Interconnected: Spliced Souls

Ten days had passed since we threw that party at Nimyra’s apartment. Time had flown by in the blink of an eye, and a lot had happened. 

Nimyra and Lucy were making the final preparations to travel to Lando’s capital. Adenaford Academy’s summer semester was scheduled to start in two weeks. Nimyra wanted to show Lucy around the city and help her get comfortable. And to do that, the Goatkin would be staying with one of Nimyra’s favorite clients. This was the same man who regularly used his vast wealth to purchase slave girls to give them a better life by working in his mansion.    

He sounded scummy when Nimyra first told me about him, but maybe he had a heart of gold because she said he never accepted his maids’ advances. She said he had once told her he only wanted to do it with her.   

There was a backstory there, but I wasn’t privy to it. But if this man was as charming as I was led to believe, I guess I didn’t have a problem with him.    

As for myself, Momo, and Srassa?  

The day after the party, we met at the guild. Momo seemed a little…odd… Skittish, like a timid cat, but she also complained of a headache, so we blamed it on the alcohol.   

Srassa didn’t seem to remember much. When Momo called me Servy—a nickname a drunk Srassa created—the memories came rushing back.   

Her embarrassment was cute to watch. But I liked Servy as a nickname. It kinda fit. And Servy the Servi almost sounded like a heroine’s title. 

The following nine days were spent taking on quests. 

Srassa and I managed to get promoted twice to Novice Rank 3, and Momo went to Novice Rank 6. We didn’t unlock any additional Skill Paths, but the guild gave you a nice chunk of SP whenever you advanced in rank. Srassa was partly depressed because she couldn’t use it, and I saved mine.  

And that led us to today. Like always, we met at the guild to pick the quests we wanted to do and left with a spring in our steps. But this time, we happened to pass a café. It wasn’t anything special, but a familiar red-haired elf was sitting alone inside, elegantly carrying a cup of tea to her soft lips.   

I told Momo and Srassa, and we decided to say hi. Of course, we couldn’t leave it at that, so we joined her at the table and chatted until a plate of food arrived. It was a hearty meal of freshly baked bread, farm-fresh eggs cooked to perfection, sizzling bacon, savory sausages, and a side of hashed potatoes.    

“Wow! That looks so good!! Claire, how’d you find this place?” asked Momo.    

“Dineria and I went out drinking to celebrate her store’s opening, but the bars were closed. This place was the only one open, so we gave it a shot. Not many people know about it, but the booze is amazing. You can’t go wrong with the breakfast, either. This is called the sunrise platter.”   

“Do you still have room in your stomach, Ms. Momo? I’m still full from the bacon casserole Jony made.”  

“Eh? I always have room for food, you know. Especially if it smells that good... Umm! Excuse me!” Momo looked at a waitress and waved her over. She asked for the sunrise platter, then looked at us. Srassa requested a cup of tea, and Claire suggested the forest berry cup as I asked her recommendation, which consisted of cream, berries, and nuts and served with a spoon. 

Lando was a farming country. Canary received daily shipments, so the restaurants here could go wild with their food.   

“Yeah, I’ll go with the forest berry cup, thank you.”  

“Right away, ladies!” The waitress flashed a cute smile and bounced away, her dog-like tail wagging behind her.   

“Today’s the day... King Lando’s sending someone to take over for Duke Biggins, isn’t he?” asked Claire.   

“Yeah. But I wonder what happened? He had these statues placed around the town, but they’re still not finished tearing them down,” replied Momo. When a waitress emerged from the kitchen, she anxiously hoped it was her food.   

Those pink ears are so cute! And fluffy… I wonder what they feel like? And that cat tail… Is it as soft as it looks? 

“Father says he was called to Adenaford. I don't think King Lando is happy about the situation.” 

That’s a lie. Servi, Parrel—I mean Viridian—teleported away, yes? I heard Itarr’s voice.  

Viridian was given a teleportation item if his life was ever in danger. It’s linked to a room inside the Silver Monument. Ah, that’s the name for the castle the Emperor of Keywater resides in. Albert’s voice came a moment later.  

Then… King Lando isn’t telling the truth? What are the odds this replacement is related to Viridian or Virin? 

I do not know, Itarr. But I will tell you if I recognize them. 

