Interconnected: Spliced Souls

And so, the next day soon came upon us… We met Dineria outside her shop, who donned a fitting outfit for our trip.  The cloak was tied at the neck with a green ribbon, and she paired it with a leather corset with a verdant skirt. Her brown boots were slightly heeled.  

It was an ensemble designed for maximum movement without restricting her limbs. It also enhanced her natural beauty.   

It was really charming.   

She had a backpack, a bow around her shoulder, and an arrow-filled quiver behind her waist.  

But she wasn’t the only one with a new outfit. Srassa was given new armor this morning, and Momo moved her chainmail to her shoulders to try a new look 

After making pleasantries, we entered her shop and found a table with Dineria’s gifts.   

We each received a new traveling backpack, two canteens, a bow, and a quiver of arrows—all of which were made by our mentor.   

“Is... this made with wormwood?”  

“Correct! You’re a little knowledge bunny, aren’t you, Srassa?” Wormwood carried an innate resistance to flame and cold. What we held was worth about 1,000 dupla.   

After we equipped our gifts, it was time to head out.  

We left via Canary’s eastern gate and enjoyed the cool morning air. Dineria raised a hand and happily said the wind spirits were lively, prompting a small discussion about elves and the elements.   

Dineria was a Forest Elf—not a Drow Elf like Nimyra or a Wing Elf like Siora. What did that entail? Not much other than a love for all things nature. But Nimyra would be more in tune with the darkness and shadow. Siora felt affection for the wind, and Llamare and Liealia enjoyed the rocks and dirt as Earth Elves.    

For the next four hours, she spoke of Skill Paths and explained the ones she had used. There was Archery Specialist, which was something all bow-wielders needed to take. It contained ten skills divided into tier 1 – tier 5, including such helpful staples as [Precise Shot], [Quick Draw], and [Multi-shot]. You unlocked some Skill Paths by ascending Warden’s ranks, but Archery Specialist could be acquired two ways. You could complete a specific quest called Bowmaster’s Challenge, offered every other month, or achieve Novice Rank 7.  

I’m glad Novice Ranks are free of nicknames... Makes me want to be one forever.  

“That’s the thing about Skill Paths. Some offer multiple avenues to unlock them. And others require great research to correctly navigate a complex web of prerequisites. For example, Elemental Archer requires you to purchase the skills within Archery Specialist and Elemental Conjurer. Elemental Conjurer requires you to have Battle Mage, and Battle Mage can only be unlocked after you complete the Mage’s Trial. The quest involves venturing into an area and retrieving items filled with skill energy. By the by, I’ve purchased all the skills within those paths. I can fire arrows of every elemental type, fill the sky with a hail of arrows, and shoot up to fifteen at once with [Arrow Stack].”  

Is [Arrow Stack] based on Itarr’s skill stacking? 

“That’s so cool!” Momo formed two fists and looked at Dineria with a genuine smile.   

I became curious about her abilities and asked for a demonstration, and Dineria was more than willing. She led us into the nearby forest we walked near and taught us the basics of hunting. Since I knew [Sleuth], she told me to use it to get the practice in. The skill was enchanted to my bracelet, and Dineria didn’t fail to pick up on it. Her emerald-like eyes said she had questions, but they remained unspoken.   

We soon came across a lone deer drinking from a quiet stream. Dineria pulled her bow, readied an arrow, and crouched. She twisted the string with her fingers, then turned forty degrees away and let loose her nocked arrow.   

I thought she was making some weird point, but the arrow didn’t shoot straight.   

It curved, coming around the backside of the deer and striking it in the heart.   

Dineria said that was [String Bender], the one and only skill granted to her by her goddess. Momo thought that was the coolest thing in the world. Srassa said she had never heard of it before, and Dineria replied that it was rare. Her goddess was fickle in blessing—at least according to the rumors and stories she heard growing up in her forest.   

Next on the list was dressing a deer and harvesting the parts. Dineria said it was the height of folly to not use every part of an animal you killed.   

