Interconnected: Spliced Souls

The carriage took us to the noble district, where we entered without trouble once Cassidy showed a badge. It was like entering a whole new town. The air seemed…tastier, I suppose, and the same layer of greasy grime I felt everywhere else didn’t exist.   

Nothing but the best for the wealthy, am I right?  

We kept driving, passing by a few more guarded checkpoints that became more armed. “Are we lost?” I asked, pointing at a kobold holding a metal beam as two more hammered it into the ground. “It’s a construction site.”    

“Just shut up and be patient.” Cassidy finished her cigarette and retrieved a flask from her pocket. The damn woman alternated between tobacco and alcohol like it was running out of style.   

The construction seemed limited to a handful of streets-- the innermost avenue was cordoned off by towering structures of stone and concrete, like a wall separating a country into two.  

That must’ve been our destination. After passing one more checkpoint, we finally arrived at a dead-end road with a single mansion.    

Only the frame and first-floor walls were built.   

“And this is it? The middle of nowhere?”  

“Surely you’re not that naïve.”  

“And you’re right,” I said, exiting the carriage. I cracked my arms and stretched. “I have a good idea of what I’m about to see. Why else have so much security? I mean, that’s all bullshit, isn’t it?” I gestured around.   

“Yes and no. The city’s expanding. This area will be developed, but keep quiet and follow me.” Cassidy walked to the door, and I trailed behind. It seriously looked like everything was under construction. There wasn’t even a lawn—just a lot of dirt ready for seeds.   

It was the barest thing imaginable.    

Cassidy knocked in a pattern, waited, knocked some more, said a few words, and there was a click. The door opened, revealing a tall, stern man with a dozen scars across his cheeks. He wore a finely pressed suit and held himself like a soldier.    

“We’ve been expecting you, proprietor of Greenleaf Remedies,” said the man. His voice was deeper and denser than rubble. “Please, come in.” He stepped to the side, and we entered.    

It looked like an unfurnished house—it didn’t have any interior walls.   

Except it held a glowing sigil in the middle. I remained silent and stood on it with Cassidy. She’d have just told me to be quiet if I asked anything.    

It flashed, our vision turned white, and our surroundings had changed when it returned.   

We were in a place like a hotel’s lobby. A desk sat between two large, open doors flanked by men wielding weapons that gleamed with an unearthly azure glow. The chandeliers had orbs of light that illuminated every corner of the rather bland room.    

But that didn’t catch my eye.   

It was the curvy woman wearing a very revealing bunny suit behind the desk that attracted my attention because I wasn’t expecting to see something like that. Her breasts were about to spill over.    

“Miss Cassidy,” she said, her voice pleasant and professional. “We’ve been awaiting your return!”  

“Yeah. Sure you have.”  

“Oh, Miss Cassidy, you always have a way with words.” The woman introduced herself as Bunbun and asked if I had been here. I shook my head and noticed a shining jewel on her necklace. It looked…very similar to what I’d given Cassidy to sell.    

“Welcome to Fortuna! It’s a place where all your dreams can come true! Ah, but you can’t find it anywhere, you know. Care to guess where we are?”  

“Some basement?”  

“Yes, but no. We—”  

“Save it, rabbit. Let the girl experience it for herself. Hurry on, we ain’t got all day.” Cassidy brushed her off, and Bunbun pouted, wiggling her bunny ears.   

They were real.  

“Geez! It’s not that often I get to pop a virgin’s cherry about this place! I’m not going to miss this! Ahhh~~~ their expression is always to die for…” And just like that... Bunbun’s professional tone went the way of the dinosaurs.  

The doors opened automatically, revealing a winding staircase adorned with warm golden lights. I followed Cassidy down to another set of doors that descended into the ground with a quiet rumble. Bunbun hopped along close behind.  

“No… No way…”  

“Hahaha! Oh, you should see the look on your face, girl! Everyone reacts the same way.”  