The waitress returned with our orders, and Momo happily tore into the thick, fat, juicy sausage. Meanwhile, Srassa took dainty, lady-like sips of her hot tea. I dug into my colorful delight. It held chilled blueberries and blackberries, and the nuts were extra crunchy. The whipped cream had sprinkled sugar over the top.   

“Ms. Momo, are we still attending the speech? I believe it begins in the afternoon.”  

“Yep. That’s the plan. I’m kinda excited for it.”  

“Aww… I wish I could go,” Claire bellowed. She rolled her eyes, sighed, and punctured the yolk on her eggs. “I tried to get the day off, but I was too late in putting in my request. And I’m always working… All day… Every day… I wish my pay was higher… Ah—” Claire looked up and realized we were staring. Her face went as red as her ponytail as she wiped her purple eyes with a napkin. “Sorry about that! That was super unprofessional!”   

“If you don’t mind me asking, Ms. Claire, why did you decide to work at the guild?”  

“In essence, I was a coward,” Claire said. “I’m afraid of fighting. I tried it, you know. I materialized my Skill Tablet when I was 11. I even crafted my own bow, quiver, and arrows, but… Some people are made for fighting, and others are for helping those good at fighting.” She said she got an offer to work at the guild after failing a quest. She was upset and down to her last dupla when she overheard a fellow adventurer asking about poisonous flowers. Claire had knowledge about them, so she answered the girl’s questions. The guild leader overheard her. He was impressed, so he offered her a job. She said yes, worked at that location for a few years, and then was transferred to Canary. She eventually met Dineria, the two became friends, and the rest was history.   

Claire came from a family of rangers tasked to protect their village and forest from violent predators and bandits. She looked up to them and wanted to follow in their footsteps. That was why she left after becoming an adult and journeyed the world. “But that life wasn’t for me. My family wasn’t disappointed I couldn’t follow in their footsteps. They’re just happy I’m safe and happy. I’m trying to save money to make the trip back home.”   

“Aww, that’s so sweet!” Momo exclaimed. “But if you wanna learn how to fight, I’m sure I have room for another student or two under my wing, haha!”  

Claire laughed. “Even if your student is five times older than you?”  

“Yep! The School of Momo has no age limit.” 

I wonder how old I am? I’ve never thought about it before. Itarr asked a question I also hadn’t paid any attention to.  

We enjoyed our casual conversation, and then it was time to leave after paying. Claire wished us a safe journey, and we went to our destination. 

---

“There’s another in the left passage, captain!”  

“Got it! I’ll prevent them from coming through! [Acid Arrow]!”   

Our mission was to defeat the rocky golems that barged into a tunnel near the abandoned mines close to Lucoa Forest a few days ago.  They were small and harmless, standing just a hair taller than a gnome, but they were dangerous to the forest. The golems knew the ability to camouflage to hide amongst other rocks. And they weren't 'alive.' They didn't have a heart to beat, but they still held a soul. 

The wildlife in the forest was unable to contend with this new predator. Momo and Srassa pointed out deer carcasses on our way here. Their bodies were torn asunder by the golems’ sharp, jagged points around their boulder-like bodies.    

While nothing disastrous had happened thus far, the forest would soon be overrun if nothing was done to them.  If too many occupied an area long enough for their skill energy to take over, the resulting golems could combine to form stronger adversaries.   

Yes. The golems could come together and substantially increase their battle power, obtain new skills, use higher-tier abilities, and become much harder to kill.    

A sickly green bolt of energy formed from Momo’s hands as she launched it at the golem from the passageway. Its corrosive nature bit at the rocky surface, weakening it enough for Srassa to smash it with a shield slam.     

Momo and Srassa oversaw dispatching the golems, but I handled the sonic bats that lived here. My scythe cleaved their bodies and wings in half, but it wouldn’t do much against the golems. I tried, but the blade chipped in half. Momo and Srassa had cried for Twilight Maestro because they believed my revenant lived inside it.   

And he did, kinda—but my scythe was a Forbidden Catalyst—one that I could reforge with blood.   

“Okay, come on out!” After killing the bats, I summoned Albert after slicing the ground. His skeletal body emerged, carrying a thick club in his bony hands. The black trench coat was out of place, but it strangely fit him. The crimson bracelets clasped around his skinny arms also made sense.  He leapt from the high ground I was on and slammed his weapon onto a weakened golem.   

“Let us fight together, Momo, Srassa!” Albert said.   