“My grampy said the same thing. We’re all trying to share the planet, so we gotta make the most of it. He’s a man who never let anything go to waste.”  

“And that’s a good person in my book,” replied Dineria. “Servi, you wish to try it? Do it like I taught you. Remove the fur from the neck.”  

“I can do it, but… It’s a bit different.” She wanted me to explain, but I said it was better to show her. After absorbing it, which brought along its own surprise, Albert and Itarr prepared the carcass and hastily harvested the meat, organs, bones, and hide. Ten seconds later, everything was nearly displayed in front of me.   

“I’ve seen a lot, and that’s something new. Care to tell your mentor all about it? I’m curious.”  

“I don’t have any memories, but I have this ring. It’s my most treasured possession. It’s like Momo’s bag, but I can manipulate what it holds. For example, it’s faster to prepare a deer inside the ring.”  

“Very intriguing, my dear. If you don’t mind, could I look at it?” Dineria said when we walked back to the road. 

The ring will return to you after a period of separation.   

“Sure, I don’t mind.” I slipped it off my finger and handed it to her. Dineria’s sharp eyes looked at it from all angles, then asked if she could wear it.   

I nodded, and she put it on. However, it immediately vanished and returned to me. We talked about my ring for a while longer, then switched topics.   

The shadows poking through the tall trees made it look like Momo had a tiger’s tail. Her eyes were partly glossy and looked bigger, but I knew it was because she was hungry.  

We took a small break while she snacked on a cookie. 

We got up to leave, and the light hit Srassa just right... She looked absolutely dazzling—so determined and beautiful. The new helmet was more for decorative purposes than defending against attacks, but it looked cute on her.  

Later that night, we stopped and prepared camp in a clearing of the Great Canary Forest. Dineria had led us three miles into it to get to this spot.   

During the trip thus far, Momo asked something she had heard when making my missing person’s report—about Siora witnessing me jumping down from the walls on a pile of trash.    

I told them I did that because I was scared. With no memories or identification, I didn’t know who or what I could trust. 

But I also learned that Siora and Tim were punished because of me. That didn’t sit right.   

When we returned to Canary, I needed to do something for them. Maybe I could petition Duchess Ashford to promote them to where they once were?  

As the flames of our campfire burned away the dripping fat from our deer meat, I told Dineria of what I went through with the market.  

Her words of trust from the day before really struck me.  

Soon, a gang of boars launched a raid on our camp.   

Dineria acted fast, using her bow and [Earth Arrow] to shoot a projectile of pure rock, knocking one of them out. I retrieved my scythe, dodged an incoming charge, and then countered with a shallow slice to the side.    

“Watch out!” Srassa ran behind me to block an attack with her shield, then launched the boar airborne with a hasty uppercut with her sword. The advantage was there, so I brought my scythe down, nearly cleaving the thing in half.   

But I had enough blood gathered.   

“Come to me! Twilight Maestro!”  

“Wait, what are you doing?! Servy?!” Momo turned her head just in time to see me slash the ground with my glowing weapon.    

From the scar I made on the planet’s surface came someone Srassa and Momo didn’t recognize. It was a boy dressed like a butler, wielding a sword taller than him.   

Srassa and Momo both voiced their confusion, but Albert acted. He leapt into the air with his sword held high and cleaved off the closest boar’s head. My revenant dashed back, avoiding any arrow shot by Dineria, which twisted out of the way to injure another animal in the leg. A step forward was enough to close the distance, and he killed the last boar.   

Seeing a cute kid holding a sword longer than him with one hand, let alone in that outfit covered in blood? 

It was odd.  

“Servy, who the heck is that?” 

---

“Eeehhh?! So this is your true form? You’re not a super cool, awesome, skelly man?! And you’re actually a super cool, awesome, cute kid?!” Momo exclaimed, biting into her deer meat on a stick. The warm glow of the fire offered enough light in the overwhelming darkness to make the scene atmospheric.     

