Hollow #2 - Chapter 53 (Patreon)

Chapter 53 - Pool Apati 

Apati Bathhouse

Danae

“Ahh, that’s better,” I murmured.

The blood fruit seeds kept getting stuck between my teeth.  Luckily, demon monkey ribs made fantastic toothpicks – hitting all those hard to reach spots.

An hour and thirteen plates later… I actually felt a lot better.

I was lounging in the luxurious baths that Nyx had constructed.  He even had a saltwater bath with “bathside service.”  So, you could just float effortlessly while people brought you food.  Any food I could think of and many things I couldn’t.

Even Eris had relaxed eventually.  She’d only had to take apart the men’s bath to prove to herself that there was an acceptably small amount of sewage used in the construction.  This, of course, also doubled as an opportunity to prove, once and for all, that Horus didn’t need to bathe.  It wasn’t clear how this was relevant to her “mission.”

But if I had to take a stab at it…

Perhaps, in an effort to reduce the Order’s consumption of scarce resources, Kastor was trying to invent a means to eliminate bathing altogether.  He must have planted Horus in this unit in order for Eris to discover and test the efficacy of this new product.  Possibly some sort of hairspray that made fur, skin, clothing, and armor impervious to dirt?

Or, at least, that’s what I imagine she might say.

Woo.  That was a lot, huh?

To be honest, I was feeling amazing.

I could barely remember those avid readers boiling to death for no reason.

Which might be why I’d eaten a bit too much.  And they were liberal with the herbs and spices here.  I’d had to ration that glowing green powder after the acid rain wreaked havoc on our last mushroom crop.  But DJ ‘lil P said their farms were up and running.

Although, they must have also increased the potency.

Because Eris was really out of it.  I saw her blow bubbles in her bath.  And this was Eris we were talking about.  Then she’d discovered that she could circulate her spirit through the bath, which allowed her to create pressurized jets of heated water.  Massage jets, she called them.  She insisted it was the only way to bathe.  I considered asking to try it, but all the bubbles and splashing seemed like it might damage my food.

Now the elf just kept falling asleep, her head dipping below the water.  But it was fine.  I made sure to shield her head, leaving enough air for her to breathe.  Of course, I considered just letting her die.  But I had a feeling that might ruin the bath side service.  Especially since Nyx clearly had something planned for Horus and Eris.

Besides, I’d already seen the itinerary.

His “Dinner-Apati Plans.”

The bath and the snack were just the first step.  Afterward was a tour of the canning factory.  Followed by a stroll through the blood fruit groves which would include a light picnic of regional wines, cheeses, and various non-sentient charcuterie.  Afterwards, we would watch a demonstration of their new vinification process.  Then a light lunch at the local Fin-Factory cafeteria – voted the #1 Café in the Outer Reaches.  After that, a walking tour of the city to survey their many beautification projects, including an “interactive experience” showcasing their new manufacturing processes at work.

And once evening finally arrived, we would make a “twilight repast” in “Nyx Tower,” Apati’s “hot new gourmet restaurant with a 360 degree view of the Outer Reaches.”

Honestly, it sounded like hell.

Like an opportunity for more of Eris’ “flirting” and Horus’ “bullshit.”

The nausea would no doubt ruin all the wonderful food.

My best hope was to stay far, far away—

Eris abruptly sat up, holding her stomach.

“I, uh… I need to go to My Little Lady’s room,” she slurred.

With a splash, a flash of flame, and the hiss of steam, she was gone and the door was soon sliding closed.  I just blinked through the haze.  This was a regular occurrence.  When she finally relaxed, Eris’ body used that as an opportunity to get caught up on routine maintenance.  Stuff like digestion.   I mean, all that food had to go somewhere.

At least, that should occupy her for a while.

Which was perfect.  I closed my eyes, just drifting.  But I didn’t forget my work.  I took my quest to kill death seriously.  That’s why my many plates were well within reach along the edge of the pool, my paw moving plate to mouth in a perfect, endless, relaxing motion.  Crunch, crunch… CREAK.

Ahh, I spoke too soon…

That must be the door.

It was fine, though.  Eris would probably just stumble back into the to pool—

I suddenly felt a tremble and a warm pressure up and down my back, the water bubbling around me.  Eris had been insistent before that I try the jets, so she must have decided not to ask for “consent” this time.  I almost objected, but then let out a hum of pleasure.  I’ll admit, I was wrong before.  The massage jets were delightful.