“Right!” Srassa lifted her shield and blocked an incoming tackle. Albert responded with a quick twirl and sent it launching with a swing of his club, where Momo covered it in acid. 

“[Skeletal Hold]!” Albert gathered dark green energy around his body and punched the ground, causing skeleton hands to rise underneath the golems, restraining them so Momo and Srassa could destroy them. This was the first revenant skill he obtained with his Revenant Points-- gained from killing his enemies. 

But he wasn’t the only one with something else up his sleeve… 

I retrieved a crystal-like wand forged from my blood and waved it at the closest bat. “[Shadow Shot]!” A bolt of darkness emerged from the tip and killed the monster.   

A few days prior, Itarr managed to extract the core elements that made up the essence of a skill from the souls I had previously absorbed. When those mysterious figures first appeared in our soul world after killing Myrokos, the power of my collected souls drained.   

But they weren’t completely emptied. Little particles remained, and my goddess managed to rebuild [Shadow Shot] by using every last fragment.    

How could I use a skill from the [Warden Skill System]?  

[Blood Crystal Crafting]. The skill Itarr possessed to make crystals out of our blood and enchant them with skills. It acted as a link, turning something I couldn't use into something usable.   

After Itarr and I met, I thought the crafting ability was useless, but here it was—offering me loopholes.    

This also meant the skills I learned with the [Warden Skill System] could still be used via blood crystals.  

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stack them. And my wand lost its crimson luster after four uses. It needed a few minutes before it returned, so I returned to slicing the bats with my scythe.   

“[Create Low-Tier Undead – Skeleton]!” After dealing enough damage to fill the crystal skull on my scythe’s pommel, Albert raised a bony fist. The crimson bracelet I gave him that I had forged out of my blood shimmered green. The necrotic energy amassed around his wrist, and he threw it to the ground. Tendrils of malicious energy shot out from the orb and attached to the rocky corpses before sucking them in. They vanished inside, and a bony skeleton emerged from the portal-like void.   

It was weak when compared to Albert.    

That skill belonged to me. But I didn’t want to use it because I feared what Momo and Srassa would think about raising the dead. Four days ago, Albert had seen my worry and asked to help, so we came up with him using the skills in my stead. It still required resources from my scythe’s skull pommel.   

Once again, blood crystals came in incredibly handy. If I knew an ability, there didn’t seem to be any restrictions on imbuing it to a crystal.   

Except I couldn’t have more than one crystal with the same skill. Two wands with [Shadow Shot] were out of the question. 

Three days prior, when he had used it for the first time… 

Momo just thought that was the coolest thing in the world after being slightly startled, of course. She quickly overcame that worry because, in her words, ‘Twilight Maestro is Twilight Maestro. A talking skelly with a sense of humor can’t be all bad.’ Momo also liked that the corpses weren’t going to waste. Rather than leaving them to rot, they turned into something useful, like a walking skeleton.    

Srassa was less convinced, but she came around after saying she would rather the scythe be in my hands than anyone else’s. Momo had echoed that sentiment and said she trusted me over a stranger. The singi had mentioned Twilight Maestro had the face of an honest skeleton, so…   

“Servy, we’re all done here!” I peeked over the edge and saw Momo wipe her sweaty brow. She was surrounded by rocky corpses and still-dangerous acid. Srassa cautiously poked one or two with her sword before sheathing it. Albert looked at his weapon and waved, and I jumped down. I landed near the skeleton, and the force knocked it over.    

“That’s so awesome!” Momo said when the skeleton started fixing itself. She ran over to touch its bony limbs. “Ah, your fingers are backwards. Let me help you.”  

Srassa spoke while wiping the dirt from her polished armor with a cloth. “It is incredible, but… That wand. Is its use still limited? You call it a blood crystal, yes?” I nodded twice and said that with time, I could eventually regain [Stone Pillar], [Lock-On], and [Minor Heal]-- abilities Srassa and Momo knew I once had. I’d have to learn them via the [Warden Skill System] and enchant them onto a blood crystal. “You said the abilities come from Twilight Maestro, but why would the previous holder steal from stores and leave proof behind? It doesn’t make sense.”   

“It does not,” replied Albert. During my second night here, I robbed two shops for supplies to give to an apothecary. I left behind blood crystals because I didn't have any money. And they looked valuable.   

If only I hadn’t done that. But it wasn’t a big deal.    

