Interconnected: Spliced Souls

“Eh? I guess Cassidy still isn’t back,” Momo said after I unlocked the door to the apothecary’s shop.    

Sissy and the others were utterly exhausted, so they bid us goodbye and returned to their inn to take a well-deserved rest.   

The quest they had accepted was technically complete, and they turned it in, but the reward was lacking. The golems they were to kill… Well, there weren’t a lot of them. And they had very few minerals to turn in. Luckily, it wasn’t a quest you could fail if you turned in at least one golem drop.    

“I’ll see her tonight. Hey, want to head to our room?” Momo nodded, so I locked the door and followed her to our bed, where we laid down and held hands.   

A little bit of focus later, and we were in my soul world.     

“Ooohhh! It feels so good to be back!” Momo stretched and smiled, extending her tail while wiggling her ears. We had arrived near the southeastern portion—on a cliff overlooking the calm ocean of blood. “Hmm? Why are we here? We usually show up at the fountain.”  

“Yeah… About that... You might wanna sit down.”  

Momo looked uneasy, but she went to the ground and crossed her legs. I joined her, and I told her about Merka, the discoveries I had made, and the truth behind the hundreds of golems we had killed.  

You could spot the bright cheeriness fade from her sparkling azure eyes in real-time. She silently cried and held my hand, saying that such a fate was too harsh and cruel. I knew what she was thinking.   

But it wasn’t our fault.   

We had no idea…  

“Servy?” Momo sniffled and looked up. “They’re…at peace now, right? The ones trapped inside the shells?”  

“Yeah, they are. They aren’t suffering. What we did…was a blessing in disguise. We gave them mercy.” I wiped Momo’s eyes, and she smiled. “Are you ready to meet him?” Momo nodded. We walked to the fountain in the distance while holding hands. 

The journey was silent. Momo took a few deep breaths and restrained her emotions. Merka didn't need to meet her while she was a crying mess. She felt for the boy—Momo really did. What he had to endure…  

It just wasn’t right.    

But after a minute or two, we saw him.  

“So, you’re Merka, right?” The golem mage turned around, but he wasn’t that surprised. The staff he held partially melded into his arm as he retrieved a tablet.    

And you’re Momo? Itarr’s told me about you. It’s nice to meet you.  

“It’s nice to meet you, too!” She extended a hand and flashed a smile. He didn’t know if it was okay to take it.   

You... Aren't you afraid of me? Even when I look like this?  

“Why would I?” The question was sincere—but Momo’s answer was honest. She looked over her shoulder and winked at me. “Servy’s told me your story. And you’re not someone I need to fear. So, why don’t we become friends?”  

Friends?  

“Uh-huh.” Momo took a seat on the fountain and swung her legs. I joined her, and we chatted for about ten minutes until Itarr and Albert arrived. They were at her tower, preparing a room for Merka.   

You don’t have to go that far for me. I don’t need sleep. Or food. Or water. I…   

“We can’t have you stay outside. It isn’t right, and as a host, it would reflect wrong on me,” said Itarr. “I won’t force anything on you. But I want you to have a room and privacy when you’re inside the ring.”  

Merka shivered. This kindness was foreign.   

“But wait, how is Merka here?” Momo asked the obvious, and Itarr shared her theory.    

“I’ve been thinking about that. Perhaps ingesting a blood crystal is enough to make someone absorbable.”   

“But I haven’t swallowed anything. And you said eating and drinking with blood crystal silverware doesn’t count as ingesting blood.”  

“That’s right. But let me try something. Servi, can you create a zombie? A regular one?”  

I did as Itarr asked, and we watched as she gave it a little crystal to swallow.  

And then it vanished…  

I quickly left the soul world and found the zombie near the bed. And then it vanished a second time because…  

I absorbed it…before returning to my goddess.    

“So…” Itarr paced back and forth—her eyes in deep, technical thought, while the zombie just stood there. “Our blood has different properties… The shape matters the most, but it feels like any shape, if it is solid, will allow us to absorb something we couldn’t before. That means…” Her eyes went wide as she mischievously smiled. The goddess looked at her phone…  

“Is that Myrokos’s dagger?” I asked, watching it flash. It landed on her palm as she gently gripped it.   

