XelofBloom
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3.2
🕑 Added 2021-01-06 05:14:38 +0000 UTCEve took a long hot shower after the interrogations were finished. She let the water run endlessly because she could clean it simply by storing it in her inventory and separating the filth from it. The dark red stains in her hair, and the speckles of blood along her body, made the water turn into a reddish-brown swirl before going into the drain.
It had been messy work at the end, even with the red pods. The last mage had been the hardest. He had been the only one to take a second red pod before breaking. Eventually, after the second red pod ran out, he had begged her for a blue one. At that point, Eve had forced him to allow her to experiment on him with her domain before she would agree to let him have a blue pod.
As a result, several thousand paper sheets in her inventory contained the entire life of one Lars Murst mage for hire. To transcribe the story with perfect accuracy, Lars had sold every possible thing he could to the System for the ability to transcribe his life onto her papers. It was a tactic she wasn't proud to employ, just one that needed to be done.
Once she had everything she wanted, Eve had gently fed him a blue pod, sending him off into euphoric bliss. The look of gratitude in his eyes before they rolled back in his head had been disturbing, to say the least. Her floating guardians of celestial iron, the Six Samurai, well Six Soul Weapons now, had ensured there would be no souls to question from the afterlife regarding each prisoner. The forest itself would destroy any attempts to scry the past as the ambient magic apparently a ‘decay’ effect on such things.
All in all, I’ve taken every precaution I can. Matt’s notes have made me paranoid beyond all belief. Eve thought as she started to scrub herself with a small bit of her remaining soap. The execution by using the slow-acting drug in the blue pod that caused the victim to die in extreme rapture did two things. First, it ensured none of the victim’s mana colored the surroundings of her location. Since they experienced such a mind-melting pleasure, their mana couldn't form a ‘grudge’ like that left by the Giant Stone Bear. Second, it allowed Kudzu to test one of his drugs on living humans, albeit soon to be dead ones.
Disposal of the bodies was simplicity itself, as Kudzu’s stomach made short work of them when they expired. He had attempted to explain the taste to her, but when her Six Soul Weapons started vibrating in an unhealthy sounding hum, he dropped the subject. Never let it be said that a plant couldn’t read the room. Eve had originally wanted to dispose of them in her inventory, except Kudzu had admitted he had a small chance of gaining something from the bodies. That had tilted the decision from a paper package into fertilizer.
It was also the first time Eve had gained Experience or XP, as her brother always said, from something besides combat. The interrogation techniques and rapid breaking of the prisoner’s will, along with combat, had added up to a single additional level. Having the System confirm that there were ways to gain XP in other manners besides combat left her to hope that society wasn’t completely worthless.
Level 10k Magic Metal Chef Eve, I can see it already. Eve thought as she grinned in the shower, slowly pushing the beast that came out from seeing the puppies in danger back into its cage. She had made peace with that part long ago, and it only came out in certain situations. Back when she had served in the military, one of their missions had gone sideways in a big way. What had been expected to be a simple snatch and grab extraction had discovered a training camp for the enemy. Normally that wouldn’t have been an issue, except this training camp had specifically trained on information extraction. The kind of information extraction done with hot irons and sharp steel clippers helped feed the people who ran the place’s sick desires. As a wonderful cherry on top of the cake of insanity, they had been practicing their art on female soldiers captured in battle. The tinpot dictators that ran the place happened to run a side business of supplying overseas customers with pets.
After all, once the mind was broken properly, it was easy to make the body obey any command with enough training.
Eve had quietly had a word with her Sarge and, with the silent support of her squadmates, removed that tumor from the face of the Earth. As a result, she had received a quiet medical discharge because while the powers that be didn’t mind what she did, they couldn’t be seen condoning it.
That had cut her military career short, causing her to enter the thrilling world of business. She had tackled getting the job at the pizza parlor she had worked at before being transported here with the same drive she had for almost anything.
