Interconnected: Spliced Souls

After saving the elf and dog and rushing to Cassidy's, she performed an examination on both of them. I used my stacks of [Minor Heal] to do what I could, but I couldn't regenerate her missing ear. But the one that had been filed down returned to its pointy shape.   

Cassidy was frankly alarmed to see the floating body, and not just because she thought it was a corpse. But she probably learned to not ask too many questions and just let me be.  

Other than some scratches and scars I couldn't fix, her overalls body seemed to be in decent shape. She had marks of abuse around her crotch. And she was dirty, but Itarr cleaned her up well with [True Absorption].   

Again, to the surprise of Cassidy.   

As for the dog? His back legs were shattered, his ligaments and tendons were torn, and when he was kicked? He broke four ribs and pierced a lung. My healing stabilized him, but Cassidy had to cut into his chest and perform delicate surgery after knocking him out with the herbs I retrieved for her.   

The elf woke up right when the operation was done. We talked as the woman looked at the dog-- wrapped and covered in bandages-- but she was rightly confused. She looked down at the knife I gave her, still gripped tightly in her hands.   

Cassidy was outside smoking a cigarette to clear her mind, something she said she always did after surgery.   

“I…What do I do from here? I…can't go home…”  

“...”  

“My…husband sold me to those men for a red pill…. He told me he'd rather look at a used whore than…be forced to support Cue and me. They dragged me from the house and… What do I do now?!”  

“I can't answer that. Your life is up to you. But if it was me, I'd kill ‘em. I could do that for you, you know. I could have him six feet in the ground or make him disappear forever. But Cue? Is that the dog’s name?”  

“Ye–yeah, it is… Why did you step in? I can't pay you. I don't have anything except Cue. I don't have money. I don't…”  

“Did I need a reason? If so, then I wanted to. Plain and simple. There isn't a requirement to help people. Kindness is something everyone can receive, but not everyone can offer it. Say, what's your name?  

“Saline…  

“Saline, huh? It's good to see you awake.” Cassidy walked through the curtains.  

“Who are you? Did you do this? I can't pay–”  

“It's taken care of. Don't worry about it, girlie.”  

“But–”  

“I said it's fine, so it's fine. Hey, you better head back and get some rest.”  

“I could say the same to you. You need your three hours, right?”  

“If you're leaving, then here. I don't need–”  

Saline tried to give me the dagger, but I shook my head. “Nope, you need it. I don't have any use for it. I doubt you remember much from before you passed out, but let's say that I don't need something that weak to defend myself. Use it? Sell it? I don't care what you do with it. If you want to kill that bastard, then do it. Or don't. Your life is up to you.” I turned to Cassidy and finally took off my balaclava and finger gloves. “Guess I'll be leaving now. Say, I helped you out, right?”  

“You're now just asking that? It almost makes me wonder if you have a fetish for throwing yourself into other people's business.”  

“Maybe I do, but what's it to you?”  

“Don't get me wrong. I appreciate it, but you have to watch your back out there. Not just anyone can use skills and spells like you. And that ring is something else. If you don't take care, you'll find yourself at the end of a spear before you know it.”  

“As if that hasn't happened already…” I murmured under my breath.   

“Did you say something?”  

“Nah, I didn't. But thanks for your concern. Don't know if I'll stop by later, but if there's something I can do, just let me know.”  

I waved goodbye and left the apothecary, then jogged the rest of the way back home.   

---

"Welcome back, Servi! I thought I recognized your footsteps," Nimyra said. She was standing in the hallway when I unlocked and opened the door to her apartment. She only wore her panties and held her arms behind her back, giving me a big, bright smile. 

"I'm back," I said, returning her smile. She turned on her heels, and I followed her into the kitchen after locking the door. The sun was already in the sky. "Something smells good."

"That's because I'm preparing breakfast." Nimyra picked up a spatula and resumed cooking. "I noticed you stayed out all night. Did you have fun?" 

“Yeah,” I replied, taking a seat at the table. “Just walked around for a good bit. Paid a little visit to Cassidy's and helped her out.”  

“Cassidy's?! You went to the slums alone? By yourself?" She turned around and pointed her spatula at me, her healthy boobs jiggling slightly.   

She was worried, which was expected, but I told her she had nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, that spiraled into a spiel about finding myself staring down the gleaming edge of a sword or being ambushed by a group of thugs with very little to lose. Such fates could be worse than death for men, but for women?  

