Interconnected: Spliced Souls

It felt like hours, but Itarr returned to me after about thirty minutes. She shivered something fierce in my arms, something that reflected in our soul world. The reality around us trembled as if the sky was about to crack open, causing the powerful crimson waves to clash harder against this island we were on.   

“AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” Itarr suddenly screamed herself awake, ending the apocalyptic behavior…  

“Hey, how are you feeling? Are you okay? Talk to me, Itarr.”  

Itarr grabbed my shoulders and opened her mouth when she was assailed by a sudden headache. She clutched her hair and writhed, nearly bending over backwards.   

It reminded me of the pain I endured shortly after waking up… All I could do was hold her until it went away.   

“It felt like it was right there, Servi. Almost like I was about to remember something important,” she said, salty tears leaking from those beautiful eyes. “And it's… It's not there… Anymore… In its place is something else…”  

“What about those figures? Anything there? They said something about a game and called you ‘mother.’”  

“I don't know… I really don't! It's so– it's so frustrating!” I saw Itarr vent for the first time– her first time being angry and showing much more emotion. She simmered away when I hugged her, though. After that, we calmly– well, as calm as she could get– talked about what we experienced.   

First and foremost, the whole [Primordial Goddess] thing within my Skill Phone seemed to be the real deal. Primordial was usually used to refer to the beginning of something. With a few logical leaps, we presumed Itarr was the first goddess or something that created the gods and goddesses.   

Or it could've been a combination of the two. Or perhaps Itarr created the world, the universe– or even all of reality, which would make her the ‘first,’ so to speak. In that case, she would be the mother to every atom in the known and unknown universe. There would be nothing that had ever existed, currently existed, or would exist in the future that could not trace its origins to the woman I held in my arms.   

But those figures also mentioned a game. That was a giant mystery. Seriously, I hadn't a single clue what that could have referred to. And it pissed me off because we could've garnered a lot if we could solve this a fraction of this puzzle.   

On the other hand, what if everything those figures told us was meant to make us question everything? It was possible everything they said was a lie.   

What was true?  

What was real?  

What was fake?  

What was fiction?  

There was just no way for us to know. If anything, it only sparked more confusion.   

And... I wasn't the only one who could see the soul...nor was I the sole one to possess the ability to absorb souls... 

Itarr stood up and grabbed the skull. “I know what I need to do. But once I do it, the [Forbidden Skill System] will activate. [Necromancy] is part of that system. Acquiring Myrokos's soul somehow… I suppose it'll forcibly activate the system. It may even allow us to use that dagger we stole from him.”  

“Okay. I'm with you so far. Why do you make it sound as if that's a bad thing?”  

“The skills we currently have…”  

“What about them?”  

My heart skipped a few beats from an uncomfortable anxiousness.   

“We will lose access to them,” said the goddess, looking me in the eye. “I believe the world operates on two systems. The one we are familiar with– the [Warden Skill System]– will no longer be available to us once I finish the initialization. That includes Skill Paths. They will hold no use for us. Those enchanted weapons we absorbed at the mansion? They were imbued via the [Warden Skill System], and they… They will vanish as well.”  

“Then…?”  

“We will have to rely on [Necromancy] and the skills listed underneath [Primordial Goddess] until we've acquired the other forbidden skills. It's…slowly coming back to me. Much like Myrokos had that dagger, I believe we will obtain something similar. But I do not know what form our catalyst will take. I also do not know how we will obtain additional [Necromancy] skills. Perhaps I'll remember something after I’ve started the process.”  

“I mean, that's a good thing, right? If we use [Necromancy], you could get more memories back. Unlocking the rest of the [Forbidden Skill System] is probably the way to go.”  

“You…aren't upset?” asked the goddess. She took a silent step back and held a hand to her bare chest above her heart.   

“No. Why would I?”  

“I don't know. Maybe I thought… No, it isn't important.”  

“I'll always stand by you, Itarr. From now until whatever our end is.”  

“Servi!!!” Itarr threw herself into my arms, and she cried while I held her. I gently rubbed her back and kissed her head.  

“How long will it take to start?”  

“Perhaps about two hours? If there's anything you need to do, now would be the time.” Itarr stepped back, wiped her eyes, and refocused on the skull she held.   

“Alright,” I said, nodding. “Keep me updated, okay? There's one place I wanna investigate, so I'm gonna go do that.” 

“I will.” 

