Chapter 157 – Surprise Gift

Aki

The next day, we set off towards Mer-Cas as planned. I was a bit sad to leave my home again, but it was what it was. The fact that, in a month, I went from a pariah to someone people would be telling their grandchildren about may have had something to do with it, but I couldn't let fame go to my head.

Revelling in it for a while though… I think I have earned that. WE have earned that.

One massive surprise was the effect this had on Deirdee. While she, Lilyth and I were returning from the inn, we were approached by a group of villagers, including children, who wanted to thank us for what we had done. The kids were especially enraptured by the fact that they had met actual adventurers. Some of the children wanted my friends to tell stories about their adventures, likely to the horror of their parents, which was a problem due to them not being suitable for kids. Deirdee was the one to save the day and just told them about the crystalline city of Sapphire Threnody she visited one time while escorting a Crimson Vicar. Of course, she had to censor the living shit out of the tale, but what she told them was enough to cause the kids to look starry-eyed at her. Truth be told, her story about gleaming buildings carved out of crystals was vivid enough that even I wanted to go there.

Based on her facial expression, I think the absolute admiration she got from the children was the first time in Deirdee's life that someone outside of her immediate circle had genuinely appreciated her as a person. Fearing requests for a follow-up, I quickly excused us, saying we would be having an early start the next day, which was mostly true. I am not sure who was more disappointed by that: the children or Deirdee.

We also ended up getting more… tangible rewards from our patrons for cleansing the Murdergrove. Caei received the [Deadeye] ability book she wanted, Ren a rune for [Spider Climb], a neat Nature spell that let her walk on walls, I got one for [The Grace of Water], Lilyth got [Shadow Cloak] and Deirdee… Deirdee got a magical engineering handbook and a repair kit.

That one surprised all of us, but she simply smiled and said:

‘Once again, the gods know my heart better than I do.’

She told us that she did spend some time thinking about her role in the team and understood that there was no particular… niche she could fill. She wasn't good at magic, something very common among the Serrated Blades, and while she could use abilities, her skillset was stealth-focused, which was one area we weren't particularly lacking in. But, a lot of her assassin training did involve stuff like building and disarming traps, maintaining their own equipment and crafting survival gear. She also took a real liking to the Magitek carbine she got so potentially restoring it back to its original glory and maybe even upgrading it was a very exciting prospect for her.

Due to Bergia's fairly poor condition and age, it took us eight days to get back home. It was weird to think that this disaster of a trip took us four weeks and that we were likely running out of time, assuming we weren't late already. Ren said that Nyx did let Savri know when we started making our way back, and that we would likely be delayed, but that was the extent of remote communication she allowed us. Also, let’s face it, the Viscount wouldn't postpone the ceremony just for us.

Or rather, my brother won't do that. I really needed to keep reminding myself that we are family. If I don’t… I might miss some potential danger, and that could be lethal.

Apparently, Deirdee took accidentally talking herself into training Lilyth seriously. It quickly became obvious to her that my wife’s fighting style was beyond her, or any non-slimeling trainer's, capabilities to improve, so every evening she would spar with her using vaguely knife-shaped branches. That way, my stupid fox would at least get some experience. She also tried to give the rest of some pointers, but said she didn't want us to get bad habits that a real instructor would need to unteach us. So, we would have to wait for Savri or Arcarius to teach us.

Ugh, Arcarius.

The temple dragoon was a potential massive headache. I have discussed him with Bergia extensively, and while she initially wasn’t happy he was in Mer-Cas AND that I was on reasonably good terms with him, once the initial shock had passed, she agreed that it was Vanek that was the problem here and Arcarius did enough to minimise the damage that she was willing to tolerate him, especially since he also risked his life for Ren and Caei in Lin-Vyme.

Another worrying thing was my wives. Both of them felt distant during the trip. With Lilyth, the answer was likely very simple - exhaustion. We were all feeling oy, and her way of handling that was solitude. I knew that Lilyth was a loner before coming to Dwynveia, so if that was her way of dealing with this, so be it. Especially since she seemed to have discovered a love of lazing away in sun patches, something we found out by accident when we were taking a break for midday meal on the second day of our journey back.