It was all but assured you'd be begging for them to slit your throat before they were finished with what they would do to your body.   

And that was a real fear. Deep down, I felt that I could relate to that.   

But why is that? 

Nimyra continued speaking after spooning some of her scrambled eggs into a plate for me, but it was mostly the same concerns Cassidy had. I accepted them because it was the quickest way to change the subject, so I turned the conversation to Lucy.   

“She woke up for a few hours last night. Lucy's still incredibly weak, though. Got some food and water in her stomach. After I helped her bathe, she went back to bed. She'll definitely be good to go in two or three days. I really think this rest is just what the girl needed. Her body needs a chance to relax.”  

“You think she'll still hate me?”  

“Hate?”  

“Yeah,” I replied with a mouth full of eggs. “I fucked up the deal. Lucy said it was my fault she was beaten so badly. Told me to go out and face Simone to ‘make things right.’”  

“Hmm…” Nimyra crossed her legs and drank her water. “Hate or not isn't the point, I think. Regardless of your interference, that man... He was going to kill her eventually.” Then she sighed and rested her chin against her hands, leaning her elbows on the table. “There are some things that even I can't do. I have status, but the 'Patron' is even above me. If it comes down to his word versus mine, you'll see me in the guillotine before the end of the day.”  

“Sounds to me like he needs to die. Give me a name, and I can get it done.”  

“Don't even joke about that, Servi. I've heard rumors of his connections. Even the king won't fuck with him. They say he's not even from Lando. He somehow has a tight grasp over a country where the truly powerful leave him be.”  

“So what? You think he's royalty from Keywater or some powerful official from Westera?”  

“I dunno. He hasn't requested me at all. Even if he did, I'd turn him down. Why can't Lucy see that there isn't any…” She sighed again. “I've talked with her a lot about this. But she's so damn stubborn. There are easier ways to make money just as fast, but it's like she needed it yesterday.”  

“Cassidy told me about monotonia. I even found an elf who said her husband sold her and their dog to get a pill. You know anything about them?”  

“Yes, I do, but seriously, don't get involved with that shit. Those pills are nothing but trouble.” As we finished breakfast, Nimyra told me that the pills suddenly sprang up overnight a month or two ago. It spread like wildfire throughout the slums, turning it into even more of a depraved hole. I suppose I was lucky not to have encountered any, but Nimyra said there were pill dens led by someone who sourced a connection to sell them. 

Rumor even had it that the pills– well, the pink ones– were starting to find their way into the hands of the more salacious nobles. One of Nimyra's clients took one before she met with him, and while she could back up the claims of intense sexual hunger granted by consuming one, she nonetheless altered her rules. If she found traces of using one when she was with a client, the session would be nulled and voided. And they'd be blacklisted from ever soliciting her services ever again. 

That gives me an idea for tonight. Servi, are you thinking what I'm thinking? 

“Yeah, I am.” 

“You are…?” Nimyra tilted her head.  

“Ah, I'm just saying I understand your viewpoint. They sound dastardly, and I don't intend to ever take one.” 

But I wonder how my immortality will affect it? I'm curious.  

Breakfast was soon finished. And while I prepared myself to head to the guild, I asked about Grogn. “I had a friend examine him, and…I broke his back… He's already received healing and treatment, but his sternum was fractured. I tried to apologize, but he wouldn't have it.” 

“Was he angry?” I asked, fitting the sword I took to my hips.  

“No, it was the opposite, in fact. He said I gave him something to cherish for the rest of his life. In all my years, that was definitely the first. I'm going to swing by his room later with some flowers.” 

“I know I don't know him well, but tell him I hope he gets better soon.” 

“Gotcha, sweetie. Oh, you're heading out? Sure you don't need any sleep?” 

“Thank you, but I'm fine. I managed to squeeze in a quick nap at Cassidy's.” Another lie, but that was fine.  

“Okay. Be safe, okay? If it gets dangerous or you find yourself backed into a corner, there's no shame in running away to fight another day. Be sure to tell your party that.” 

“I will. See you later, Nimyra.” I said my goodbyes and left, then headed right to the guild after making sure to wave to Meghann. Another woman was running the front desk when I came in, but I didn't see her.  

---

It seemed I got to the guild early because I didn’t see my friends. Since I had time to waste, I sat on a bench and people-watched before Itarr caught my attention.  

