“I can tell when you're not sleeping.” I grumble.
“Figure you want comfort from her instead.” She said nonchalantly. “Are you going to spar?”
“I still can't gain stats. I hope maybe after the next core.”
“It's been two years, I'm sure Cecelia would be delighted to cross swords again.” She prods me.
We had rented a guild training room for this, I suppose we shouldn't waste the money. I go over to the rack with various wooden implements of faux danger and see some wooden short blades. I sigh. Cea wielded two in an underhanded stance. Hers were more curved than these. For slicing. I pick them up, weighing them in my hands. My body shifts a bit, my figure matching the one whose fighting stance I am mimicking.
“Seems poor form to remove my gloriousness before sparring.” Cecelia says with a bit of a playful sneer.
“Sensei, while I am glad that you acknowledged their perfection, I aim to actually land a hit on you today.”
The sneer becomes a genuine smile, “Well then, let us see.”
I charge low, I have no illusions to distract with. I can't use the lethal magical moves Cea prefers to end things immediately with. I will have to rely on slowing time by focusing on this task alone. She moves and I follow. My stats are still lower than hers. I have no doubt that she is at her tiers soft cap, waiting for her soul to catch up. I will have to lean into Cea's experience to have a chance. My borrowed against Cecelia's earned. It's awkward at first but as we trade blows faster and faster my body shifts, to be closer to the memory I have taken. My movements become more fluid. She is doing what she can to fend me off. But I apply pressure. I am almost there. I force an opening, and right as I am about to land that coveted hit she is behind me. The wooden blade on my shoulder.
“Very good, demonie.”
“Thank you, mom. I am glad I forced you to use [Quick Step].”
She smiles. I had gained some more skill levels. Perhaps sparring before the next core could help after all. With the next core my stats will be closer, I might even be able to gain stats again. I look at the skill gains. One more for a tier upgrade on quick step.
-----
Glidinal rolled another of my barrels into the clinic looking rather annoyed at me. Gregory had another on his shoulder.
“Not sure why you couldn't help carry your barrels back here.” She huffs out while emphasizing the word ‘your’.
Mags answers before I do, “That would require me, and I didn't want to.”
I smile, more like she didn't wish to be near Ophelia. I look back at my stats. My soul was eighteen higher than last time. It must have happened while I was burning. I suppose the individuals could have leveled but it was also about time Lea was going to level as well. I should ask her next time she decides to pop in. My stare at Glindinal caught her attention.
“Any reason why you're staring.”
“Sorry, lost in thought. Was thinking of asking Lea a question.”
At the mention she grows annoyed and stares at her stomach. The fox head pops out, looking at her. It then goes back into her. It does not improve her mood.
“There is a fox in her stomach.” Gregory points out.
“Yes Sir knight there is a squirming awful spirit in me that won't leave.” Glindal growls first at him then her stomach.
“There is a fox in your stomach.” He says slower which just causes her to give a low screech of aggravation and leave the room. I catch his smile as she goes. Seems he still enjoys annoying people. I sigh.
Cecelia walks in and sees Gregory looking all smarmy. She smacks him in the back of the head.
“Ah what was that for, [Lady] Maxwell?”
“I know that look, I just don't know who you were being a prat to.” She replied. He gives her a bit of an annoyed glare.
“Mom, can we talk?”
She comes over. “Of course, demonie.”
I pull out my cover trinket, she gives me a questioning look. I activated it and then put a hand on her arm.
Seems rather over the top, demonie. I bark a laugh at that, bleeding circlet. I take it off.
I have two things. They're not easy to talk about.
It's alright, sweetie. I smile at her kindness.
My great grandfather used the same slavers that captured me. I think he used them to level his grandchildren.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
I cringe as I think it to her. There is a long pause. Just as I think she won't respond, she does. I don't remember it, but I do remember visiting him and being in a carriage with only him. After that we were returning in the same carriage and I had six more levels worth of stats to spend. I hug her even as my eyes squeeze shut.
Sorry.
She returns the hug. It's not your fault. How did you find out?
I interrogated Randan.
So then [Lady] Ophelia Griugar knows as well. I nod my head.
Sorry, I don't know what she will do with the information. I suspect it was a test to see if I would attempt to cover it up.
She has a hard look. Most likely. I've only heard rumors about the woman and Magdeline grousing.
What is up between those two?
She barks a laugh. Sweetie, I'm not going to reveal others sordid pasts. What was the other thing? Is it too much to ask, I think to myself. I squeezed her a bit more. It's alright, ask. Giving answer to my unsent thought. She gave a bit of a squeeze for encouragement.
How long was I dead for when I arrived at Hilgard.
