Soul raised to 521

  I can feel the hair…fur growing across my body. I am deeply repulsed by it but these are desperate times. I lift my former body. He hadn't attempted to gain control. A pack leader that knew his place. He simply flowed into the sea of my soul.

  I had received memories of myself. From another perspective. Our scents were the same. But I felt like I was less than what my memory remembered. It's just more questions. I at least know how I got my first monster title. I didn't have extra arms back then. For a time I was the greater of the two Ladies of the Plains. I sought answers but only gained more questions. Am I truly the cause of this ill wind?

  “The others could be freezing while you spend your time considering the walking carpet.”

  I frown at Said but I head back.

  -----

  “Fark, Mourns. You're huge.”

  I toss the hound in front of Stone. Glindinal and Rin come out to inspect the new me. Glindinal was the first to speak.

  “Oh this is quite nice. But why are you so big? You could double as a mount. Two mounts.” She coos.

  I grow annoyed at her fawning. Rin speaks up.

  “The fur hides the extra legs, I much prefer this.”

  “Legs?” Glindinal is confused, then she feels around my carriage. “Are you a spider under all this?”

  “ENOUGH, I hate this but we need the warmth. The moment we are safe it is gone.”

  Rin looks sad at that while Glindinal shrugs. Stone is busy separating the hide from the hound.

  He talks as he works, "Convenient that ya pull the blood for yourself. Makes for less mess. With this hide, think you could ferry the two to the city?”

  “Don't wish to ride yourself, Stone?”

  “Ya goin’ to have plenty of weight without me. I'll make my own way.” I squint at the Dwarf. He looks and sees then shakes a hand at me, “This ain't no sacrifice. I'll be fine. Better ta get those two out of the cold.” He pulls at the skin separating more of the hide from the meat.

  Rin goes and starts cutting off a bit of the exposed meat. She then puts it on sticks near the oppressive fire. Guess they were eating first.

  -----

  Glindinal's chest and the two Elves were on my back. I had weaved some silk to help keep it and them secured to me. On top of them went the hound hide.

  “I can handle more.” I say looking at Stone.

  “Sure Girlie, for this hour, but you got all day to move. Go get ‘em safe. I'll be fine. An’ followin’ your trail.”

  She stared at him. Looked at him real hard. Saw the blood wasn't trying to hide into his main body. Not like her two riders. He really wasn't bothered by the cold. I give a shaky smile and nod.

  “Good girlie, now get goin’ ‘fore they get stuck to ya.” He waves me off.

  “Said, stay with him.”

  “I don't need a chaperone.” He grouses, as she gives a hand gesture from her forehead out. I didn't recognize it which makes it all the more odder. Nevermind. I was already heading towards the smell of fresh bread.

  “That’s not what Omontina said.” I shouted back. I heard his laugh as I went.

  I ran through the snow. My legs needling through the patches. My motion was smooth for the most part.

  “I know it was hard…leaving him.” Rin said.

  “He will be fine.” I say, forcing myself to believe.

  “Yes.” She replied.

  “How do you know which way to go?” Glindinal asks.

  “I'm heading towards the smell of fresh bread.”

  She laughs at that. I keep moving. My legs sink to their second joint. I make sure to lift my body higher as I go.

  -----

  “I can see it.” Rin shouts.

  I can too. It was quite easy to spot. A walled city where you could see the grass. The area at the edge would see a built up area of snow that at places collapsed towards the grass but over all, snow free. It was a bastion of safety. When I got to the grass I stopped and lowered myself.

  “Quickly now, I need to go back for Stone.”

  They hopped off and Glindinal walked up to my head that was a bit larger than her own.

  “Still too kind.” She whispers. Confused till she grabbed my cheeks and kissed my lips. Not brave enough to try to force her tongue this time. She gives a coquettish smile, “Can have more when you return.” She then flops the hide over my shoulder and head.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  I leave, my cheeks burning and a glance behind me as I head back to where I felt Said. There were some others running out to the two Elves. They will be fine. I move faster without them. I drink from my water skin. To drive the thirst away.

  I move faster as the snow piles on more.

  -----

  I find him trudgin’ slowly in the wrong direction. He doesn't notice me at first. I get fairly close before I shout out.

  “Fark, Ya tryin’ to age me there, Mourns?”

  “How are you headin’ in the wrong direction when you had Said with you.”

  “Clearly she's a trickster, when I accused her of lyin’ she started pointin’ in multiple directions.”

  I look at my fairy, “I totally did but it was only after he accused me.”

  “Likely story.” He grouses.

  I push back the snow and lower myself. Surprisingly he had his sealing chest. When I gave him a questioning look he simply said, “They're expensive.” When it was on my back I felt a bit of sloshing.

  “Is my barrel in there?”

  “Aye, wouldn't wish to waste your efforts.” He says as he uses my silk threads to lash it to my back.

  It was quite foolish, but I suppose he didn't think he was in danger. It was nice. He finally climbs on and once again I head towards fresh bread.

  -----

  It was starting to darken when we arrived at the city again. I let him off while mentally preparing myself. No fur. No fur.

  “No fun.”

  I glared at Said. She flicks me in the forehead. I return to my bipedal self. I check my body and find it without a carpet. Thank the [Empress]. Okay that one snuck out.

  “Ready to head in, Stone.”

  He nods, “Aye, a warm meal and mug would do me well.”

  It was spears that greeted us.

  “Not a proper way to greet visitors.” Stone grouses.

  “All Elves are to be detained for questioning as well as their travelling companions.” The guard said.

  Well shit. We were led away as Said made herself transparent.