“Yes and no, Momo. Fighting with you, Srassa, and Servi has made my soul remember fragments of who I used to be. Before I became a spirit and forced into the scythe, I was a great warrior serving a once proud and powerful man. As for why I took this form? I was this age when I summoned my Skill Tablet for the first time. It is a milestone in my life.”  

“Super…skelly man? I’m afraid I don’t follow.” Dineria was the definition of confused, but I tried to explain it by saying 'Twilight Maestro’ was transformed into a spirit and forced inside a weapon. His flesh eventually decayed, and he became nothing but bone. But over time, he began to remember his life from before. That feeling resonated with his soul, turning him into the cute kid with the oversized sword sitting near me.   

But goddamn it. We added another lie to the already sizable pile.   

I hope I can keep them in order.   

“That…is certainly a tale. I’ve heard of humans and monsters undergoing rituals and becoming spirits, and it’s not rare to find powerful weapons or artifacts with spirits inhabiting them, but for both to occur? I can’t say it’s unheard of, but it’s not commonplace. Twilight Maestro? I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”  

“As am I, Dineria. I am quite impressed with your marksmanship.”  

“And your strength is something to behold, my dear child. That sword is taller than you, yet you wield it effortlessly. Pardon my abruptness, but it doesn’t look the best.” She eyed the rusted blade. It hadn’t seen a caring touch in probably five or six years.    

“I need to get him something better. I’m hoping we can find something in Waveret. Dineria, if you don’t mind, could you help me pick something out? I don’t know much about weapons. My whole fighting style is to swing really hard and bring him out. My wand isn’t useful since it can only be used four or five times before recharging.”  

“I’d be a fool of a mentor if I were to refuse your request, Servi.”  

“But hold on. Is your name really Twilight Maestro?” Momo suddenly asked, reaching for a second helping of meat on a stick "If you remember your past now, what did you used to be called?"  

Albert looked at me. I nodded, and he turned back.   

“Before becoming a spirit, my name was Albert.”  

“What a coincidence. Duke Parrel had a butler named Albert working for him, right?”  

“He did,” replied Srassa. “Father says he hasn’t seen or heard from him since the incident. I do hope he’s okay.”  

“The name’s common from my experience. Are you hungry?” Dineria offered food to Albert. He thanked her and took it, but said he didn’t require food. He only needed skill energy, which was another lie because the undead didn’t need to eat.   

“Ah, easy there. You’re getting the juice over your face.” Srassa retrieved a cloth from her bag and wiped Albert’s mouth.   

Then embarrassment kicked in. Srassa's cute face turned as red as a tomato. “Eek! Forgive me, Albert. I’m sorry! I don’t know what came over me!”  

“People are naturally drawn to cute kids, but Albert’s probably older than us.”   

“Ah, it is no concern. I’m not used to being this small. It will take time to adjust. Forgive me for my sloppiness. As for my age? Before being turned into a spirit, I was over 60 years old.”  

“Sixty? Are you going to stay a boy forever?” asked Momo.    

“I do not think so. I believe I shall reach my prime. Servi, it’s about time for me to leave.”  

“Leave?”  

“Yeah. Albert can’t stay materialized for long. He returns to my scythe. I can bring him out again if I have enough skill energy collected, so there isn’t a waiting period.” Albert’s body was enveloped with energy as green as the flames flickering in his eyes and flowed to my weapon, which sat near me, that I soon absorbed.   

“Hey, but this is good. Albert doesn’t look like a skeleton, so you can bring him out around other people.” Momo was on her fourth stick of meat, and she showed no signs of slowing down. Dineria was amazed by her appetite.   

“It’s good. Oh, but about the Always Hungry Singi and Friends for our—”  

“Nope. Nuh-uh. No way. Veto!” Momo made an ‘X’ with her arms. Srassa giggled, took a lady-like sip of her canteen, then bit into her dinner.    

With dinner over, Dineria said we needed to decide who would take the first watch. I volunteered first because I didn’t need sleep. It would then go Srassa and Momo.  Dineria offered to remain awake because she often stayed up four to five days at a time.   