“Uh-huh. It wasn’t in use, so I assigned it to me. That was okay, right? Sorry, I should’ve asked first, but I’m... I just feel so giddy!”  

“It’s more than fine. I mean, I have my scythe. And swapping would have taken a week. I’m curious as to what you’re about to show us.” I took a seat beside Momo and Merka on the fountain.    

“Yeah. Me too,” said the singi.   

Merka’s expression was still blank, but I knew he was intrigued.   

“[Create Low-Tier Undead – Skeleton Squire]!” A crystal presumably shattered from our vault, and Itarr cut the ground. The undead crawled out, sword and buckler in hand, and waited for orders. My goddess tossed the skeleton a blood crystal. Those bony teeth shattered it.   

And then it hit me.  

“No way… You can make the undead in here—”  

“And you can retrieve them from the ring at any time! Or I can do it! But this means I can help you fight again!” Itarr jumped up and down, her hair swaying all over the place.    

“That’s amazing!” Momo exclaimed. “So does that mean the spider and skelly captain can live here?”  

“It does, but we have to go to them. Remember our limit?” I asked.    

“Yeah, it’s five feet,” answered Momo. “Itarr, is there a way to make it bigger?”  

“There must be, but I’m not sure how I can do that. But are you going back to the necromancer cove right now?” Itarr looked at me.   

“Yeah. It won’t take long. I can just run there and be back again. And they can meet me at the entrance. I’m glad… I didn’t want to cancel them.”  

I don’t really understand what’s happening, but it looks like you’re all happy about something.    

“Ah, sorry about that, Merka. Basically... Servy and Itarr realized something useful and amazing about their powers.” Momo chatted with Merka while I thought about the optimal route. Itarr created a few dozen skeleton squires and had them group up. 

“What’s up, Albert? You thinking hard about something?” I looked at the butler. He had been silent since he showed up.   

“Yes… Although it’s just a theory. Merka?”  

The golem turned from the conversation with Momo and looked at Albert.   

Yes?  

“You don’t speak when you cast magic, do you?”  

I have a mouth, but I don’t know how to speak. It just…comes to me when I think about what spell to use.   

“Can you summon a Skill Tablet?” Merka nodded and raised his writing tablet, giving it to Albert after he asked permission to hold it. Dust continued to forever fall as the revenant looked through. I stood behind him.   

“[Elemental Manipulation]…” That was the only skill listed, and it held six abilities, but only one was highlighted and readable.  

[Earth Manipulation].  

The others were scratched out. 

“There are six primary elements,” said Albert. “Fire, water, air, earth, light, and dark.” He kept speaking to generalize his thoughts. “I presume you can meld two elements together to recreate combination spells. For example, there’s a spell called [Steam Surge] available in the Skill Path [Aqueous Pyromancy] that fuses water and fire skill energy to create a scalding haze of steam over a wide area.”  

“So… Someone with these six abilities could have the whole [Warden Skill System] at their fingertips?” Momo asked.   

“That’s the running theory. At least, the magical spells. Physical abilities are another thing.”  

That’s what the people said at that place. That I could eventually use every earth spell. But I still don’t really know how I’m casting. I got my Skill Tablet when I was eleven, but I never joined Warden.   

Merka made another tablet and wrote that he just…thought about wanting something to communicate with us, and it appeared when he held his hand to the ground. When he fought against me, Sissy, and the others, he was relying on his imagination and desperation.   

Albert remembered [Voiceless Incantation (Prototype)] and wondered if the skill was innate to [Elemental Manipulation].  

Itarr hopped on that train of thought. “If I could…compare the soul… I’d need a few, I think. But if I can figure out what’s missing…maybe I can…fix our version of the skill?"  

Umm... I...don’t mind if you look at mine. I don’t understand it all, but it seems like this is something I can assist with.    

“Are you sure?” I asked.   

“You don’t have to do this, Merka,” said Momo.   

But I want to help you! You saved me when you didn’t have to!  The boy wrote passionately, and it reflected in his hasty penmanship.   

Without waiting, Merka created a staff and summoned ten golems. Their rocky, brown bodies stubbornly clawed from the ground and patiently waited.    

They have a piece of my soul in them. Please use the shards.    

I asked again if he was okay with it, and…I destroyed the golems when he nodded… The tiny souls gathered around my palm, and I handed them to Itarr.   