Ah. Your heart had stopped for at least fifteen minutes. You hadn't released exp yet, a clear sign that you were going to become undead. I spent all my reserves to restart your heart. I actually dropped a soul stat as well. I wince.
Seems we're both accidental necromancers. Is that why you were so concerned when I went missing?
She gives me a sad smile. Partially. She takes a moment before deciding on something. She continued, I asked myself that a few times as well. I think your aura at the time made people act differently. I know Belna saw you as something to create worth in that was worthless. For me, it engendered a desire to protect. If I couldn't protect you then I truly was lying to myself about wanting to be a knight. She gives me another squeeze. It's why I initially sought out Magdeline. I grouse at that.
I thought it was to fix my perfect waist.
It can be for many reasons. She smiles and flicks my forehead. She seems disappointed I'm not rubbing my forehead.
Sorry, I felt it but you just made me a tiny bit thirsty.
Right… I can feel her concern. I grow a bit morose.
So in the end, I'm just your accidental monster.
Yes, you're my little monster. Just as any daughter should be. I put the circlet back on as I indulge in her warmth. Her warmth makes me happy. A part of me yearns to push her forward into my Vampirism, to make her more like me. I never felt like that before, it's a bit concerning. But I can't either way. So I just hugged her a bit more instead.
-----
Ah, three meat surprise. Rabbit, axen and goblin. I chew as memories of more innocent times flood me. I only ate it to keep up appearances back then. Now I'm eating it to spend time with Glindinal and keeping up appearances. A marked improvement. Mags is at the bar complaining about prices.
“So the dungeon is down for five more days. Are you going to have enough?” Mags and Cecelia had claimed the lightning core after finding out the fire one was missing. They sold it instead of saving it, something about not using multiple cores from the same dungeon.
“Depends on Rin to be honest. If she keeps healing as she has been, I'll have to track down another bear.”
“The war is over, is it not?” She asks, not really caring.
I shrug, “Doesn't mean the wounded have been taken care of yet.”
She continues poking at the meatloaf. Tempting me to tell her exactly what it's made of. Before I do I feel a familiar crawling in my belly. It's joined by more. I smile as Glindinal freezes, seeing something she doesn't quite understand. She pales.
With a stutter in Quintarl?ne, “Why does it look like something is crawling under your skin.”
I give a toothy grin, “I thought they were gone but they came back as if my body was a dungeon.”
Wait, if my body is a dungeon, could I make dungeon vampires by coating them in my blood and draining them out. They would be connected to my soul though and what happens to dungeon vampires that are outside the area of my dungeon. Why am I thinking of ways to make more Vampires?
“Cea, Cea, Sara.” My eyes snapped to Glindal, “Cea. Finally, what do you mean they were gone but now back.”
“I have spiders in me, they crawl over my insides and nip me. They all burned up during my fire core trial but now they're back.” I frown, “Before there was a piercing pain, but now I just feel a tiny bit thirstier.”
“You literally look disappointed that spiders inside your body aren't ‘causing you stabbing pains. Should I be concerned?”
I roll my eyes, “I'm not going to hunt for the next trill or anything. It just kinda reminded me that I was here and I wasn’t a dream. I also may have thought I deserved punishment for my gluttony.” I wince knowing she would disapprove.
She raises an eyebrow, “So something after your ‘crimes’.”
I gave her a bit of a glare. “Don't try to trivialize it. They may have been awful but that doesn't give me the right to eat them.”
“Good to see you still care, Cea.” She sneers out the name. I glare at her. “Sorry. I still worry about it.”
So do I, but I'm not throwing it in her face about it. We enter an awkward silence. After she takes a few more bites, she gives me a side eye.
“Can I feel what it's like?” I give her a questioning brow, she rolls her eyes. “I can't understand it from your description alone.”
I put a hand on her shoulder, a spider cuts through my forearm and crawls to her neck. It burrows in while she squirms, her healing magic closing the wound after it. Mags twitches a little at our antics. Nosey.
“Okay not excruciating but ahhhh awkward to say the least.”
“You know, I consider them my babies. I literally birthed them.”
She squirms again then starts laughing. “Systems, Cea didn't know what she got when they delivered you to her.”
“And do you?”
Another squirm, there is a rather coquettish smile, “Still learning, but everyday is something new.”
-----
…
3-13-1706
…
She never gave my baby back. She certainly couldn't have forgotten. Is this what love is, sharing each other's spiders? I'm far too young for this
I find myself having a desire to make more Vampires. I don't know why. I even turned mother without first asking her. She could have spat the blood out but still. Why this primal urge? The one I want to turn most, I can't. I would stop wanting her. It happened the moment Rin took Lea's blood. It would happen to Glindinal as well.
…