That pressure kept going, more joining from the sides, the bottom… even the top.

It felt exquisite, like a full body massage.

Maybe I hadn’t appreciated Eris’ value before.

The only thing that would make this better was a small nibble—

Except, this time, my paw bumped into a hard, solid surface.

My eyes shot open in an instant.  Although, it took me a second to understand what was going on – the herbs and spices still working their magic.

I was definitely still floating.  It’s just that I was now in the center of the room, my fur covered in a thin barrier of golden light – just enough to protect me from the immense beams of superheated steam that were being channeled by the dozen savran that now ringed the bathing pool.  They were all aiming at me, that pressure crushing in on my body from all directions.  Which, honestly, made it a little hard to see.

Then the pressure faded and stopped.

My ass hit the ground and my shield popped like a bubble.

Which left me sitting there in the bottom of an empty bathtub, the air filled with steam and surrounded by glowing, snake eyes that peered down at me through the haze.

“Did we get her?  The would-be Erica?” one hissed.

“I don’t think so.  I see no remains….”

“Damn it.  She must have left the baths already.”

I had no idea what they were talking about.  And I didn’t care.

Because one thing was abundantly clear.  My food was gone.

All those many, many plates full of burgers and kabobs and pastries.

And for the second time in as many days, I felt that heat erupt inside me.

In an instant, my hearth spirit had detoxified my vessel, the effect of the herbs and spices disappearing in a flash and clarity returning, the world resolving into harsh focus as the steam began to dissipate.  Each of those scaly, snake-eyed faces now painted in perfect, painful, sober clarity.  These people that dared to interfere with my mission.

“Ahh, it is the vulpin.”

“We must leave no witnesses.”

“And you all saw what she did to our bookstore.”

“An easy kill.  We will finish it fast and retreat.”

I don’t know what came over me next.

Maybe it was watching Horus use his spirit in strange new ways – how I’d even begun to experiment with my own.  Using my bubbles to preserve my food.  To help support my fragile body.  Or it could have been what DJ ‘lil P had said about taking control.

Or maybe it was how one of my would-be murderers stepped on the soggy, dripping remains of my demon monkey burger as she stalked toward me.

How they destroyed my precious food.

The only thing holding back death.

I created a shield.  Like normal.  Like always.

But, this time, it didn’t wrap my rotund belly or stained paws.  This time, I moved it.  Like when I used bubbles as cushions back in my snack wagon.  Or to preserve my food.  Or to provide a helpful seat during Eris’ militant march through the wasteland.

Except, this time, I moved it a little faster.

Okay, much faster.  As fast as I could really.

One of the savran simply vanished, a resounding metallic thud echoing through the bath.  It took us all a moment to figure out what happened.

The savran was still in the room, but her body had been flattened against the wall, now down to a mere half an inch under the immense pressure from my shield.  Her bones had been crushed, her skin split, muscle exposed in gruesome details.  Her eyes popped and her skull had fully caved in.  She now stretched the entire length of the wall.

It was actually impressive how much surface area she covered.

The others gaped in shock, but their hesitation lasted only seconds until shouts of alarm filled the bath.  Until they turned toward me, snake-eyes glowing in the steam of the bath.  Until jets of superheated water welled at their fingertips and rocketed toward me—

And then I, uh… I just sort of blacked out.

When I came to, I was still standing in the middle of the bath.  Except the room was transformed.  Redecorated.  The walls, ceiling and tub were painted a solid red, bits and pieces of former savran embedded in the metal.

I blinked.  Blinked again.  Blinked a few more times.

I was looking for the monster.  For the meteor.  For Eris.

For whatever had killed those people.

But there was just… nothing.  Just me.

Standing in the bottom of that tub, blood pouring off my shield.

Then I noticed the paper at my feet, stained and spotted.

Hmm, one of my attackers must have dropped it.  I stooped to grab it.  It turned out to be a copy of the Dinner-Apati Itinerary, except this one was longer and much more involved.  Several pages long.  There were also notes in red.

Plans of attack.  Ambushes.  Decoys.  All targeted at Eris.  Many crossed out and new ones added.  Like someone had changed their mind.  And, at the top, a new title:

LaWD’s and Ladies Nyx’s Super Convoluted Romantic Battle Decoy Plan.

Were… were Horus’ fans hunting Eris?

“Oh shit,” I murmured.