“Actually, hold on. [Lover’s Blossom] is a forbidden skill. I wasn’t locked away from the [Warden Skill System] after learning it. Why is it different?”  

That skill was also the only one lit up from the beginning. 

“You’re right...” Itarr’s eyes glowed for a moment. “That means we were on the [Forbidden Skill System] from the beginning, but... That just...creates more confusion. I have more questions than answers.” 

---

“Ah, you're awake! I was a bit fearful that this death would've been your final one,” said Llamare when he saw me sit up. I was in a bedroll near the far reaches of the mine's central cavern.   

“Eh, I won't die that easily. Hey, tell me what happened after I passed out.”  

Llamare shamefully told me he failed to kill Viridian– something I knew was weighing heavily on his heart. But the bastard scampered away with his tail between his legs. Whatever reputation he had was destroyed, and it seemed about a dozen of the market's customers bit the bullet. I guess he was about to head down shit creek without a paddle. Maybe we'd get lucky. Someone with a grudge– someone more socially powerful than him– could orchestrate his death.   

We won't be that lucky… But I bet a prince has been assassinated for less.  

Then again, I knew Llamare wanted to end Viridian’s life with his own hands. After he helped me to my unsteady feet, the Earth Elf brought up the conversation that wormy bastard and I had about souls, but he said he didn't want to know if it would cause me trouble.   

“I mean, I can see the souls of people and animals when they die. I can use them to get more powerful. Guess that man can see and use them, so it was like a struggle of force over who got Myrokos's soul. Happy to say I got it. But speaking of it further would probably endanger you if I'm being honest. It isn't called the [Forbidden Skill System] for nothing.”  

“Your words are fair and true. But allow–”  

“SERVI!!!!!!” Liealia must've noticed us from across the cavern because she came running this way, screaming my name. Without a few rocky pillars supporting me from behind, I might've had to add another death to my already high counter. “I thought you were dead! And for real this time!!!”  

“Cousin, give her some space.”  

“Ah– sorry! I'm sorry! I'm just so happy you woke up before we left!” I looked past her to see Scratch and Glimmer. Everyone else had already left. A boat waited on the eastern shore to take them to Elviria.    

We chatted for a few minutes. They asked what I planned to do, and I told them I was going back to the mansion to look at a few things. “If I can find evidence of Viridian’s behavior. Like a log book or a journal or something, I'm sure we can really fuck him over. That type of proof is going to be hard to cover up.”  

“That's a good idea. His room is probably behind that throne. There was a door there, right?” Llamare nodded towards his cousin. “I would tell you to be safe and don't push past your limits, but that's not necessary, yes?”  

“Haha, I guess not. But I'm gonna miss you two. It's been a wild couple of days. Never thought I'd be roped into something like this.”  

“Why don't you come with us?” asked Llamare.   

“Hmm…” The offer was tempting… But I had friends here. Well, would Momo and Srassa take me back? What about Nimyra? Cassidy? Lucy? I had some stuff I absorbed from Viridian's mansion. I could sell that and give Lucy the money. She'd probably still hate me, though. “I…have people here. There's this elf that took me the first day I arrived. She doesn't know about my… situation, but she understands I have no memories. But she took care of me, and I want to eventually repay her kindness. So, I'm sorry.”  

“I figured we'd put you on the spot. But take this,” Liealia said, reaching into a pouch hidden in her bra.   

It was all sweaty… Liealia's cheeks turned tomato red. “Waaa!!” she exclaimed, cutely blushing. She ran to what little water they had left and washed it, then returned to give me an…emblem?  

It looked about as big as the one Srassa showed me, but this one displayed a shadow under the moonlight of a starry sky.   

“This is proof of our friendship. You can't hold onto a proper emblem because you aren't a Nightshadow, but this is like it in every other way. They're carved out of wood only found around our birth village with a unique number, which is recorded in our personal family registry and the copy we keep in the guild’s vault.” 

“If you're ever in trouble or need to contact us, all you must do is present the emblem to a receptionist at Warden. Give them a message, and they will contact us.” I took the gift and stashed it in my ring.   

“I wish I had something to give you… Hey, maybe you want a head or two? Maybe an arm? A few fingers?”  

Llamare and his cousin nervously chuckled. Scratch and Glimmer called out for them, saying they were on the verge of running late.   

I went outside with them.

The two cousins held out their hands, and I gave them a friendly shake with moonlit promises to meet with them again to share wine, food, and stories. And they wanted to meet my summoner and thank them personally.   