“COME ON! KICK HIS ASS! RIP OFF HIS ARM AND BEAT HIM WITH IT!!!”  

“GET UP AND FIGHT! I HAVE 30,000 DUPLA RIDING ON YOU!!! KICK HIS ASS!!!!”  

“Welcome to Fortuna! Arcton’s most famous and deeply unknown fighting arena for the brave and bold!” said Bunbun, bouncing ahead. Behind her sat a purple crystal, which reflected a moving video of two kobolds viscously beating the hell out of each other with fists thicker than my torso inside a metal arena entrapped by lightning.    

---

Fortuna…  

I would have never expected such a place to have resided a few hundred feet below the noble district. After I shook off the surprise, Bunbun—keeping to her identity as a Bunnykin—gave me a tour while Cassidy went elsewhere. She said she had some things to prepare.   

The place was four floors deep in the shape of an octagon, and it only served one purpose—to provide varying levels of comfort and accessibility to experience the fights happening in the middle area.   

The fourth and third floors only provided crystals that seemingly ‘live-streamed’ the matches. The second floor provided a window, and the first floor—reserved for the wealthiest, gave you ring-side access and an actual seat around the arena, along with VIP boxes for the richest.    

The buy-in increased dramatically the further the deeper you went. But each floor had a few bars, restaurants, and…a lot of scantily clad women who were more naked than dressed. They all were beautiful—gorgeous, even-- wearing heels and carrying trays of food and drink.   

Most were blessed—curvy if you will—and wildkin. I didn’t see many humans, if any. The lecherous gazes weren’t even trying to be hidden. Some people chose to ogle the ladies more than the ongoing fight. I saw one Cowkin wearing pasties sit beside a man on a leather couch and rub his leg while feeding him grapes.    

“This is our pride and joy,” said Bunbun. “But of course, anyone invited to watch is also welcome to participate. But note that the rules differ from what's above ground.” She stopped at the bar and said I could order anything on the house. The gruff giant of a man looked me up and down and didn’t judge when I asked for an Aviation. “Observe the rest of the match. Actions speak louder than words, and it’s about to end.”  

Perhaps she had seen enough to know when a fight was almost over. A kobold threw the other one to the floor and kicked his foe so hard part of his jaw broke. Then he dove for his foe’s tail and brutally ripped it off with his teeth like a rabid hound, not caring about the geyser of blood erupting like a volcano.   

But the audience loved it. The fight was over, and those who won made it very, very clear.   

 “Oh?” Bunbun leaned close, her nose an inch away from my cheek. She blinked twice and grinned. “That’s not the expression of a scared girl. Are you used to this stuff?”  

“You could say that.” The bartender returned with my drink, and I savored its smooth flavor. “But why fight to the death?”  

“That’s a service we provide, ma’am, but this fight isn’t that. Look.” She pointed to the projected video. The victorious kobold raised his arms and roared, spitting out the severed tail held between his toothy mouth. A squadron of mages teleported into the arena and healed the wounded patient before warping out.   

“That’s Blood Letter. A nickname, of course, but he’s a favorite. He always leaves his opponent in a puddle of their blood.”  

“But you do offer death matches?”  

“Yes, ma’am, we do. They’re our most popular event. Would you be interested in participating?" I shook my head. “That’s a relief. You're pretty, and I don’t want to see a gorgeous gal like you die.”  

“What? No. That’s not it,” I replied. She asked me to clarify. “I’ll win—I have no doubt—but I don’t kill indiscriminately.”  

“They say confidence can be a girl’s sexiest asset.”  

“Let me just stop you. I already have—”  

“Aww…” Bunbun crossed her legs and pouted. “You’re taken? Well... That’s okay, I guess. Anyway! We have some time before the next match, so let’s continue the tour. There isn’t that much left to see unless you like staring at the pretty ladies? I can take you to the changing room~~~ Wanna try your hand in a bunny costume? We could be twins!" 

“Thanks, but no. I’m fine.”  