Sure, she had used her good looks, sharp clothing, and well-crafted bubbly personality to become a junior manager, but those were just weapons in her toolbox. It wasn’t like she didn’t have other tools. For example, she had the parlor manager investigated and discovered he was cheating on his wife. Had she not gotten the job the legal way, it wouldn’t have been hard to use other means.
I wonder how Matt would take discovering how the military screwed me out of my promotion? Eve thought, sending a short prayer for the souls involved. If my brother's level of power is any indication, their end would be quick, at least.
Lars Murst had provided her with a wealth of information when he finally caved. Eve turned off the water before exiting the shower to towel off. The last mage had explained several things in great detail once she showed interest after his willpower broke.
“Is what Lars Murst said about the Deeps true, Wilson?” Eve asked the System.
While slightly ignorant on some parts, most of what the entity known as Lars Murst said is true.
So, there are things from outside known reality that wish to devour everything. Shocking. Eve thought. At least it explains why Matt was waiting on Earth. I do admit to wondering what my brother could have wanted on our Barren World.
The Deeps she had learned were places of incredible power following the Primal Law of Risk versus Reward. Dungeons with their Cores were a pale copy of the Deeps. Dungeons were, in essence, like Eve, while the Deeps were like Matt. In such places where things had tunneled through the weak points of a dimensional Wall, impossible treasures and dangers could be found hand in hand. The passage of such unspeakable creatures from where they existed could create wonders and horrors in equal measure when they were destroyed.
Slavery had been another wonderful discovery. The knowledge that the type of glyphs she had seen on the wolf warrior battle armor when they arrived at her doorstep could be used for more than fighting disgusted her. As she had long suspected, Crafting Professions did exist, and like all methods of power, they could be twisted to serve sick people. Slave collars properly fitted to a person could be used to administer pain or pleasure in varying amounts. The mage had admitted that some slaves became so addicted to the sensation of pleasure they would do anything for their masters. When she had heard that, Eve’s Celestial Mind had assured her that wouldn’t work on her. It had taken hours for her to come down from the shakes she had gotten hearing about such a tool for evil.
Small mercies are better than no mercy. Eve thought. The fate of beautiful women like her, who don’t have great power or great backers, was horrifying. The life story of Lars Murst demonstrated quite a few times the result of such a combination of a pretty body without power. After learning of his deeds, she had decided to remove him from existence much the decision was much easier; she wouldn't lie.
Moving to her bed, Eve checked her Status before tucking in.
Race: Human
Class: Celestial Scholar
Level: 21
Health: 700/700 (7 HPs regen)
Mana: 1,990/1,990 (1,990 MPs regen)
Stats: Str 70, Dex 70, Con 70, Wis 199, Int 199
Free Stats: 8
Skills:
Paperweight I
Origami Ascension I
Celestial’s Five Senses
Spells:
Domain of Celestial Paper I
Mental Traits:
Celestial Mind
Physical Traits:
Celestial Body
Eve closed her Status before dipping into bed, preparing to try and sleep even though she didn’t think it would go well. Before she could drop off, a veritable flood of small wolf puppies entered her bedroom. They positioned themselves all over her bed, with the black and white leaders of the miniature pack at her shoulders. The rest of the puppies broke down along which leader they followed.
Eve decided it would be better not to struggle. Her decision was not influenced by the fluffiness, nope, not at all.
The addition of fluff and her Six Soul Weapons' humming carried her off to dreamland while guarding her against nightmares.
Waking up a half-day later, Eve managed to escape her bed using the new ability of paper self-flight. Moving to the kitchen, her paper clothes reworked themselves into casual wear. A t-shirt and jeans with solid boots fitted her mood just fine.
Taking out the dinner that had been interrupted by puppy thieves, Eve quickly turned it into breakfast. Her new Six Soul Weapons moved above her as she cooked.
Glancing up at their antics, Eve said, “Let’s name you Uno, Dos, Tres, Quatro, Cinco, Seis!”
The User has chosen to Name her children. The System warns this can have consequences. Do you still wish to proceed?
Finishing the meal, Eve plated it as she considered the warning.
Once she was sitting down with her meal in front of her on the kitchen table, Eve said, “Do it, Wilson.”