“I promise I’ll be gentle with them,” Itarr said. “I’ll return them once I’m done.” She retrieved a blood crystal desk and sat the collected souls down. The goddess summoned a chair, held a hand to her chest, and retrieved our conjoined soul. It glowed a deeper crimson than the rest, although the center contained a slight verdant highlight that reflected our necromantic abilities. 

“Thank you again,” I said. “The ones who did this to you… I swear I’ll handle it.” I felt my blood simmering, but I had to remain calm.   

Going for a nice, leisurely jog to extend an invitation to a spider and its ‘honey’ would help. 

“I think I’m about to head out,” I said while texting the two undead. “I need to return before my fight. Albert, do you know anything about the Kaisaku Syndicate?”  

The child butler said they were a shadowy organization that kept to the underworld. “I’m sure Viridian was close to them, but I was outside his trusted circle. I’m afraid I only know what the rumors state, but even those are sparse. I’m sorry, but I doubt there’s anything useful I can provide.”  

“Maybe Cassidy knows a little… I’ll ask her tonight. Hey, do you think they’re in league with monotonia?”  

“I cannot deny the possibility that they’re a distributor. Perhaps Fortuna is a regular customer? It does feel like everything’s connected by thin threads. We merely must identify them and discover the truth.”   

“Hey, you wanna leave the ring?” Momo turned to Merka. “We can hang out in the room and relax and talk. If you want to, that is.”  

Merka looked at me before nodding at Momo. I grabbed the singi’s soft hand, we focused, and returned to our bodies. The golem appeared a second later. He looked around, observing his new surroundings before awkwardly standing near the dresser.    

“I’ll leave my phone with you,” I said, giving it to Momo. “Oh, and the shop key. Can you stay here too, Albert?”  

The butler nodded upon materializing and said he would probably go shopping, which reminded me to give Momo a portion of the dragon’s horde I had earned from my short time in Fortuna.   

“I’ve never seen so much money before…”  

“Think it might be enough to satisfy your tummy?”  

“I’m—I’m still a growing girl, Servy!” Her cheeks went beet red, and I laughed. She gave me a hug when I placed a hand on the knob. “Be safe, okay? I know. I know, but it doesn’t feel right if I don’t say it.”  

“It’s just because I mean so much to you, right?”   

Momo nodded.  “You know it, girlie.”  

“And it’s the same with me. I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”  

Merka, Albert, and Momo sent me off with a few waves. 

I suppose it was time to warm up for tonight’s events. 

---

“So…Merka?” A curious singi sat crosslegged on the bed. She smiled at the golem and told him it was okay to sit. Servi had been gone for ten minutes, and Albert left after she did to grab a few ingredients for dinner.  The time until then was spent in an uneasy silence.  

Momo decided to take the lead—just like she did for a particular noble who was more jittery than a nervous wreck.    

But what if it gets dirty?   

“And? A little sand won’t hurt anyone.”  

“I don’t mind cleaning it,” said a goddess, her voice erupting from the phone resting on Momo’s lap. “It’s quite simple and won’t take but a second.”   

Okay… If you say so…  

“I’m not gonna force you to talk when ya don't want to, but I am here to lend a furry ear or two.” Momo’s ears twitched.    

It…feels like this is a dream. Or a nightmare. It’s hard to understand what happened to me. And I’m so lost and confused.  

“I imagine you are.”  

I don’t know where to start.   

“That’s okay. You can take all the time you want. If it helps, you can start writing. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense.” Momo reached into her bag and retrieved her journal. “I have pages and pages of whatever I was thinking of. It’s a chaotic mess, but writing is the best way to untangle my thoughts. Oh, and a good nap helps.”  

I…haven’t tried to sleep since I became like this. I’m afraid to try because I know I’m going to have nightmares about the others.   

“Others?”  

Merka nodded.   

I miss them a lot. Can I tell you about them? I…feel like thinking about them. My heart hurts, but I want you to know my brothers and sisters.   

The other orphans weren’t his biological siblings, but Merka considered them family since they only had each other to rely on.    

The blood of the covenant was thicker than the water of the womb, after all.    

Oskar, the oldest and tallest, had always been a towering figure, a dependable big brother to everyone at the orphanage. Merka—and the other boys— looked up to him in admiration and viewed him as the epitome of what a man should be. The kindness he radiated was like that of a gentle flame from a blazing candle. His comforting presence was always ready to offer help and assistance.  