“Aww… Most of our clientele are men. They prefer to ogle beautiful women since it makes their pants tight and wallets loose, so it’d be nice to be perved on by a woman. Eep!” Bunbun covered her mouth. “Whoops! That’s supposed to be a company secret! Don’t tell anyone! Please!!”  

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”   

Servi, why do you think Cassidy is known here? Doesn’t it seem too…shady?  

I asked Bunbun, and she said Cassidy’s phrine was alluring enough to get the attention of the powerful and wealthy. “But until she returns, why don’t we watch another fight? Look, they’re preparing the arena for the next one. And please, order whatever you want. Food? Drink? It's on the house for this occasion!”  

---

“You’ve never come to me before with a favor like this,” said a suited man sitting across from Cassidy. After leaving Servi with Bunbun, she departed for the manager's office on the bottom floor.    

The one-eyed brute who barely fit his stylish suit was a fighter himself—a man with an impeccable record that had earned him hundreds of thousands of dupla, yet he kept chaining himself to Fortuna since the thrill of the fight was so ingrained into his veins.    

He had never let the lack of a Skill Tablet prevent himself from rigorously training his body to the limit.   

A shimmering crystal near them displayed the brutal brawn between the two kobolds, but their focus was on the reflected image of a girl with black hair and red eyes that was being transmitted from Bunbun’s necklace.    

“She’s getting too close to the truth,” replied Cassidy, lying as she enjoyed a shot of alcohol the culprit behind the missing victims had poured her when she entered. No—that wasn’t the whole truth. Cassidy was just as responsible, but she planned to use Servi to right at least a shard of her wrongdoings before Arcton ceased to exist.    

The first phase had been a success—Saline and her beloved animal believed they were going to Canary, but their true destination was Lando’s capital. For the forthcoming year or two, it was the safest spot for her since some very influential people owed their lives and success to Cassidy and her medicines. They would provide the heartbroken elf with what she needed to succeed in the second chance granted to her.  

But Cassidy believed Saline would never forgive her for taking her trust and shattering it into a thousand unfixable fragments.    

“Hmm...” The manager grabbed a thick cigar from his jacket pocket and rubbed it under his large nose, inhaling the earthen scent. “Well, I cannot deny the aura this woman emits.”   

“I’m glad you can see it.”   

“Only a fool can’t,” replied the manager. He flipped the cigar in his mouth and lit it with a lighter barely big enough to fit his hands. “She’s watching a sight that would leave most with soiled britches without batting an eye. She’s a woman who’s no stranger to death.” He listened as Cassidy told him about Servi’s involvement in the Canary incident involving an underground slave market and the Dock 77 incident. 

“She’s a bleeding heart.” Cassidy swirled her glass and finished it. “She’s too damn hard-headed to know when she’s in over her head. Once she heard about the missing fighters, the damn fool vowed to resolve the issue within the week.”   

“And? The world is filled with heroes without any heroic ability. This fantasy she’s living in will come crashing down. I can’t have her disrupt my most important client. He did, after all, help in constructing Fortuna.”   

The underground wonder didn’t make sense from a structural or architectural standpoint. It was located a few hundred feet below ground, but Fortuna held enough support to survive a dozen earthquakes before the embedded support beams even thought about cracking under pressure. The only way in or out were specific teleporters built into precise locations.    

Fortuna wouldn’t exist if not for the assistance of a geomancer unrelated to the one assisting the girl from the Wytchguard Covenant. Without them, perhaps Arcton would’ve served a different purpose for the revenge-obsessed leader of the Kaisaku Syndicate.     

Forbidden skills couldn’t be compared to spells from the [Warden Skill System]. For one, a forbidden skill-wielder with [Earth Manipulation] could recreate any earth elemental spell without being restrained to the built-in limitations.    

Of course, they could do much, much more.     

“When do you want it done?”    

“Today.” 

“Hmm… A shipment departs tomorrow evening, but I can push it ahead of schedule to tonight. The girl will be part of it. Will that suffice?"