Momo and Srassa used their backpacks as pillows, and it was me and my mentor, burning away the midnight oil while softly chatting about hopes and dreams for the future.    

---

When the sun rose, we discussed the mechanics of a bow before spending two hours honing our aim. Srassa was a dead shot—able to hit a ball of damp leaves Dineria had tossed. Momo was a little worse. She had trouble keeping her arm steady and misfired a few dozen times. But she eventually hit a target our mentor made with grass from twenty feet.    

I was the odd one out and required more hands-on assistance from Dineria. Fighting with a melee weapon suited me much more than using a bow because I was immortal. Dineria said people had preferences. Everyone wouldn’t be the best at everything, but she insisted I understand the basics of using one because it might save my life. The wand I used for [Shadow Shot] wouldn’t always be available when I needed to attack something from range.   

She was right about that. Using it four times and waiting for its luster to return sucked. I took her words to heart and really devoted myself to the practice.   

After training our archery, we packed up and returned to the road. When we stopped for lunch, our mentor taught us how to identify the most common berries and mushrooms that were safe to eat. She then tested us by adding similar yet dangerous ones to the bunch. Srassa and I passed, but Momo failed. She was fooled by the scent. One mushroom smelled like rotten cheese, and the other like oil, but the poor singi’s nose was confused by the meat cooking in the fire.   

I tried to say our party's name should be Gullible Tummies, and Srassa was for it. Momo vetoed it and stuck her tongue out at me.   

During this leg of our trip, Dineria reiterated just how important food and water were. If possible, we should always find a place to camp near water. Lakes and streams meant fish, and that was our next session. Our mentor retrieved a notebook from her bag and showed us a few dozen fishes she had drawn. Most were edible, but some contained poison in their meat or acid inside their bones.   

If it gave off a nasty smell, the chances were high that they weren’t any good. The only exception in the examples were odorscales. They smelled like pure death, but their meat was tender, healthy, and juicy. It was illegal to prepare them in Lando unless you had a specialized kitchen built with advanced ventilation in mind.   

Failure to do so led to expensive fines, especially in Adenaford. Odorscales were outright banned from being cooked within 10 miles of Lando Castle.   

It was a lot to memorize, but Dineria said you could always carry a journal or notebook labeled with what was safe to eat and what wasn’t. And after saying that, she pulled three blank diaries from her bag. They had our names on the front, and our task tonight was to copy what was in her notebook to ours. We found a nice cave about twenty minutes off the beaten path. It was near a lake, which was excellent because we refilled our canteens. Unfortunately, it housed about a dozen golems. These rocky monsters were taller than the ones we faced two weeks ago, but they still went down without any trouble.   

They’re everywhere, aren’t they? 

Once dinner was being prepared in the campfire, we began our ‘homework.’  

A test followed suit. I only passed because Albert helped me out. Srassa got a perfect score, and Momo missed four.   

Regardless, we went to bed feeling accomplished.    

The first order of business the following morning was to get clean. We had stewed in our sweat for days. Unpleasant smells were probably circulating. Dineria reiterated something important and said to never use certain soaps or oils while bathing in nature. The scents could attract monsters or dangerous animals. In some cases, the aquatic wildlife could get sick or die.    

“And that’s why I’m giving you this! It’s a special blend of everything you can find in nature, so it’s safe. On the plus side, it smells just like strawberries and coconuts.” Dineria handed us each a clear bottle from her backpack. She then led us to the nearby lake and escorted us to a secluded spot about twenty minutes away. It was a little inlet surrounded by trees on all sides.   

Momo bathed first. We left her there and walked ten minutes away to stand guard.  She returned wearing her armor and clothes and a towel around her hair and tail to dry them. 

Srassa went next while we chatted and talked. I noticed my dearest captain was a bit fidgety and jumpy, but Dineria chalked it up to the lake’s temperature. It was early, so the sun hadn’t had a chance to warm it.   

It was my turn when Srassa was finished, and I wasted no time stripping once I walked into the water. I hadn’t had a chance to relieve myself since we left Canary, so I left my stresses atop the water’s surface as Itarr passionately told me how she used the breeding mount in increasingly vivid detail.  