Patty, the cherished big sister, harbored dreams of becoming an actress in plays. In the night's quiet hours, she would diligently translate the stories she had concocted in her overactive mind onto valuable paper with a precious pen. After finishing the day's chores, Patty would put on a show for children and entertain them with her imaginative tales. She would sometimes playfully rope in Oskar and Merka, turning them into the jesters of her stories, creating laughter that resonated within the orphanage's walls.  

Patty also dreamed of becoming the mother she never had. I often found her and Oskar lying under the stars long after everyone else had gone to bed. Sleeping has always been difficult for me. It’s what I was scolded for the most.    

Merka’s sandy eyes shone for the first time in weeks as he kept detailing his family to Momo. She learned about everyone—from the eldest to the youngest—and their likes and dislikes. Even show, she pictured their faces and prayed they were still alive.   

Lana, for example, was diligent and took responsibilities far beyond her years. She was also a skilled artisan and crafted her own tools to chip and carve rocks into polished stones that, admittedly, weren’t worth anything. Still, the scant money she earned from peddling her wares at the market helped the orphanage.    

Felix was full of curiosity—so much so that they joked he should’ve been a singi. With a knack for fixing things, the others turned to him when something needed to be repaired. And he always had a grin and an outside-the-box solution.   

Kira—a bookworm at heart—wanted to be a teacher. She taught herself how to read and oversaw tutoring the others. Oskar and Patty learned from her to help the nervous girl emerge from her shell.    

Sebastian wanted to become a leader—that was it. And he had a knack for it. Whenever they would play games, he took charge and ensured everyone was included, making him a favorite amongst the younger kids.   

Anya found solace in the orphanage’s garden and wished to meet a dryad. She believed one eventually reach out if she showed enough effort, so Anya diligently tended to the plants and nurtured and serenaded them with two songs at morning and night. 

Nikolai was close with Patty and wanted to become a storyteller.  

Mila’s laughter was like a melody. She was a natural clown and loved practical, harmless jokes.    

Bobby, Alex, Duudy, and Karina…  

Dimitri, Lara, Andrei, and Olga…  

Mikhail, Yulia, and Pavel…  

Merka spent an entire tablet each on his siblings. His detailed recant proved just how much he loved and cared for them.    

But then it ended. It was a nightmare. One day, the woman we considered our mother sold us, and we were passed along from buyer to buyer. Our family wasn’t separated, though. Oskar and Patty were gone for a long time. Sometimes, they didn’t return for a few days. But when they did, it meant it was time to leave. I knew what the scars meant on Oskar’s body. And the bandages on Patty’s arms and legs. And… How she started limping. She became sickly more often and stopped writing her plays. But the others weren’t aware—they thought she was sleepy. I pretended to be stupid since I didn’t want them to stress more. But I couldn’t stand by and watch my siblings suffer. I would do anything to lessen their burdens.   

Merka said he tried, but Oskar punched him and called him stupid for suggesting something outlandish.   

He wouldn’t look at me after that fight. He knew how much I idolized him, but he called me a brat and told me I had better things to worry about. And after that… We were sold again. But it was different. I remember stepping into the wagon, but I don’t know how I got to that dark, hot place. It was a prison cell, and we were all there.   

“…” Momo stayed quiet. She didn’t expect Merka to have revealed this much, but it was clear that he needed to unburden his soul. His handwriting had gotten shakier, though.   

It took two days until someone brought food and water. And then it happened. Everyone else was asleep that night, and a kobold walked in. He had a raspy, scratchy voice, wore shiny armor, and was missing a tail. He told me he needed a volunteer for an experiment that would most likely end in death. And I raised my hand. Oskar could barely walk. Patty needed him. The other children needed him. They all had something worthwhile.   

But me? I was following in Oskar’s shadows. I didn’t know how to be my own person. The thought of that was scary. And I was so afraid. I thought that if my life could help them survive…I’d give it up without a second thought. But now… I just have this feeling that they're dead. And I’m not sure how I can live like this.    