I suddenly felt the temperature rising, a sure sign Eris was returning.  I looked around again at the carnage – at the evidence of… something.  Normally, this would be fine.  Not good.  Not normal.  Not okay.  But not uncommon.  Murder happened in the Five Rivers – all the time actually.  Stumbling over a few bodies or the remains of a massacre was routine.

It was best to keep your eyes down and mouth shut.

Otherwise, you might just join them.

Except, this was supposed to be a “death-free zone.”

So how would the residents of Apati react?

And, more importantly, if Eris saw this, what would she “see?”  That I’d killed these people?   Me?  Danae?  And then would come the whys and the hows.  Her constant questions.

What would I tell her?  Not about the plot, surely.  Because that would mean revealing the book.  And if Horus found out… well, I wasn’t worried about myself.  I was already contemplating the true worst case scenario.  That I alone would survive after those two idiots completely destroyed this beautiful city and all of its precious food.

There was only one way to accomplish my goal; to kill death.

So, I ran for that door as fast as my paws could carry me.

I just barely slid into the hallway as Eris arrived, smashing my back to the door and my chest heaving.  Maybe… maybe I should also consider some exercise.

“Danae!  I just had the best idea!” Eris announced in excitement.  “A stroke of pure genius.  It was like I could feel it moving through me.”

Then she seemed to notice my harried expression.  “What?  What’s wrong?”

“The bath… the bath is out of surface,” I gasped.

“Surface?” she repeated in confusion.

Ahh, I still had blood on the brain.

“Service,” I amended quickly.  “That’s what I said.”

Her eyes narrowed, still slightly bloodshot.  “For how long?”

“Just an hour…” I trailed off as I noticed the blood seeping from beneath the door.  “Or two,” I amended quickly.  Shit.  How was I going to clean up that mess?

“Unfortunate,” Eris murmured.  Then her eyes lit back up.  “But this gives us a chance to discuss my plan.  You will love it.”

“Uh, what plan?” I asked tentatively.

Eris’ face was suddenly close, her eyes bloodshot and pupils strangely dilated – no doubt a result of Nyx’s proprietary blend of herbs and spices.  “A plan to finally confront Horus.”  She waved a page in my face.  The itinerary.  A normal one.  “Did you see this?”

“Ahh, yeah… um, I did,” I answered, swallowing hard.

“This is the perfect opportunity,” Eris purred happily.

“Perfect opportunity for what?” I asked, brow furrowed.

Eris’ eyes snapped back to mine.  “To get closer to Horus, of course – to finally call his bluff.  We’ve been at an impasse.  Each of us “flirting” with the other, trying to jockey for position, but neither able to land a finishing blow.  Yet this will change that.”

I really didn’t want to ask the next question, but I did anyway.

“Um, how is that?” I chirped.

“Because I plan to use this itinerary to date Horus.”

I just stared back, my brain feebly trying to catch up.

This wasn’t the result I wanted.  Certainly wasn’t the result I needed – the opposite in fact.  I’d been hoping to talk her out of the itinerary altogether.  Maybe force feed her an extra helping of tempura that would leave her comatose for a few days.

Yet that seemed to be a pipe dream.

“Ahh, but first, we must prepare – must finish our bath,” Eris chirped happily.  “Then we will pick out something for me to wear—” she began, reaching for the door and pulling.

I slammed it shut with my shoulder.  Hard.

“The bath is still out of service,” I grunted.

“Ahh, right…” Eris murmured, frowning delicately.

“In the… in the, uh, meantime, they suggested you try the showers.  They said they actually spray you with heated water from head to foot.  Like standing under a waterfall.”

They had been on the longer itinerary.  Page 3.  If I cut the water to the plumbing, the savran’s alternate assassination plan shouldn’t work.  Hopefully.

“Perfect.  That sounds… interesting,” Eris murmured, her eyes flashing and a rare smile sliding across her face.  Thankfully, her interest had been piqued.

Then she pivoted and stalked down the hallway – hunting for the showers.

Which left me alone again, more blood spilling out from under the door – probably because the congealed gore was sliding off the walls.  This mess was going to be too much to handle by myself, even with my shields.  But there was another option.  Another person with a stake in this.  One who would likely be overjoyed to hear about Eris’ plan.  And likely less happy to hear about his fans’ plans to murder his date.

I let out a sigh.  This isn’t what I wanted – what I’d hoped for.  But if I was going to accomplish my mission, then I had no choice.

It appeared I was going to be playing matchmaker.

At least, if I wanted my precious food to survive.

The things I do for death…