of blood.

  30 ? Adventurer Guild Master, Adventurer

  “She who Mourns?”

  I nod, “Yes, you are?”

  “Pizanae, Intong Adventurer Guild Master. ‘Stone Cleaves for Profits’ tells me ye were held captive in the Elf capital.” I pass along my parchment detailing my pardon. He reads it then exclaims, “Ye were extradited?”

  “I don't remember anything before my time in the capital. I remember growing up there but going by that document I couldn't have been there longer than two years.”

  The gnome grunts, “Stone showed me the spikes that were embedded into yar head. It certainly shows a certain level of depravity and control. Is the memory lost strictly of yar life prior to the capital?”

  I shake my head, “There were many gaps in my memory, I was under some sort of contract that made me obey her. I learned I have the ability to sever parts of my soul.”

  “So ye think she ordered ye to remove inconvenient parts of ya memory.” The gnome postulates. I nod. “Do ye know why?”

  “I think it was mostly to maintain that I was an Elf and her daughter.”

  “Mostly?” The gnome squints at me. He sees I was not going to say more which causes him to rub the side of his head.

  “Why she had ye is not as important as whether she is going to want ye back.” He looks at me, “Well?”

  “She will.”

  He blanches at that. Then mutters in a language I don't know. Stone chimes in.

  “More reason to set our cards and let us be on our way.”

  “I have a mind to try to arrest ye for something and have ye sent back over the border.” The gnome growls at Stone. “Where do ye plan to take this disaster?”

  “To the plains to the south of Kargnia, know anything ‘bout it?” Stone replies.

  “Only that there is a destroyed citadel out there and the Queendom has commanded that no adventurers are to explore it. Rumor has it that it is full of undead. Makes no sense to bar the guild but royalty demands never do.” More undead? The guild master continues, “The whole area has been a nightmare, the dungeon collapsed a few weeks ago in Kargnia. Ye're about the only adventurer wanting to head there, Stone.”

  “Here I was hoping to snag a bit of the silk for ‘Tina.” Stone replies with a hint of disappointment.

  The gnome hands the parchment to Stone. “I'll go set yar party's card for Queendom access. ‘Burning Eyes, Burning Hands’ needs a new one, aye? Go seal yar creature back up.”

  Stone nods. He didn't ask if I needed one. I huff out a sigh.

  “Sorry Mourns, I'll open it up again when we get to a camp site.”

  I lay back down. Stone hands me my pardon. The lid closes and the lock is placed. The oppressive feeling grows as my mind dulls again.

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 384 unallocated stat points

  Once again the dullness wears off. The lock comes undone and the lid pops open. The face that greats me is Glindinal and she has a wriggling rabbit in hand. I smile to greet her mischievous one.

  “How long?”

  “Two days.”

  I wince. She hands me the rabbit and I bite down. A bit of bliss.

  Gain 4 exp from Horned Rabbit

  I return the drained critter. Then leverage myself up. The body is stiffer. Before I can flop out my chest burns.

  You have gained [Blood Mana Core] Master 4

  Gain 96 Exp

  The mild coldness I had grew.

  “Aurora?” Glindinal asks.

  “My core came back but it's filling with undeath mana.”

  Her eyes widened, a bit of fear whaffs off her. Said floats with her new black green tail over, “She'll just have to expend it, then she can fill it with blood mana.”

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  I climb out as the vines wrap around my legs. It still hurts to move like this. I waddle to go sit at the fire.

  “Are you not going to expend it?” Glindinal ask exasperated.

  I look at her and give a sad smile, “It would make me thirsty. Ate the rabbit too soon.”

  She looks annoyed but I'd rather not risk it. I find Stone at the fire.

  “I don't see Rin.”

  “Ah the girlie gone to gather more wood ta burn. Heard ya say the core back, we need to track down something for ya?”

  I wince, “I worry the pain I feel now will be worse if I am alive.”

  He shakes his head, “More reason to do it, your gettin’ to use to your injuries. Part of why I left ya in stasis.”

  I want to argue when my soul breaks another piece off again.

  Soul lowered to 474

  [Necromancy Magic] becomes [Necromancy Magic 2] Basic 1

  Necromancy Magic 2 - You can now use Undeath mana to power your necromantic arts

  Basic - undead fueled fully by undeath are just extension of your body

  Gain 6 exp

  Was it waiting for my core to return? I can feel the pull on my core now. My thirst starts to grow as undeath mana is spent, making room for blood mana.

  “Looks like I will need something after all, Stone.”

  I go to get up, the unstableness annoys me. I think back on my recent tiering. I sit back down and place my left hand behind my back above my newly grown tail. Its limpness only further convinces me to do this. Stone looks at me with curiosity. I give a smile and then channel the necromantic magic into my body. It was a mistake, my body seizes as a massive amount of pain traverses my lower body and legs. Far worse than forcing vines to propel me. I can feel the muscles shrivel from it. My thirst grows as I burn the mana. Glindinal and Stone are next to me trying to get an answer from me.

  “Idiot went and infused her bones with necromancy so she didn't have to keep using vines.” Said explains while I attempt to hold back my thirst.

  I stand, the bones obey even as the tendons tear. More pain, fark. Their concern grew.

  “Bad idea, but I need to find something bigger than a rabbit.”

  Stone eyes light up green as he scans my legs, “Mourns, your legs…”

  I grimace, “I know.”

  Glindinal looks at Stone and then me, “Know what?”

  Said answers her, “The flesh is warping and breaking down.”

  Glindinal looks at me in panic, “You need to stop, Aurora. What are you doing to yourself?”