  -----

  I was walking past cells. I saw an Elf in each one. Then I saw Rin and Glindinal. I wince, looking at them. Rin gives a brave smile while Glindinal gives a strong wave. I feel a few questions were not going to be enough. Stone was pushed into one cell. The barrier plops on. I shoved into another. I felt the cell try to pull my mana. I denied it. What little it took I pulled back. I am curious why the others allowed such treatment.

  “Why does the barrier not come on?”

  I shrug and sit down facing him. I can see Stone looking confused at me.

  He yelled down the hall we walked by, “Hey, the cell is not working.”

  A yell was returned, “So use the next one.”

  He motioned me up. I complied and the next cell failed to engage as well.

  “Um, none of the cells are working on her.” Another yell. There was some stomping of feet. A new guard looks at me. I just have a small smile.

  “It worked on her companion, just put her in the same one as his. It ain't going to overload if she doesn't got mana to supply.”

  I am led back to Stone's cell. The barrier goes down, I'm pushed in. The barrier goes up.

  The second one nods satisfied then says something to the first. The first looks annoyed but he remains in front of our cell watching.

  “So how ya stop the cell from robbin’ ya of your mana.” He asked in a low conspiratorial voice.

  “I have [Resist Drain Mana 2] at apprentice.” I deadpan.

  He laughs, “First your wee one, now ya, both tricksters. Ain't no such skill, ya can't make a fool of me.” I pop the skill out for him to see. It causes him to laugh again. “I must apologise then, tis me makin’ a fool of myself.”

  “Happen often?”

  He tilts his head, “Ya be pickin’ up strange quirks the last day girlie. Ya seem to be bolder in ya words.” I tilt my head. He just shakes his own. “Could be just my idle thoughts.”

  -----

  It's a bit of time before a guard comes. He demands Stone stay behind while I follow him. I'm led further down the hall until I am in a room with a table. Two chairs. I am directed to the one further from the door. I move my tail and sit. The escort takes up a position near the door. More waiting.

  A tall woman enters. She had mousy brown hair. She looked at the guard, “I thought we were questioning Elves.”

  “She clearly has an Elf ear, ma'am.”

  “And a cat's ear and a tail.”

  “They ain't no hybrids for Elves, ma'am. She is clearly an Elf partially through disguise.”

  She gives a skeptical look at the guard. “Well, let's get this over with so we can all be on our way. Name?”

  “She who Mourns.”

  “Actual name not adventurer muck.”

  I wince. It will be the first time I've claimed this but if they use that paper…”Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”

  “Hmm, you don't believe that.” She says off handily.

  “It is my name…or so I've been told.”

  An eyebrow raised, “Rather curious statement there, but let's continue on for a moment. Why are you here?”

  “I wish to travel to the plains to the south to reach a ruined citadel.”

  The guard immediately points the spear at my chest. I give a confused look.

  “Seems you are an Elf infiltrator after all. My apologies Steven, I had thought you over zealous. Watch her, the knights will want custody. ”

  I gulp.

  -----

  I am led out. Stone is with me, he had his sealing chest. Rin and Glindinal were not. Guess they hadn't realized we were together. We are led to the city gates. Towards the south. There we saw our knight escort.

  “What the fark ya say to ‘em Mourns to warrant transfer to the knights.” He growls.

  I shrug and whisper, “Just that we were heading to the plains.”

  They lead us into the snow. The road had snow that was parted. But the snow was relentless, filling in the path even as we walked it. We trudge for a while until we reach a circular stone fortification. It was not pushing back the snow like the city was but there were young knights constantly pushing the snow over the walls. We are ushered in. Then down stairs into more cells. Stone's chest was left behind. We passed more Elves, these looked more hardened. We were pushed into the same cell, guess they heard of my trick from before.

  Stone huffs out a laugh, “Sorry Mourns, seems I am to be your jailer.”

  “I suppose so.” I lean against the wall and wait.

  -----

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

  I look at Stone as he snores. I have an absurd thought. Right about now is when I would write in my diary. Considering I am detained again, I feel that perhaps diaries and me lead to my confinement. I wrinkle my nose at that. My first diary was when I was at the castle. That confirms it. Cursed.

  I shake my head. It's just silly. But if I don't get my current one back…I think I will skip buying another.

  -----

  A guard comes by. The barrier comes down.

  “Dwarf, come with me.”

  Stone shrugs and leaves. The barrier goes up. They walk away. The barrier flickers and then falls again. I could try to escape. But the cell block had one exit and guards at said exit. I lean back against the wall and wait for their return. Huffing out a sigh. My thirst has slowly been rising. Which is annoying. I could stop setting my nose but then I would run out of undeath for my arm. It's all a pain. Maybe after the nose sets.

  It's a few minutes before I hear some footsteps, then the rushing of steps. A knight is before me. She looked panicked. The spear is leveled at me.

  “Explain how you broke the barrier.”

  I shrugged, “It ran out of mana.”

  “Why did you remain then?”

  “Seemed like a bad idea to flee into a fortification full of knights.”

  “But still you damaged the cell to break the barrier.”

  “The cell is not damaged at all.”

  The spear stays leveled as the guard shakes a bell. A far off chime sounds out. Then a bit of movement. “Brit, you best not be menacing our occupants again. It ain't their fault they got geas to command them to do harm.”

  “Sir, the prisoner has damaged the cell.” She maintains her focus on me.

  The new guard comes and looks in. He is older than the first. He stares at me for a bit, peering closer than paling. “You wouldn't happen to have a name, miss.”

  I sigh. Again I must claim it, “Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”

  It does not improve his complexion. “Stay here…I need to get the [Marshal].” He scampers away as the spear remains leveled at me.