"It's perfect," Cassidy answered with a grin. 

Someone knocked on the manager's door. The manager gave permission, and the knob turned. The intruder was one of the bar girls, but she held a sapphire crystal embedded in the head of a flying golem smaller than a child’s hand.     

“Care to explain yourself, Cassidy?” Sakdu’s voice came from the puppet. It flew to the desk and stood. “Be gone. This doesn’t concern you.” He turned around and shooed away the girl, who left without hesitating.     

“I figured we’d give our enemy what she deserves.” She explained Servi’s goal. “Let her get close to finding it. Let her even deduce the truth, and then strike before telling her this is her fault. You’re sorely mistaken if you’ve thought I’ve gone soft, Sakdu,” said Cassidy, lying as she breathed.    

The 'sacrifices’ waiting to be delivered would not face their end here. But the others would. The manager—as big and strong as he was-- couldn’t defend against the necromancers’ forthcoming attack. He, too, would be amongst the many thousands and thousands of losses. He didn’t know his end was coming.     

That was merely inevitable. Cassidy believed a mere lich didn’t hold the power to avoid a future set in stone, but perhaps she could nudge it.     

Sakdu believed his oldest companion, and his raspy voice surprised her. “It seems a little shred of who I once knew is still there. Very well, carry on. Destroy this golem. Do what you want with the crystal.” The manager grabbed the puppet by the neck and easily crushed it, then held the sapphire to his hardened eyes.     

“I find it amusing that he uses such rare commodities as common knickknacks. These little things can turn the tide of any battle…” The manager stood and approached a glass display case filled with jewelry. He sat the crystal in an empty spot and marveled at his collection. Such sparkly beauties… His younger self never thought this success and luxury he experienced would have been his in a thousand lifetimes. “But I suppose it’s proof of the power he wields.”   

The manager adjusted his collar and readied himself for the forthcoming job. He already knew how it would play out—the fateful moment would happen just before midnight. “But let me see the extent of this woman’s prowess…”   

“Have you heard about last night? She won 40,000 off self-bets.”   

“Indeed, I have. That’s why I’m curious to see what Servi can do.” Fortuna always had a fight at all hours of the day. The less impressive bouts would happen in the early morning and mid-afternoon, with the exciting matches occurring long after the sun had given way to the moon. “She needs money, so let us allow her to earn some. It doesn’t matter if we pay out since I’ll regain everything tonight.”    

“Then lead the way.” Cassidy smiled wryly when the manager grabbed the doorknob. Her plan was going off without a hitch. 

---

Six more fights had passed, and I was downing Aviation after Aviation. The taste and flavor were perfect, and the drink’s color was gorgeous.   

“Wow. You can really pound them back, ma’am,” said Bunbun as we watched a koena slip under a Snailkin’s arm and fracture it in four places. The brutality of the fights almost increased every time new combatants took to the stage.   

“It’ll take more than this to get me drunk,” I replied. The koena suplexed the Snailkin, cracking his shell. Itarr kept me informed on what Momo and Albert were doing. They had just arrived at the rocky, cliff-like area and were preparing to hunt golems. Albert had plenty of blood crystals in his pockets, and I had given Momo a few hundred for her bag in case.   

They’re walking up to the cliff where you killed that golem mage. Oh? I see Cassidy to your right. But she’s with someone… scary-looking.  

 “Oh? Mr. Manager!” Bunbun saw the goliath of a man with eyes that had seen battle and death. But she didn’t look out of place, and the two commanded a presence that made others turn and stare.   

“I can see it in your eyes,” Cassidy said. “Fortuna is my biggest purchaser of phrine. The profits I earn are fed back into the shop to purchase more materials. He’s known as Mr. Manager.” She nodded her head towards him. “He’ll get you ready to fight.”  

“Already?”  

“Indeed, Servi. Already.” He said he was impressed at my winnings from last night and said I could more than triple them. Bunbun and I followed him and Cassidy to the betting booths.