Is it…really okay for me to be alive when they’re not? It isn’t fair. Oskar deserves to have his dream come true. Patty… She can’t be an actress when she’s dead… Bobby can’t be a great hero. Alex can’t be a chef. Duudy won’t learn how to make houses…    

Merka’s emotions got the better of him, and Momo knew the signs of madness erupting from his heavy-handed writing. He shivered and used too much force, breaking his tablet, but not before admitting a sad truth.   

He had planned to die after destroying the necromancer base. But when he fought against Servi, Suusa, and the others and suffered an overwhelming defeat, he knew he wouldn’t have stood a chance. So, he let himself return to the earth, but he didn’t know why he appeared in the secret golem room. It wasn’t something he actively did since he wasn’t thinking, but perhaps Merka was unconsciously drawn to it since it functioned as an impromptu graveyard for others who weren’t successful fusions.   

Nonetheless, it would’ve been his final resting place had he not encountered Servi.  

Momo hugged the boy. He trembled and silently cried, sandy dust erupting from his body like a blanket of softly falling snow.   

“I’m glad you’re alive,” said Momo. “I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you told me about your brothers and sisters… If you had died, then I wouldn’t have known their dreams and aspirations. And now that I do, I’ll remember them forever.” Momo recalled a conversation with Servi and Srassa shortly after Fisher’s funeral. Her grandfather had once said a person only truly dies once they’re thought about for the last time. Momo wanted to immortalize Oskar and the others in her memories, and she would tell Servi and Itarr about them. And Albert. And anyone else who wanted to hear a story about a group of brave children.   

“But don’t you worry. The ones who did this are gonna pay,” whispered Momo. She felt Merka shiver—quivering, even—before his body went limp. Flames of wrath burned behind her heart. It took all she had to keep calm.    

It seemed exhaustion had finally caught up with Merka. His body didn’t need sleep, but the same couldn’t be said about his mind.   

Momo gently—with some struggle—tucked Merka into bed and softly rubbed his sandy head.   

“Do you think this will help?” asked the goddess.   

“I hope. Itarr, do you think…his siblings are gone?”  

“That seems likely.”  

“Do…you think Servy can…”  

“If we can’t, I’ll force myself to discover a way. I’ll work tirelessly towards that. And maybe we can find a method to return Merka to his original body.”  

Momo blinked twice and gently cupped the sleeping boy’s rocky hand. She stayed by his side until Albert returned. He didn’t have much—just the ingredients to make egg and meat-stuffed pancakes.   

He organized the groceries on the dresser and listened to what Momo told him.    

“I see… How horrible.”  

“Yeah. It really is. I wanted to help Merka, but I almost think I made it worse. I just didn’t know what to say.”  

“You’ve done what you can. And that kindness is surely helping. Merka’s ego is fragile. He needs time to heal his wounded heart.”  

“Yeah, I know, but… I think I’m gonna stay here while you start the food. Is that okay?”  

“Of course, it is. Please message me if you need anything.” Albert departed with the supplies. Before long, a savory scent spread throughout the house.   

Merka stirred. He twitched and jerked his hand. Sand endlessly flowed from his eyes as he quivered, seemingly shedding a layer of dust as if he were a cat.   

Momo presumed he was having a nightmare. And Merka was still experiencing it when Albert returned with two plates. The meat-filled pancakes were stacked four high.   

“I’ll be right back, okay? Let me eat real quick,” whispered Momo, standing. She left and returned with clean hands, then ate her food.    

“Albert?” Momo’s mouth was partly stuffed. A drop of thickened, slightly sweetened tomato sauce stained her lips. “Do you think the orphanage might help?”  

“It could. From what— Oh?” The butler gestured towards the bed and saw Merka. The mute golem was sitting up.    

“How are you feeling?” asked Momo. “Did you have a nightmare?”  

I was surrounded by darkness. And I felt so alone. It was scary and cold, and… It was just me. I ran and ran, but I couldn’t find anyone. And I couldn’t speak or call for help. I’m not dumb. I know what it meant. And… I’m sorry, but I…don’t want to write anymore. I’m sorry, Momo. I’m so sorry.    

Merka sat the tablet down, and as Momo read it, he hugged his knees and remained on the bed. The golem could’ve turned into a crystal—Momo knew about that ability-- but while he wanted to be alone, he didn’t want to be alone.  

And Momo understood that. Albert did, too. The last thing they needed was to make Merka feel guilty about bringing down the atmosphere.    