Maybe that last part would come true… Perhaps Itarr was close to gaining a body? It was impossible to predict the next few hours.   

I waved them off as they went deeper into the forest.   

I will miss them. 

“Yeah, same here. But the night isn't over for us.” I leapt into the sky with a favorite skill that would soon be lost and ran across the sky on invisible platforms of solidified air. 

---

Canary was on high alert, but it wasn't just the city. The plains near the tunnel Momo, Srassa, and I entered the sewers had been turned into a base camp. I saw large magic circles by the dozens, which continued to spit out groups of soldiers in formation. Every ten minutes, a winged wildkin landed, with another taking their place to constantly have aerial coverage. I was above them, but they never looked up more than once or twice. And even then, I escaped their vision by simply jumping a couple hundred feet higher.   

It looked like there were a few hundred guards patrolling the noble and casual district, with absolutely zero ever stepping into the slums. I was going by the flickers of fire I saw, which were assumed to be from their torches.   

My target was Viridian’s mansion, and I descended once the collected soldiers began to march into the city. With so many gathered in one spot, they wouldn't expect my entrance, especially when my footsteps were silent. I dashed about two hundred feet above the walls, much higher than necessary, but I wasn't taking any chances. Itarr wrapped my head in scarves and my body in three layers of clothing. 

Overkill?  

Maybe.   

But it was better to be safe than sorry. There were about forty guards patrolling my target’s perimeter like soldier ants guarding their hive, so it was tricky to slip in through the destroyed roof and land in the pathetic remains of a false throne room.   

Guess this was the only way for Viridian to feel like an emperor. If he couldn't have the real thing, his sorry ass had to settle for a fake. 

Probably to make himself feel important. 

That fucker was dead the next time I saw him...  

Luckily for me, the guards and soldiers hadn't reached here yet. It looked just like it did before I passed out. Turning around, I walked to the throne, absorbed it, and attempted to open the lavish, ornately decorated door behind it.   

It was locked, but I had a goddess of unlocking to open my way.   

Inside was certainly a bedroom. One with a bed large enough to fit about five people. It had thin, golden silk curtains surrounding it. I saw a handful of dressers, a desk, and a door at the back. That led to a closet. A couple of strings were attached to the ceiling, which was probably connected to some bell located elsewhere.   

There was also a large painting of Viridian and two people, who must’ve been his mother and father. The resemblance was there– they all shared the same black hair with blue streaks. As much as the painting pissed me off, I stashed it in my ring and audibly gasped when I discovered a door hidden behind it.   

“What…the hell is this?” I gasped, looking at a room full of jewels. It was like stepping into a jewelry store. Rubies? Sapphires? Diamonds? Multicolored crystals? Of all cuts, shapes, and sizes? Rings? Necklaces? Chokers? Earrings?  

They were all neatly lined up and organized by color and size, and there wasn't even a spot of dust my naked eyes could see.   

“Jackpot!” I didn't even care I was acting like a greedy little thief. So, after robbing him blind, I turned my sights to everything else in the room until it was empty and devoid of its previous belongings.   

I found a fat suit, though, confirming Viridian probably only used it as a disguise when going out in public.   

Or when he used it to beat Lucy to satiate his sadistic tendencies. Hell, he probably wore it many times to live his sick fantasies.   

Itarr quickly sorted everything. I asked if she saw a book or journal hidden inside anything, but she said there wasn't.   

“That sucks. I was hoping for something… I don't know if I have enough time to search the rest of this place, so let's leave,” I said, returning to the throne room. With a running start, I leapt through the hole I entered from and soared across the skies, bypassing my shed. “It's dangerous to remain in the city right now. Especially when we don't know what's going to happen with the forbidden skills. Remember our spawn point?” 

Spawn point? 

“The forest?” 

Are we heading there? 

“Yeah. It's far enough away. I'll have to walk back since I won't have [Air Dance], but that's fine. It won't take nearly as long if I run.” 

The familiar tree I rested my back against so many times in the few days came into view. I descended, slowed to a walk, and took up a familiar position while closing my eyes. 

---

“It's…just about finished,” Itarr said, standing beside me, dressed in a pair of overalls similar to mine.   

We were in our soul world, and a manifestation of her crimson energy enveloped the skull, which still had those dull, faint, green eyes. Instead of facing towards her tower, we were behind the fountain, looking at the grassy plain.   

If something was going to happen, there was no reason to put the tower at risk.   