Your request is finished. I hope I did it right.  

“Already? Nice. Let's check it out,” I replied, summoning my Skill Tablet… 

Only it wasn't in the shape of one. Instead, Itarr manipulated the entire thing until it closely resembled a smartphone. It had the same functions as my Skill Tablet, and the goddess had placed a button near the top right that ‘turned’ it on.  

Three apps greeted me.   

The first was called Warden and broken into two sections marked ‘Guild’ and ‘Skills’. With the former, I could keep track of any quest I had accepted or completed, search them using the filter Itarr added, and see my current rank. The Skill section was divided into learned and unlearned, and both had filters. By default, they were organized by their tier first, then the Skill Path they originated from. At the bottom sat my unique skills, like [Necromancy] and the others. Even if nothing was there because I hadn't found the secret to acquiring them, it was nice to have it neatly presented.   

After swiping up from the bottom, I returned to the home screen.   

It really is just like a smartphone… 

The second app was called Blood Crystals. I thought it would be easiest to have a section dedicated to it, so after opening it up, the surface of my skill phone altered to show me the three I had created. But I couldn't do much with the two rubies because I needed them here to imbue them.  

The last app was called Message. That brought me to a standard text messaging interface with a keyboard. The letters and numbers didn't make any sense, but they also made total sense, which didn't make sense. I just understood this alphabet at a primal level. But by tapping away at it… 

How strange… Whatever you write makes your voice echo around my mind.  

“Yes! It works perfectly,” I replied, reading Itarr's response as it appeared on my phone's screen. Her voice echoed throughout my mind a second later.  

I am glad. This ‘smartphone’ is very interesting. Are the filters correct? I did not understand that very well, so can you look and see if they function correctly? 

I did just that, and it was better than perfect. There were a ton of different criteria, from filtering to only showing skills that cost 22 SP, skills of a particular element, skills of a specific Skill Path that were tier 2 and did no damage… I could get as detailed as I wanted to find what I needed. The same filters worked for my quest log. And I didn't notice it before, but the quest log even showed me the clients and the date the mission was put on the board-- down to the second! 

Itarr said I was welcome after thanking her, and it sounded like there was a hint of blushing in her voice. Regardless, it was cute to see her sound that way. But then she brought up a point. I doubt other tablets could be as drastically customized as mine. Mine was a full-on phone with a locking mechanism and a touch screen, and the screen was backlit– reminding me of an OLED display. In terms of acting with a telephone’s functionality?  

It was really barebones. But somehow, I figured phones, as I knew them, didn't exist here. If they did, I would've seen one at Nimyra’s place. If anything, I thought rotary phones would've been a thing.   

But again, no.   

There was probably a communication spell or something to speak to someone far away.  

Even if we attract attention, I don't think that's a bad thing. I typed a message.   

That is true. If word spreads about your new phone, it isn't impossible to think someone might be familiar with it, right?  

Yeah. I don't want to bluntly advertise, but we can allow rumors to spread. Who cares if trouble comes our way. It's not like I can die, right? I don't exactly have a fear of death anymore.   

Doesn't it bother you? Does it hurt? Is dying painful? 

It does. Pain is a survival mechanism. Fear is one, too. If you encounter something that hurts, it causes you to be scared, and so you run away until you get to safety. But those survival mechanisms don't apply to me.  

So…you're saying... Why should you be scared if you can't die?  

Yes.   

And since you can't die, the pain is…something to endure?  

Yep. Pain is pain. It's as simple as that. And pain for me is not the same as pain for Momo or Srassa. A broken neck is a mild discomfort at best. My heart could be yanked out of my chest, but Srassa and Momo would die if that happened to them.   

I think I understand. Thank you for talking with me about it.   

You're welcome.   

“Uhh… What the heck is that? You seemed pretty engrossed in it. And what's that language? I can't make heads or tails of it. And I have a tail, so I'm an expert on those things.”  

I looked up and locked eyes with an inquisitive Momo, who tilted her head. She carried a pretty smile, and her tail almost jazzed through the air. Her hands were folded behind her, and she curiously looked at my phone’s screen. “What's up, captain?”  

“Nothing much. I see you got here early. But hey, what's that thing you got there?” Momo casually sat down beside me and hugged her messenger bag. She was dressed very similarly to yesterday. I guess she had more than one of the same outfit.   