“Itarr, how are you coming along? Any progress?”  

“Yes, but also no.” Albert inquired further, and the goddess said she detected stark differences between similar essences. She had Merka’s fragments on the table and pinpointed the slivers responsible for a finished or more advanced version of [Voiceless Incantation]. “I’m comparing the data to my prototype version and have identified the common elements.”  

“And?” Albert found the discussion intriguing. He had never given deep thought to how skills or spells worked other than they used one’s innate skill energy to cast. But now he was interested in the technical aspects and listened intently to the goddess’s lecture.   

“The problem lies in that. The common element is all that I have. I theorize that it’s enough to function on the [Warden Skill System], but the [Forbidden Skill System] is something the prototype isn’t equipped to handle.”  

“So, you must delve through the uncommon elements to identify why it works?”  

“Yes, that’s it. But there’s so much to sift through that it’s almost overbearing. I’ve tried replicating Merka’s version and overlay it on mine, but it doesn’t work.”  

“Is it because Servi doesn’t have [Elemental Manipulation]?”  

“That’s my theory. There’s something within that skill that acts like…an interpreter. It alters the skill’s core functionality. Umm… It… I think... I think it verifies that everything is in order, so if something isn’t adding up, it doesn’t work. Which is where I’m at. If we call it a type of protection or seal, then acquiring [Elemental Manipulation] or [Earth Manipulation] from the geomancer is the key. But there must be a way around it. I want Servi to regain use of it before that happens, though. But I don't know if that's within my power..." 

“Speaking of Servy, what is she up to?” asked Momo. The discussion went way over her head.   

“She’s already made contact and is returning.”  

“That fast?” Momo was shocked. “Are they…you know?”  

“Yes. They’re investigating. The spider asked if it could make a nest, and I said yes. The other one is taking command of the squires.”  

“Well, it is a captain. But what do they think of you? You’re a …you know.”  

Itarr said she asked, but they regarded Itarr the same as Servi—their creator, to whom they offer their undying loyalty. They didn’t say or acknowledge anything about the goddess’s true nature until she brought it up, but they vowed that their loyalty wouldn’t change.  

Something about that intrigued Albert so much that he paced back and forth after his snack. Anyone would be starstruck to meet a verifiable goddess. So the fact that they just accepted it…told him what?  

Was it outside their scope of understanding? When it came to his golem puppets, they held default responses and reactions for occurrences that didn’t fit their orders. It was almost akin to a failsafe, so he wondered if the undead were created or instilled with a directive to obey their creator above all else. To them, and since Itarr shared a soul with Servi, that took precedence over her status as a goddess.   

He texted his theory to Itarr since it was quicker— he needed the additional time to properly formulate his words—but she shared a similar hypothesis and wondered if there was a situation or response for if they regarded her as a divine.  

“But that’s something I can handle later,” added the goddess. “There are more pressing matters. But… Was it good?”  

“The pancake?” Momo raised an eyebrow and smiled. She wasn’t the only one with a gluttonous stomach.    

“Yes.”  

“Totally. It was amazing. Hey, I can wrap some up and stick it in my bag. Servy can give it to you when she gets back.”  

“Really?! Thank you, Momo!” Momo could imagine the goddess’s smile from her joyous words. But then she became silent for a spell until her voice returned. “It’s happening,” she said. “Servi arrived at the gates, and a woman named Bunbun picked up her in that fancy carriage. I guess they were watching her or something.”  

“Perhaps. Or the guards were ordered to relay word if Servi left. Her hair, eyes, and ring make her stand out,” said Albert. “But I pray she succeeds sooner than later.”   

Momo’s ears picked up a faint scratching. She turned to Merka and saw him scribbling. A trail of sadness sprinkled with a dash of depression followed his finger.    

Is Servi going to be okay? Are you worried about her?   

“I am, but the worry I feel is a different type of anxiousness,” confessed Momo. Merka wasn’t privy to her immortality or Itarr’s status as a goddess. Not yet, but that would probably change soon. “Servy and Itarr are incredibly powerful. I have no doubt that they’ll win.”  

But she’s just one girl.  

“And a ring spirit. You can’t forget about Itarr. There’s nothing they can’t do. We hear her voice, but she’s still inside Servy’s ring.”  