I went around absorbing the rocky corpses. Srassa said some golems had valuables like rubies, sapphires, or other ore. These were the weakest type. If anything, Momo said they probably contained flint, which was still okay. 

We walked through the rest of the tunnel, taking out more golems. My friends did the work. I was on bat duty, and Albert created more bumbling skeletons. They tried to beat the golems with their arms, but…  

It was just so pathetic.   

Albert altered strategies and used [Reanimate], an ability etched into the other crimson bracelet he wore. It returned a soul to its corpse to make it fight, but it would be lost after the reanimation perished. Albert used it three times and had the stumbling golems attack their kin, which did more damage than the skeletons.    

“Umm… Mr. Twilight Maestro?” After the fighting ended, Srassa asked a question while we continued. The tunnel exited on the other side of the forest, so we were almost done.    

“Yes?”  

“Did…you used to be like that?”  

“As a matter of fact, I did,” replied Albert. “It is hard to describe, but I suppose it’s like this. You don’t remember much from when you were a baby, do you?” Momo and Srassa shook their head. “And then the memories were just there, yes?” They nodded. “It’s the same with me. Suddenly, I was aware of myself. I was aware of thoughts, feelings, and emotions.”   

Albert wasn’t wrong. When I first brought him back, he was a mindless skeleton until I used [Ichor’s Blessing].  He was placed in [Outer Circle] and not [Pantheon], which meant Albert didn’t get a ring like Itarr did when I used it on her. If he had one, all his weaknesses would vanish.   

Getting him one was the goal we didn't know how to achieve. 

“Ahhh… The fresh air smells so good!” Momo skipped ahead and raised her hands to the sky. “Ah, I hear people from over there. Let’s head around that way.”   

“Understood. Until we next meet again, ladies.” Albert nodded and returned to the weapon in a hazy cloud of smoke, then appeared in our soul world. My scythe vanished, and the skeletons and remaining reanimated golems dropped dead.   

“Okay, I promise this is the last time I’m going to ask this—"  

“You ask all you want, girlie, but our answer’s the same. Srassa and I aren’t going to leave you over something like this. Unless... You wanna go solo?”   

“Eh? Don’t say that! Servy!” Srassa gave me puppy dog eyes. 

“And I don’t want that! But… I dunno. Maybe I’m the one being weird about it.” I rolled my neck and sighed.    

“Let’s see… Badass scythe? Check. Super cool skeleton? Yep. Weird, awesome powers I’ve never seen before in my wildest dreams that the super cool skeleton man wields? Checky check! Missing memories? Whoops. Sorry, Servy, I guess that means you’re weird. Haha!"  

"I don’t…think there’s anything wrong with being out of the ordinary. I haven’t met my extended family much, but they often criticized my desire to train by doing something similar. My father cut them out of my life when I came to him in tears.”  

“Your father’s a great man, isn’t he? And fine. I guess we’ll be weird together.”  

“Here’s to that!” Momo raised a fist in the air. “To the Weird Weirdlings! That can be our group name.”  

“…Yeah… Maybe not? Huh? A group name?” Srassa explained and said a group of adventurers was known as a party. You could register a party with the guild to have the name etched onto your dog tags. If you were successful enough, you and your party could get requested to take on elusive or exclusive quests. 

But Weird Weirdlings? The name wasn’t hitting me.   

“Ah, that’s fine. We gotta turn in the quest and head to the noble district, so we have time to workshop it. Did we get anything good from the golems?" 

Itarr told me what they had, and I sighed and shook my head. “Just flint.”  

“It’s better than nothing,” Momo said, leading the way.    

---

The streets were swamped with carriages when we left the guild. Srassa, who used the chance to change out of her armor and into something more fitting, said the Canary Duchy encompassed nearly 1/4 of all Lando.   

According to her, ‘Parrel Biggins’ used his esteemed leadership to turn what was once a struggling failure of a city into something that carried the future of Lando on its shoulders in just a decade. He was a no-name noble from a family that had seen better days.  

I knew how he—Viridian Keywater-- had done it, however. Slithering snakes hid in the darkness, yearning to cut a backhanded deal for a chunk of dupla.    

Instead of continuing down that topic, we returned to the question of what we should name our party. That occupied much of our time as we squeezed through the packed roads. Things became better upon reaching the noble district.   

Momo’s dressed in her cute skirt with suspenders, Srassa’s looking the part, and then you have me. A girl in overalls… Maybe I should get some nicer clothes… People are staring at me, but then again, I don’t really care. I just don’t want to make things harder for Srassa and her family.    