After we had eaten, we decided to rest a bit more in the forest, and after a while, I noticed that Lilyth had gone off somewhere, and so did Chirpy and Veenaya. I went looking for them and found my foxy cutie rolled up into a ball in a patch of sunlight and napping. Our pets were lying against her, also asleep. It was so adorable. Then Lilyth briefly woke up, licked one of her wrists and went back to sleep.

I realised that for the first time in a while, she looked completely peaceful. No nightmares, no worries, just tranquillity.

While I didn't want to disturb her, in the end I decided to lie down next to her and wrap my hands around her. Lilyth was startled by this but ended up quickly calming down and started to drift off again.

‘I love you so much,’ I whispered to her as I felt her breathing get steadier and steadier.

Later, clearly embarrassed, Lilyth blamed the whole thing on her new [Sunlight Absorption] trait, which cost her two perk points and allowed her to heal and regain mana faster if exposed to sunlight. I knew that she still had trouble accepting her new body, so if this helped her preserve her own self-image? I was more than happy to accept her story. In either case, none of us would even dare to try to take those foxnaps away from her. She had earned them and more.

So much more.

Caei though… She was much harder to read. If you didn't know her, you’d think my alabaster beauty was acting normally. But… there was less… oomph to her actions, and she definitely ate less. She also seemed less… flirty… less…spirited… less… Caei, in general.

Whenever I asked her about it, she said it was fine, but I could see it clearly wasn’t, but whatever it was… it likely couldn't be made better with a hug.

Caeileera

For the life of me, I had no idea how to bring up the fact that I was contacted by Lady Madness with my loved ones.

It wasn't real contact for the most part. The best way I could describe it is that there was a note attached to one ability tree I could access. It was called Sanguikinesis, and until then, I thought this was something that only a select few of Crimson Vicars could access. That ability tree was unlocked only for those who earned the Blood’s highest esteem, which was insanely rare. And yet… Lady Madness gave it to me like it was nothing, with a simple message of:

To make up for the mess the memories of your other self created - The Madness That Dwells Outside

That couldn't have been the only reason, but I had no idea what else it could have been or what Lady Madness would expect in return. I really didn't like the idea of being beholden to her, but, on the other hand, that unlock was SO tempting.

There was also another, equally steep, cost associated with the skill tree - the starter ability [Lesser Blood Manipulation] cost five perk points. It was worth it, though, as it would let me form and move around the blood of our enemies and, as I understood it, use it to form my Sanguine spells, cutting down on mana cost.

The dilemma consumed me for several days as we journeyed back. I knew that Aki definitely noticed, but what could I tell her? That I was gifted with one of the rarest abilities in the world, and was unsure whether to take it? She would leave the decision up to me anyway. Same with Lilyth. And… even if I didn't learn it now… the temptation would always be there… Most importantly, what would I do if someone got hurt because of my not taking it? On the other hand… if I took it and that drew the ire of the Blood… they would end up hurt regardless… No, the risk was too great.

Needless to say, the indecision was driving me insane, so when I woke up in a familiar garden under an alien sky, it came as a relief.

‘Hello, my child,’ Akh’rek smiled from under his straw hat and helped me get up. ‘I think we need to talk.’

‘Couldn’t we have discussed this via mind contact?’ I raised my eyebrow.

‘I think this one is better handled face to face as it concerns your recent… worries.’

Oh.

‘So you noticed?’

‘It was hard not to, and, given the situation, they are fully understandable.’

I hung my head in defeat.

‘I just don’t know what to do,’ I admitted. ‘I want those abilities, but I am terrified it will have consequences.’

‘Choices tend to have those… yes,’ the god smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. ‘I can’t tell you what to do, but… tell me… do you think this is something Lady Madness would have offered you without any strings attached?’

I thought about it.

‘No,’ I conceded. ‘There are always strings. Be it her or you.’

‘So you are learning,’ Akh'ret smiled. ‘But yes… for the most part our gifts are either payment up front or in arrears of some service.’

‘So if you still needed me to do a task, you would not give me something that could potentially prevent you from collecting?’

‘Precisely. Likewise, we tend not to hand out poisoned rewards.’

‘Does this mean that the gift from Lady Madness is safe for me to take?’

Akh’ret shook his head and chuckled.

‘Do you seriously think that?’’

I tried to find the best way to rephrase the question.