“O…Okay… It's…done… Servi!!!” The skull Itarr held left her grasp and levitated about ten feet into the sky. It then shot like a rocket into the sky, exploding like a bundle of fireworks strapped to a bomb, and the descending fragments slammed into the island. The world shook. Itarr and I grabbed onto each other to remain stable.   

The ground violently fractured, splitting open like the cracking of an egg. A big skeletal altar, filled with bones and rib cages, rose from the destruction. The skull we were familiar with was in the middle, but it was three times larger and more detailed, with flaming green irises that followed us wherever we moved. Surrounding it were four bone-like candelabras– each filled with six candles– and they shared the same green flames as the eyes. Behind the large skull sat an empty canvas about six feet long and three feet tall.   

“Any memories?” Itarr shook her head and pointed out an indentation on the skull  

It was just the right size for my ring.   

It was uncomfortable to take it off, but I pushed it into the hole until I heard a click.   

My Skill Phone suddenly materialized in front of me. The home screen showed a new app-- its logo was a skull-- and I opened it. A dagger– the one Myrokos wielded– immediately met my gaze.   

Swiping right brought me to a scythe that reminded me of what a grim reaper would wield. The handle was long and black, and the abyssal-colored curved blade shimmered with a crimson edge. The skull attached to the pommel was clear, like glass.   

Swiping left brought me back to the dagger, but swiping left a second time took me back to the scythe. A button at the bottom caused a second screen to appear, which showed the dagger, scythe, and a bunch of question marks.   

“There are different catalysts out there,” Itarr said. “Should we absorb a necromancer’s soul, it seems we acquire their catalyst for our use. The scythe is yours, so it's automatically available.”  

“Okay, so if I do this…” I tapped on the scythe, made it the focus of my screen, and pressed it again.   

Are you certain you wish to complete the initialization of the [Forbidden Skill System]? You will be reduced to a weakened state. All of the progress and power you have acquired via the [Warden Skill System] will be rendered naught. 

“Itarr? Are you ready?” The goddess nodded. I tapped the confirmation.   

Right away, the skull containing my ring was engulfed in green flames, which spread to the rest of the altar. Even the blank canvas caught fire, revealing the scythe I had chosen hidden behind the ashy remains.   

I reached to grab it, and that was when I immediately fell to my knees and cried out as the most heinous pain swallowed every inch of my body. Itarr cried my name and attempted to touch me, but she was thrown away by a barrier of green flames, which spread from the skull to the altar, and finally to me.   

The inferno burned away my clothes and flesh, scorching my innards. Wounds and injuries opened all over my body when it regenerated. My neck was slit open, and a dozen holes in my chest appeared.  

“AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” The pain exacerbated every other second…  

And then it hit me…  

What happened to me…was how I had killed my enemies thus far. I was experiencing their deaths– experiencing their final anguish. Proof of my carnage was being written into my immortal, undying existence.   

Itarr raised her fists and hit the barrier. Her eyes were red and raw from her constant crying.   

But when I thought about it…  

What did I feel?  

It was just pain.   

It was just anguish.   

It was just… temporary.   

I didn't know how I knew it, but I just did.   

That made it easier to endure. It offered enough flickering freedom to allow my brain to order my body to stand-- to command my arms to raise this new weapon…   

“HHHHYYYAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!” I slashed the skull and cleaved it in half, then brought the scythe back and smashed through the altar, sending bones and skeletal fragments to the sky. One more vertical slash destroyed the now-singed canvas.   

Only then did the pain stop. Heavily breathing, I retrieved the ring from the skull and slipped it back on my finger– where it rightfully belonged. The altar and everything related to it dissolved into astral dust, which floated high into the sky to never return. My scythe, however, vanished from my hands.   

But it wasn't gone for good. My ring flashed green, which caused me to look closer. I discovered a little icon of a scythe engraved into the polished, crimson surface.   

Calling my weapon back was as easy as thinking about it, which caused it to appear in my hands.   

“Servi, are you okay?!” Itarr closed the distance and tackled me to the ground. She straddled my waist. Her tears dripped onto my cheeks. She wiped her eyes, but that wasn't enough.   

“I'm fine,” I whispered, cupping my hands around her cheeks. I leaned up and hugged her tightly, pressing my lips to hers.   

We shared a sensitive moment for about twenty minutes. Itarr just would not let me go, which was more than understandable. But when she finally helped me stand up, the first thing she did was dress me in another set of overalls.   

Seriously, I was going through them insanely quickly. It was almost starting to piss me off.