The speech was scheduled in the Canary Playhouse, a theatre Viridian had commissioned when he first started planning the noble district’s revival. Srassa, Momo, and I were stopped when we turned into the street it was on, but Srassa pulled her crest-- proof of her noble lineage. They let us go after seeing it, but we were stopped twice more.   

The security detail is…something… Guess they don’t want to take any chances. It’s not like Canary needs to lose two powerful nobles in two weeks.   

The theatre’s stone façade was adorned with intricate carvings depicting mythical scenes from famous plays. I wasn’t familiar with any of them, but Srassa said they came from highly esteemed playwrights. We stepped through the grand entrance into its majestic foyer. The high vaulted ceilings were adorned with delicate chandeliers. Their warming glow lit the room. The eager, sharp-dressed patrons were chattering amongst themselves while waiting for the doors to open.   

Srassa spotted her father and mother, so we talked with them until the auditorium opened. Rows of plush, velvet seats rose in tiers, offering a perfect view of the stage from every angle. The ceiling was painted with celestial scenes and sparkling stars embedded with colorless jewels.    

The empty stage added to the exorbitantly outrageous cost of luxury with its wooden proscenium arches, richly colored curtains, and gold thread that waited in anticipation of being drawn open. We sat with Harold and his family in the VIP section. 

Soon, the curtains were drawn back, revealing a single woman gracing the stage in an exquisite dress, likely tailored for this occasion.   

The rich brocade fabric draped elegantly, almost making her seem like a princess or queen.    

In deep royal blue, the gown exuded authority and nobility. The floral motifs adorning were embroidered with silver and gold thread. The bodice showcased her strikingly graceful silhouette. Her billowing sleeves added a touch of opulence with the jeweled accents sewed to them. Every detail of her cloak and carefully selected jewelry was meticulously picked to enhance her presence without overpowering her radiating confidence.    

Off to the side, I noticed an effeminate-looking man with long hair resting his hand against his sword’s pommel. His relaxed state, slender armor, and softened yellow eyes betrayed his hardened stance. He looked at the duchess. She looked at him with those same-colored eyes. She approached the audience and spoke with a powerful, strong voice.  

They have blond hair. Viridian’s was black with a blue tint. A wig? Maybe.    

“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed nobles of the Canary Duchy, Today marks a significant transition in the history of our beloved land. As I stand before you, humbled and honored, I am acutely aware of the enormous responsibility entrusted to me—Penelope Ashford-- as I step into the esteemed shoes of my dear cousin, Parrel Biggins, as the new Duchess of the Canary Duchy. My heavy heart is full of unwavering determination.  

“I am keenly aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Our Duchy has faced trials and tribulations, but the spirit of resilience and unity defines us. Together, we shall chart a course that upholds our cherished traditions while embracing the winds of change. I pledge to lead with integrity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the prosperity of our people.  

“Let us remember that the strength of our Duchy lies not in titles or bloodlines. But in the collective spirit that binds us together. I invite you all to join me on this journey of transformation, where every voice is heard, every life cherished, and every dream nurtured. Together... We shall forge a future that honors our heritage and embraces progress.  

“I extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have supported me thus far. And to my cousin Parrel for his guidance and wisdom. As I assume this noble responsibility, I promise to uphold your trust. Let us embark on this new chapter with unwavering resolve and unyielding faith. We shall together reach that bright future waiting for us!  

“Thank you, noble hearts, for your unwavering support and for being the pillars of strength upon which our Canary Duchy stands. May our journey ahead be marked by unity, prosperity, and the enduring spirit of our people.  

“Long live the Canary Duchy! Long live the glorious Kingdom of Lando!”   

Applause erupted from the audience, but that speech wasn't unique-- just generic promises anyone would make.  

Do you recognize her? I texted Albert.   

Sadly, I do not.   

Could she be from Keywater?  

That is a possibility.  

What does your gut say?  

There is no doubt in my mind. Virin must’ve sent her, but I do not have any proof. The Biggins Family is ‘real’ in that others share the last name in Lando, but they were sent here by Virin. 

Is there an Ashford Family?  

There is. They appeared 4 years after Viridian took office and rose through the courts. I’m sure they were placed here as a second chance to continue Virin’s plan if something happened to his son.    

Until we learn something else, we'll continue with that in mind.