I don’t want her to die. I’m…scared for her. It’s really just now hitting me what she’s about to do. My siblings are dead! I don’t want her to throw away her life! Second thoughts chipped away at Merka’s stony heart. He believed he had already lost everyone close to him, and Merka didn’t want a horrible fate to befall this new friend.  

“She’s doing it to stop others from losing their loved ones,” said Momo. “Servy’s that kind of girl. She once told me she wants to use her power to protect the ones who can’t defend themselves.” The singi found it comforting how fast she accepted Servi’s secret. It was like she said. The worry was still there. It was just a different type she hadn’t ever felt before.    

But this feeling was something she had to work through. And she knew that would happen in time.   

“Remember that thing you saw? Itarr, how many do you have now?”  

“Four hundred.”  

“See? And then she’s getting two more super strong things to help out.”  

“And I won’t let anything happen to her,” added the goddess.   

Albert said his help was on the table, but he doubted she would need his assistance.  

Suddenly, Momo’s ears picked up a couple of faint knocks.   

“It might be Sissy and the others,” said the goddess. “I’ll hang up, but remember you can text me now. I made additional modifications to the program, so it should be easier to use.”  

“Okie-dokie. Take care.”  

“I wish you well,” added the butler.    

The line went dead. Momo turned to Merka and read his sign.    

I don’t want them to know about me. Is it okay if I turn into a crystal?  

“Definitely. But you don’t need to ask for permission to do something like that. Are you gonna be okay in my pocket? I have my bag. It’s enchanted, but I dunno how it’ll work. It’s totally different from Servy’s ring.”  

Your pocket is fine. Thank you, Momo.   

“You’re very welcome,” Momo said, gently pocketing Merka’s crystalized form. “I wish I had a little velvet pouch or something. Hmm…” As the two descended, she looked inside her bag for something to use but came up empty-handed.   

No matter. I gotta add that to the shopping list.   

Three more knocks later, Momo opened the door and saw her friends.   

“Ah, there you are,” said Sissy. “We were wondering if anyone was here. I was hoping we wouldn’t miss you.”  

“Sorry about that. What’s up?”  

“So, we were getting pretty restless,” said Gerld. “I know. We said we would relax, but it’s a little hard.”   

“Guess we didn’t want to be alone. Saline never finished her tour, did she? Wait, where’s Servi?” asked Sissy.    

“She’s out on an errand,” said the butler, throwing up a lie he had concocted with Servi before she left. A little alibi would never hurt. “And then she must meet with Cassidy for tomorrow’s fight. There’s something the two of them need to discuss.” But it wasn’t a lie. The truth was there, stretched thin across its definition.    

“But no, Saline never finished it,” added Momo.    

“Why don't we fix that? It’s not too hot or cold. And maybe we can hit up the town for food? Gerld knows this great bar.”  

Now, Momo liked the sound of that. Those egg and meat-stuffed pancakes were like a small appetizer.    

“I’ll take you up on your offer. Albert?”  

“I see no reason why we should decline.”  

“Great! Besides, no grand adventure is complete without booze and good food to finish the evening. If today’s doesn’t count? Well, nothing will. Besides! I’ve got dupla burning a hole in my pocket, and I want to save my trousers, if you know what I mean.”  

“I knew it. You’re gonna spend it all on alcohol. Look, I’ll TRY and keep you from going broke. I’m not going to loan you any money.”  

“Says the witch who has to buy every little trinket she sees. Don’t you think the cabinet at home is getting too full? Your folks are gonna be pissed the next time we show up.”  

“Shut—shut up!” Sissy turned with a huff and walked away, steam nearly billowing from her ears. Momo laughed. She liked it when the tension was broken by such comedic moments.   

The singi locked the door and stashed the key in her bag, and they were off. However, Gerld held one small concern about Albert and if he was old enough to drink.   

“I hold my liquor well enough,” said the Bicornkin. As a revenant, alcohol wouldn’t affect him since he was immune to poison, yet his flesh and blood original body could drink with the best of them.    

“Hell yeah. That’s what I’m talking about. Come on! We’re gonna take this town alive!” Gerld pumped his fist and said tonight would be remembered for the rest of their lives! 

Suusa was quiet but whispered his hopes that Servi would return in time to share the joy.