‘Does this mean that the gift from Lady Madness will not entail dangers outside of those she will put us into once she reveals what she wants in return?’

‘Better. But not perfect. You are almost there. Consider everything I had just told you.’

‘She already collected on this, didn’t she?’ I asked carefully after a few moments of silence. ‘This is one of the rarest and most powerful skill trees, so you wouldn't give out something like this up front without presenting any conditions. This is also probably an investment for her, as while she won’t expect anything directly in return, it makes me a far more powerful asset to use in the future. Meaning it would not put me in any extra danger due to it decreasing my future “usability”.’

Akh’ret nodded in approval.

‘That Terran of yours is definitely rubbing off on you, my child. But you got it right. We plan several steps ahead. Not Lady Madness, though. She plans for hundreds, if not thousands, of years in advance.’

I looked at him in confusion.

‘I already told you as much as I can.’

I mulled it over a bit more and then bought the ability.

‘Not gonna ask your wives?’ It was the god’s turn to be confused.

‘I already know what they would tell me if I asked.’

Akh'ret only nodded at that and started raising his hand to dismiss me, so I quickly asked:

‘Need some help around the garden?’

‘Always, my child,’ he beamed at me, and we got down to work.

And indeed, when I broke the news to them the next morning, they reacted just as I had expected. Aki was sad I didn't share the burden with them earlier, but agreed that there was no useful advice she could have given me. Lilyth did suggest something interesting, though:

‘If your intuition about the Leera thing not being the whole story, something I agree with, is right, then it means our little ragtag band rendered her some service. Meaning it is possible me, Aki, and Ren also have surprises from Lady Madness waiting for us.

What could they be, though?

Akh’ret

‘Are you sure letting her have this is a good idea?’ Akh’ret asked after Caeileera, having secured his permission for future gardening visits, had returned to the mortal realm several hours later. ‘Mother?’

‘She’s already on a collision course with the Sanguine,’ Lady Madness responded in a voice sounding like a crackling silence as she materialised behind him. ‘I am merely evening the odds.’

The god of Life turned towards her.

‘Still, I can’t think that the Blood will be happy about you handing out its toys.’

‘Don’t worry,’ the goddess shrugged. ‘If the Blood ever finds out, I will remind that thing about certain facts of life and who gave it those toys to begin with.’

‘I… see.’

‘You don’t approve.’

Even though it wasn't a question, Akh’ret felt compelled to answer.

‘I am just worried about Caeileera and her friends.’

‘So long as they remain my agents, they will be under my protection.’

‘Remain…’ Akh’ret rubbed his chin. ‘So the Prism was your doing.’

‘Look who just earned themselves a cookie,’ Lady Madness smiled, and after a snap of her fingers, a dinner plate-sized chocolate chip cookie manifested before Akh’ret. ‘Keep it up, and there might be a juicebox in it for you too.’

After he grabbed it, the goddess continued:

‘Someone had to clean up the “King’s” old mess,’ Lady Madness sighed. ‘Given the slime and her… proclivities, it felt like a good idea. Alas, the Prism was prepared. Though given how it also dealt with one of your problems, you should not be the one to complain.’

The god nodded with a grim expression on his face.

‘Any other rewards I and the others should know about?’

‘Aki and Lilyth remain; I will let Nyx and Irmi know once the time is right.’

‘Ren’s bow… that was also you?’

‘I didn't need to do much. Just… gave her a push when the time was right. It was much easier to do than figuring out a sneaky way to give Caeileera the Sanguikinesis.’

‘Which you didn't.’

‘No, ‘ the goddess spat. ‘The Blood keeps too tight control on that for me to make it seem like a spontaneous development.’

‘Why, though, mother?’

‘Why go through all this effort?’

The god nodded again.

‘For the sake of appearances. For now… I don’t want to upset the balance too much. Not yet, anyway. My plan… requires caution.’

‘Your plan?’

His mother smiled mysteriously and faded away. Akh'ret sighed and eyed the cookie he got from her cautiously.

Might as well not let it go to waste.

It was perfect and just like he remembered from the time he and Ere were learning under their mother’s tutelage.

The juicebox, though, while delicious, was wholly unnecessary, the god thought as he sipped from it in quiet indignation.