“It's my Skill Tablet. It looks different, but my goddess allows me to alter its form. It's easier to use. See? I have an app for Warden that keeps track of our quests. Wait, where's Srassa?”  

“We left together, but she had to run to the house to get something. She told me to continue ahead. I waited, but then Jony came out and told me he would escort her here. But wow... You look so sophisticated.”  

“So, how was it?” I asked, placing my phone on my lap.   

“How was what?”  

“Staying with Srassa? Was her house big?”  

“Uhh, big is an understatement. I've never been in a home that had four floors. And she has the fourth one entirely to herself! She has a sauna, a locker room, and a training area. She showed me her bedroom. And get this?! Stuffed. Animal. Mountain. Yeah! She has one! And the bathroom connected to her bedroom was bigger than my grandpa's house! And the backyard was so pretty and green, and they have this veranda overlooking a pond filled with duckies.” Momo went on and on and said how pleasant Harold and Margaret– Srassa's parents– were. Harold was there to meet Momo, then he left for Adenaford, Lando’s capital city, for work via a teleportation crystal. 

Momo's room was just as lavish as Srassa's. Jony was an excellent cook, but the household also had two dozen maids and butlers to take care of the estate and keep it clean.   

“Oh, and don't even get me started on the sauna. I seriously thought I was going to melt like butter. And the bath in my room was outstanding. This cat is gonna get used to the life of luxury. But back to your tablet thingie. What kinda writing is that? It almost makes my head hurt. But I can't understand a lick of what it says. If you don't mind me asking, what's the name of your goddess?”  

Since Itarr was sealed away by someone, if word got out about her freedom, that entity could come and do it again. Could I fight them? I couldn't die, but being sealed away? That was the only way to end an immortal being if you couldn't make them meet death. At the same time, if I struggled against them, it would be the fastest way to get answers.   

It was better to be safe than sorry. Especially when surrounded by the unknown and foggy, airy smoke of mystery. “I actually don't know. She's just referred to as a ‘goddess.’ Don't know if that’s her name, but I roll with it.”  

“That's super odd. The name is located right at the very top.”  

“It's strange, indeed. Never saw fit to question it before. But I think it's fine. My goddess is like my guardian angel. A mysterious protector who watches out for her believer in unique ways.”  

Momo asked if she could touch my Skill Tablet, so I let her. She couldn't read the writing, and Itarr locked all the controls. If Momo pressed or accidentally bought a skill, nothing would happen. “It's kinda cute when it's like this. I always thought mine was a little bit too big. And it'd be cool to have it pink or something. It's rare, but you can sometimes be born with unique colors for your Skill Tablet. I was just born with the standard, generic color. Eh, but nothing you can do about that.”  

“That's a positive outlook.”  

“Guess I'm a positive kinda gal. Kinda have to be since there's a lot of happiness in the world. I wanna grab some for myself.”  

“I kinda get you,” I replied, stashing my phone away in my pockets.   

We passed the time by talking about breakfast and what we ate. Discussing our plans for the day wouldn't be fair without Srassa here. But she showed up fifteen minutes later in her gear. She walked through the door with a timid step, wearing a familiar anxious expression. Looking left and right, the noble girl searched for us while holding her hands close to her armored chest.   

“Hey!!! Srassa, over here!!!” Momo stood and jumped, waving both hands.   

When Srassa looked our way, her whole expression softened, and her body language indicated she relaxed a ton. She walked to us with a bit more determination. “I’m really sorry, Ms. Momo! When we left, I forgot to grab my crest. I keep it in a jewelry box while I sleep.”  

“There's nothing to be sorry about. I could've waited, you know.  

“I– I know, but…”  

“Did Jony escort you?”  

“He did. He returned home to get preparation started for tonight's supper.”  

“Mmnn… I can't wait for dinner. Last night's feast was seriously delicious,” Momo said.   

Momo finally noticed the sword hanging from my hip when I stood up. The dagger she lent me appeared in my hand, and I returned it to her, saying the elf I was staying with found this in a closet and gave it to me.   

“Alrighty. If you ever need it, you can borrow it at any time. But we gotta decide on something important. What's on the menu for today?” Momo asked, storing the knife in her bag. “If you girls are feeling adventurous…we could make today pretty interesting.”  

Together, we walked over to the quest board and began to search through it.