I absorbed the floating white liquid, washed my body, dried, dressed, and returned to my friends in about five minutes. Dineria excused herself to the lake to wash up. The context clues obtained from Momo and Srassa suggested the perverted singi didn’t try to peek.  

That’s a shame… I wanted her to spy on me again… God, I’m just a pervert, aren’t I? 

---

As Dineria effortlessly weaved through the flurry of attacks, her lithe figure danced with otherworldly grace. I watched in awe as she sidestepped Momo's swipes, the pink-eared cat girl barely grazing her target. With a mischievous smile, Dineria retaliated with a swift tap on Momo's head, as light as a feather, causing her to stumble back with a playful pout. Srassa, with sword and shield in hand, lunged forward with determination, but Dineria swiftly ducked under the strike, her movements as fluid as the wind. In one swift motion, she tapped Srassa's forehead, a gentle reminder of her prowess. Their attempts to land a hit on her seemed almost futile, as Dineria's finesse and agility made her seem untouchable, leaving her fellow students in awe and frustration.  

I emerged from the shadows and leaped off a tree limb, landing silently...  

But it was a pitfall trap Dineria had dug thirty minutes before this practice bout started.  

“Servy! Gah!” Momo called my name, and I heard her yelp in surprise and pain. By the time I pulled myself out of the trap, my friends were lying on the ground, exhausted, and Dineria looked as if she wasn’t even out of breath.   

“That’s a good attempt, girls.” She grinned. “My eyes can see through [Sleuth] as easily as Momo getting a fourth helping of supper. You didn’t know it, but I saw you at the forest’s edge. And I lead you to my little trap without you being none the wiser.”  

“That’s the sixth time we lost... And we’re gonna reach Waveret today, so... HAHG! I just wanna win!” Momo whined and hung her head low.  

“Ms. Momo, I’m sorry. If I would have--”  

“Nope. We won’t have any of that. Srassa, Momo, you two fought like conjoined pairs. You know your weaknesses and strive to wordlessly make up for them. Servi, you were naturally blending in with the shadows. You took my previous lessons to heart, and that’s amazing! I’m just saying it’s a few dozen years too early for you to win against me.”  

“Or is it?” I grinned, and Dineria’s face drained of its color. She suddenly turned around...and there stood Albert... He used a small wooden stick and tapped her on the stomach...  

“Forgive me for the trickery, Dineria,” said my revenant in his boyish, childish voice. “But I believe this is our victory.”  

“Yay! Way to go, Alby!” Momo reignited her spirit and jumped for joy. She ran for him and swooped him up in her arms, twirling and hugging him.   

He immediately became red in the cheeks. 

It’s going to be awkward when you tell them who he really is, Servi. 

“You don’t know this, but skill energy from monsters isn’t the only way I can bring him out. I can use mine.” I raised an arm and peeled off the soggy leaf wrap that Dineria thought was camouflage to reveal a series of cuts on my forearm.  

“But you’ve never said anything about that.”  

“A good friend of mine said you aren’t really a lady if you don’t have any secrets in the closet.”  

Momo put Albert and fell to the ground, dizzy. He held his head and thanked Srassa when she handed him a canteen.  

“You’re talking about Nimyra? The Queen of Night?”  

I nodded. “You know Ni-Ni? She’s my roommate."

“You could say that... She’s...amazing when it comes to... 'massages.’ We struck up a friendship shortly after I opened my store. She visited and wanted to see if a fellow elf needed help, and our relationship grew from that. I wanted to visit her, but I didn't have time." 

I told her about Lucy while we packed up and returned to the trail. Dineria was happy to hear about her attending Adenaford Academy. Our mentor once visited there to do a speech when she was active. Her journeys had brought her all over Inith—the name of this continent.   

Momo then asked about the academy and said she was curious about what it offered, and that occupied our time until the port-side town of Waveret appeared over the horizon.  

It had taken a few days of traveling to get here, and it was so much fun.