Once again, the world paused, holding a breath that seemed without end. Eve felt a titanic shift in the core of her being as something was aligned within her, something she knew could never be altered without the destruction of her Soul.
The User has Named the previously Un-Named Six Soul Weapons.
The Six Soul Weapons have accepted your Names.
Good. Luck.
“What? No note from big brother!?” Eve said before leaping out of her chair, singing and dancing. “That’s right, Matt, this sister can do shit you’ve got no advice for, hah! Who's the best big sis, that's right, this girl!”
Eve realized her error when a flood of puppies piled in from her bedroom, all of them whining and barking for food. They were followed by the adult white wolf nanny, who gave her a look before settling down to eat.
Oops. Eve thought.
After making sure all her guests, including the white nanny wolf that had been resting in the garden, were fed, Eve sat back down to consume her own food.
“Today is moving day, Kudzu!” Eve said.
“Excellent! I cannot tell you how much I have been looking forward to this day!” Kudzu said, his tone suspiciously upbeat.
Eve had long suspected something was going on, and she couldn’t figure out what made Kudzu so happy. Regardless the water situation was slowly deteriorating even with her ability to ‘clean’ water with her inventory. Moving to the lake was better done now rather than later.
It wasn’t that she was motivated by chance to eat fish instead of meat. Nope. Not at all. Eve was just pleased to be by the lake!
As soon as the chaos of breakfast was over, Eve moved outside. Kudzu lifted the house and followed her as she moved to the clearing's edge, pointing in the lake's direction.
“Chop. Create. Chop. Create. I’m a lumberjack lady magical and strong, la la, random words here!” Eve sang in a jarring tune as she cut a pathway through the forest to the lake. Half-way to the lake, Eve felt as if she was being watched. By the time the lake was in view, she was certain she was being watched.
As she looked around, though, Eve couldn’t see anything. There was no mana being used nearby, and there was nothing that would indicate a creature using mana to spy on her.
I mean, unless the trees are staring at me. Eve thought. Wait, wait, Kudzu being happy, the trees staring at me, did I stumble into the middle of some twisted plant war? Did I just get used as a demonstration of peace by a sentient plant!?
Eve kept her thoughts to herself, ordering Kudzu to set up the house in a good spot she had picked out earlier. Glancing back at the path she had cut, Eve was impressed that the trees had completely regrown in less than thirty minutes.
Yeah, there’s something weird going on here between Kudzu and the trees. Eve thought. Let’s pretend I know nothing unless there are Forest Wardens that uproot themselves around here to have a chat with me. In that case, step one is to blame Kudzu!
With an action plan in place to distance herself from the recent mass deforestation that had grown back as fast as it occurred, Eve whistled as she moved with the herd of puppies that had been dogging her steps the entire way. Entering back into her house, Eve turned to her army of fluff before saying, “Alright. I’ve been kind, and I’ve been nice, but it is time for all of you to earn your keep!”
“Don’t even try using those eyes full of unshed tears on me! Eve said, shielding her eyes from the forty-six others staring her down. Summoning all her willpower, she said, “You need to learn to use your powers for my good, I mean, for your own good! I’ll teach you! Trust big sis! No one will ever catch and hold you captive again.”
As a chorus of barks met her claim, Eve smiled as she removed the hand from her eyes.
Let’s get started training my army of fluffy doom! Eve thought.
Comments
Mr. Bigglesworth
No, I won't be reworking chapters as it takes time from writing new ones. Sentient gets the point across I want, so I'll be sticking with it for now.
Dargon
You should probably change "sentient" to "sapient" in all the chapters so far. Sentient means conscious, or able to respond to stimulus, whereas sapient means self-aware or intelligent. For example, a dog is sentient, but not sapient. A person is sentient and sapient. A plant is neither.
Mr. Bigglesworth
I swear, it feels like people are reading my storyboard outline sometimes with the guesses.
Jarloway
I feel like with her paranoia the possibility of lake monsters should be mentioned or a confirmation of a lack thereof from the wolves. Or this is something she forgot and we will see the consequences in the future.