  I look at her, “It's too late, I'll try to revive them after I drink more.”

  She returns a dazed look at me. Shit, my eye must be glowing. I can feel a split open on my cheek. Not good. Said stay here while I go find something. I walk into the forest, the pain grows less as the nerves die.

  -----

  Just please, please don't let there be a Dryad in here. Aside from myself. Hoping to find something sizable. I found Rin instead. I wave. Wait my eyes.

  “Aurora! There are eyes looking out of your cheek.”

  “Are you not affected by them?”

  She tilts her head, “Should I be?”

  “It's supposed to mesmerize but you seem unaffected.”

  She shrugs, perhaps her title insulates her. Maybe I can convince Glindinal to take my horns. Then I can tell her to stop stealing kisses. I feel a bit annoyed at the thought.

  “Aurora?”

  “Sorry, I got stuck in my thoughts. I need to go find something a bit more substantial than a rabbit.”

  “I'll go with you.”

  I want to stop her. It is within my power. But I hate commanding her. I watch her put down her stack of wood and she comes up next to me. There was a sword by her side. I raise an eyebrow to that.

  “Stone pointed me to the better than nothing barrel in Intong. I was stopped from getting two though.”

  “Maybe the next guild hall then.” I replied back. She smiles and nods.

  “So why do you have extra eyes?” She asks as we walk.

  “They seem to come out if I am thirsty enough. There are the eyes of the souls I've eaten.” I murmur the last part, fearing the rebuke.

  “Oh.” Is all she said.

  We continue walking. I ignore the ready to drink blood that is beside me. My thirst continues to gnaw at me. I stopped her.

  “We should go this way.” I point to the left. She raises an eyebrow.

  “Why?”

  “I sense too many in front of us.”

  “How many?” She asks.

  “Four…no five, I think.”

  She draws her sword, “I'll be fine.”

  You have gained [Embrace Thirst 2] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - Reviving yourself while satisfying your thirst no longer burns blood mana.

  Gain 6 exp

  “I don't…” but I do, systems, my thirst is too much. “Fine.”

  We walk into the clearing to find five goblins wrestling each other. They look at us and freeze. Rin gathers fire mana into her hand. It wasn't necessary. I walk over to the mesmerized creatures. Sorry. I lift the first and bite into its neck. My thirst ebbs as my body revives. I push my bliss to my other attention.

  Gain 23 exp from Goblin Hunter

  You have gained [Embrace Bliss] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - Emotions flavor the bliss

  Gain 6 exp

  I wince, the system doesn't consider them monsters. I toss him to the side even as a soul tether snaps to me. My revival isn't creating more undeath. Will I run out of mana fueling my legs and this new undead goblin? There's enough in the core for this. I reach for the next. Its fear is palatable. I pick up the frozen thing and bite down. The bliss that floods me is so much more. Before it was a euphoric feeling but now I greedily drink in its fear. I'm intoxicated by it. It makes this tiny existence so much better. There are three left.

  They are starting to move. My eye is no longer mesmerizing them. I flood them with my horror aura instead. The next is already feeding my gluttony. Glorious, their fear heightened even further, I giggle. Another soul tether snaps to me. The other two begin to crawl away. Their former brethren grab them. As I drain the fourth the last one falls unconscious. I bark a laugh at that. That won't do. He's no longer extruding fear. Or is it a she. Not sure. Giggle. I feel fear behind me though. I giggle again. I turn to the other.

  “Aurora?” She says with a tremble. I blink. What was I…I see the four soul tethers attached to me. I squeeze my eye shut. Damn it, I shouldn't have brought her. I almost attacked her. I feel my undeath begin to empty.

  I have the undead come to me. I rip out their souls. Let them go to their next Lark without burdens. I stand over the last. I pull the magic out of my own legs and collapse next to him. My blood mana restores my legs, I am wincing as the nerves flare. The thirst grows. I bite down on the last. The blood is not as great as the previous three. But the thirst is satisfied.

  Gain 19 Exp from Goblin Scout

  I took the goblin soul into myself. I needed to remember them. Is it being selfish to do so? I don't know. A part of me yearns to know their lives. But I was already alive myself. It will have to wait till I sleep.

  I look at my legs. They are weak, pale and withered. I grow my vines to pick myself up. The pain is worse now that I am alive. Rin walks over and starts removing their right ears. Looking back at my carnage, I remember the harpies enjoying fresh goblins. I may have ruined four with rot but the fifth one…

  “Rin, could you incinerate their bodies before I decide to give in more?” I give her a pleading look. She nods and burns my last victim first. My curiosity averted. I no longer regret letting her come with me, she prevented me from trying to consume their corpses. I only wish I couldn't feel the mote of fear she still had.

  You have gained [Sense Emotion] Apprentice 7

  Gain 2 exp

  We walk back in silence slowly. My previous ability to move gnaws at me. As does the uncomfortable silence. I can't stand it, I have to try.

  “Rin, I'm sorry you saw that. I lost myself there. I understand if you wish to part ways.” Damn it, what am I even saying?

  She gives me a curious look, “Why would I leave?”

  “I can feel your fear, Rin…I know it started during my frenzy.”

  She blinks, then laughs, “‘Rora, did you think I was afraid of you? You are being a fool. I was afraid you were losing yourself.” She comes up to me, looking into my face. “You're a one arm, slow walking fool with a terrible amount of battle sense. I already got a few ideas on how to stop you if necessary.” She gives my cheek a peck with her lips then pats it twice as she walks away.

  I'm utterly confused now. Which I think was her point. Also…Rora? I frown as I feel her mote of fear vanish. She must have come to some conclusion about me.