Chapter 696: King of Souls (2/2)

Mark. Similar.

Friend. To. Fae.

“Alright. Different… Whole? So you’re from a different cluster? Is that an issue?” she asked.

Coexistence

Always

Preferable

She knew the being spoke the truth. On a downright instinctual level. “Good. Do you lay claim to the stuff here or can I and my companions look through and take what we want?”

Knowledge

Gained

Long

Ago

Commence, the being spoke and floated closer.

Accompany?

“You want to accompany me?” Ilea spoke out loud.

Interesting

Being, it sent, just as straight forward as the Baron tended to be.

“Sure, I suppose. If you can explain what happened here and why you’ve got what I think is the soul of Khan Joggoth trapped within you,” Ilea said.

“Imbecile. I will grind your very soul down until nothing remains of what you were and ever will be,” the Fae spoke in a downright adorable voice, hands shaking in outrage before it resumed a calm stance.

Apologies

Outburst

Soul. Transfer. Initiated. On. Presumed. Death. Skill? Enchantment? Both. Likely. Joggoth. Cruel. Arrogant. Transfer. Interrupted. Soul. Fused. Control. Remains. Mostly.

“So you’re the one who defeated this legendary soul mage?” Ilea asked.

The Fae waved her off.

Amusing

Ilea failed to grasp exactly what the being tried to convey with the feelings and thoughts added to the sent word. “Alright then. If you don’t think you’re a danger to other creatures with that soul inside of you, you can travel with me for a while. You’ll have to stay back when it’s dangerous though, and I’ll have you hide occasionally. Not sure how that will work if you have those outbursts…”

Acceptable, the being sent with a thought of amusement.

“Also, this shoulder is already taken,” Ilea said and tapped her right one.

Envy

Of

Prime

Shoulder

“Primordial actually,” Ilea answered.

The Fae tilted its head and vanished, appearing on her left instead.

Left

Good

Too

Ilea glanced down at the creature that simply sat and observed, the wisps of the fabric moving around as if at its will. This one seems more mature than Violence for some reason. Would it even have talked to me if not for the mark the Baron has left on me?

“RABBLE!!” the Fae shouted in her ear in a high pitched voice.

“Yes,” Ilea said and patted the little being with an ashen limb. Maybe not the best idea. She observed the being for a few minutes with Owl floating around her. “Do you need help to get back to your cluster?” she asked after a while, neither her or the Lich able to perceive anything particularly dangerous about the creature. The Baron had incredible space magic at his disposal for his level and could survive attacks that would entirely remove a level one hundred human from existence but Ilea doubted the creature alone would be able to harm her, or anyone above level two hundred. She was pretty sure about it, mostly because she knew it was a deliberate choice. The Fae could simply move through the fabric with the entirety of its self, but it didn’t. If the Meadow thinks highly of their power and knowledge, there was no other explanation.

The second soul was concerning, of course, but both the Fae and Owl confirmed that the control of the body remained in the hands of the original owner, apart from the short outbursts.

Now

Free

Appreciate

Offer

Hmm, this one is more willing to talk in less confusing words too. Either more familiar with humans or well, less of a little shit than Violence.

She grinned, thinking of the little bugger. Hah, might as well. “Hey. Found other Fae. New friend or dangerous?” she sent the words to the creature.

The being on her shoulder looked up and away.

Ilea didn’t miss that the direction corresponded exactly with where she could feel the mark on her friend. Perceptive, are we? Even with everything she had, she couldn’t really see the messages sent through her marks. Other than a vague magical pulse to a random direction, easily missed in the ambient mana and the magic of her auras.

“Violence.” It was all the being sent back, the meaning as multifaceted and confusing as anything else it could’ve said.

She knew him somewhat by now however. There was interest in there, some joy, hope, jealousy, and a seething want for absolute destruction. Now I want them both to be on my shoulders like some kind of space combat drones.

“I don’t suppose you’re particularly interested in violence?” Ilea asked the being as she started towards the exit.

Not. Direct. Violence. Magical. Demonstration. Of. Power. Amusing. And. Consequences. Of. Actions, the being replied, each word sent separately.

“Any reason you can’t speak like when Khan takes over your form? I’m pretty sure you lack any voice organs but it still somehow works when there’s an outburst,” Ilea said.

Slowed. For. Your. Benefit. I. Lack. Power. To. Communicate. Adequate.

“I see. So how would you normally communicate?” Ilea asked.

The Fae tilted its head to the side. Sure?

“Yeah, go for it. I’ll feed you a couple thousand mana if it’s worse than anything else I’ve been subjected to,” she said.

A fast moving set of images, thoughts, and feelings invaded her mind, cut off after a split second when the Fae reeled back, holding its tiny head with one of its hands.

Ilea healed it immediately. “Sorry. I forgot to say I have a third tier resistance.”

Know. Defense. Perceived. More. Power. Than. Anticipated.

“I see. Well I didn’t expect your normal way to talk would be seen as a mental attack, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised,” she mused. “Guess you can keep it to simple words then, for the simple monkey. Ah, I’ve got a friend I’d love to introduce you to. It’s a massive fan of your species. I’d think it could handle your normal way of talking.”

Oh? Amusing. Acceptable.

So this one is just Amusing instead of Violence? Baron Amusing? Lady Amusing? I’m not sure about those yet. Needs more work. “Do you have a name?” she sent.

“I’m Khan Joggoth, and you will bow before me,” the Fae replied in a calm tone.

“Not you, the other one,” Ilea said.

Name. Meaningless. Choose. Human.

“I’ll have to think of something,” Ilea murmured as she stepped out of the Soul Forge, her head to the side as she looked at the Fae.

“Oh, it’s Violence,” Pierce said and waved.

“It’s not the same one,” Verena said.

“A… Fae? What?” Bralin added as the two Shades bowed in a fluid motion.

Aki stepped a little closer. “Another one. When will you end your ceaseless need to collect strange beings from ancient ruins?”

The Fae ignored everyone but Aki, simply looking at the Taleen machine.

“Found something amusing?” Ilea asked.

Hmm, the being replied, not offering anything else.

“So what’s inside?” Pierce asked. “Other than that small space thingie?”

Small? said the being to Ilea.

“She’s not a space mage. I know the concept of size doesn’t exactly apply to you,” she replied.

Simple

Mind

“Hmm, yes,” Ilea mused, the two of them looking at Pierce.

“What’s with that mocking look in your eyes?” the woman asked.

Ilea turned around before she gestured everyone to follow. “It seems safe enough in there. Plenty of research, inactive wardens, and machines I have no clue what to do with. We have time too so knock yourselves out. Our arena fights are another day off.”

“Treasure,” Pierce mused as she stored her armor and vanished.

Iana walked in after her, dragging Chris with her. “Don’t touch anything yet!”

“I think you can get up now,” Ilea said to the Shades, their heads still bowed. They didn’t react to what she said. “Can you tell them to stop bowing? They think you some kind of god,” she said to the Fae.

Am

“Great,” she murmured and heard a giggling sound within her mind.

The Shades lifted their heads a moment later, looking at the being before they floated past, bowing once more right when they went by.

“You don’t want to go in?” Ilea asked, looking at Aki.

The being walked closer, eliciting a response from the Fae who hovered towards it. “Someone should guard the entrance.”

Ilea formed two ashen copies, each receiving a layer of her mantle. “These should be more than enough. Go play.”