RD 3 Ch 40 (Patreon)

Chapter 40

Now that I had something to do besides staring out at the empty white expanse, I realized how much time was passing by.

As the different Mul Branova summoned me into their souls, I realized that I was sitting on the shelf about six hours between members of the Mul Branova finishing and the next starting. The demons were only doing two or possibly three of the Mul Branova possessions a day. 

Thankfully for me, they were doing them one at a time, and I was able to directly support each. The Mul Branova all showed different levels of excitement when they realized they could summon me into their soul. Though I cautioned them, the only reason I was able to do so, and actively help, was that I wasn't doing anything else at present.

Still, they all seemed very excited at the idea of being able to call on me and my strength. 

What I was most worried for, however, was when the demons would try and possess the others. Simone, Nyx, and Gloria were, of course, a high concern, but the rest of the initiates that had joined the vault would also be at risk. I could only hope that I got an opportunity to personally deal with the demons who tried to take them. 

From what I had picked up in snippets of conversation, this General Zaydelin had now set his eyes on possessing me, all due to the Sacrificial Worship ability that the new devotees were able to provide. Any general would love to be able to call upon his supporters' strength and enhance his own power.

Not that Zaydelin stood a chance at receiving it from me. The demon general would have a rude awakening when he finally challenged me.

I floated there, frozen in stasis as yet another pull tugged at my mind. I was wondering how many more of the Mul Branova were going to undergo possession, only to find myself in a strange space when I followed this tug.

Instead of one, there were three. Myra, Zyra and Kyra were all decked out in gold ball gowns amid a rich hall that resembled Zeus’ back in the Heros Clan.

All three of my servants were present in the soul space which was odd enough.

To join them there was a three-headed demon that much resembled a massive purple ogre. It held a spell-casting staff in one hand and a cudgel in the other. That demon resonated with three different souls.

"And what are you three up to?" I said, pausing and squinting at all three of them with soul gaze to make sure they were indeed real. It was interesting for them to be in the same soul space.

I took a moment to thank Amanda who had successfully injected her ability through the talisman and projected me to protect my three golden servants’ soul. 

The red-haired Myra turned to me. "Bran?" she asked, blinking away her surprise.

"That would be me." A blade of blood pulled down into my hand.

Kyra and Zyra turned, Myra's words peeling their eyes away from the demonic ogre. 

"Help us," the two said in unison. 

"Care to explain how you ended up here?" I asked, swinging my sword around and walking towards the massive demonic ogre. 

"It's a long story, but it was that strange crypt.” Myra said,. “It gave us a weird ability before…”

But they did not have a chance to say any more before the ogre's magical staff glowed. I had heard the story already anyways.

Meteor-sized fireballs began descending from the sky, at the same moment the ogre charged forward, swinging that cudgel at me as his skill activated. 

I could see the sorcerer and the barbarian of the ogre.

The ogre somehow possessed three classes. A barbarian, a sorcerer, and a demonic worshiper. Somehow, it was a classic party composition all in of itself.

A Crimson Barrier sprang up around me and my three servants.

Raining balls of fire hammered against the red barrier, shattering it just in time for my sword to collide with the cudgel.

The Demonic Ogre barely registered the impact, its large body flexing as the cudgel strained against my sword, dark unholy magic roiled off the center head and wrapped around its body like a set of veins outside its skin. Its muscles swelled as it strained further.

My feet slid back against the increasing pressure, only for the magical staff on the other side to swing, in a pincer attack. I stopped resisting and let the cudgel swing me clear, the staff and cudgel slamming together with a loud click of wood. 

"Ladies, you need to believe in me a little more," I glared back at the three servants. 

Unlike the Mul Branova, who, when I entered their souls, both gave me access to Soul Resilience and assumed I’d defeat their demon, the three servants appeared to be different. They didn't have the same faith in me. Not to mention, they'd never really seen me take on anything big. 

"I do believe in you, Bran," Myra said, glancing at the other two. "It must be them." 

Realizing all three were in the same soul space, I frowned. "Perhaps you need to be on the same page. Talk to each other and make this right. Within this space, you three can control everything. Including whether I win or lose." 

The demonic ogre came roaring after me as my three servants rushed away, whispering under their breath.

I watched as they stared back at the demonic ogre, his body shrinking with each step until he was nothing more than a pipsqueak in front of me. I lifted a foot and held him back as he screamed and started to bash my ankle with his two weapons, though it barely hurt.

Really? The ogre was the size of a puppy but still held his ferocity as he did his best impression of an ankle biter.

The three servants giggled to the side, at least they made him tiny. Though I’d have preferred it if they made me mighty.

I snapped my foot back and kicked the tiny demonic ogre a dozen feet away, swinging my sword back and forth as I approached him.

Their lack of faith in me could be remedied later.

"Can I get a cage from you three?" I asked, only for something that looked like it was supposed to cage a gerbil to drop down over the demonic ogre who roared in a high-pitched squeak and started slamming his weapons against the cage.

To my own surprise, the servants were incredibly effective at controlling their space. I raised an eyebrow and turned to them. "Care to explain a few things, like why are all three of you in here together?" 

Myra glanced at the other two before realizing she had become the de facto speaker in the current situation. "Well," she said, "it probably had something to do with the skill we all got. It was called Fusion." She eyed the three headed ogre.

I raised an eyebrow. "Fusion?" Then, realizing they were all in the same soul space, my eyebrow climbed further. "As in, you're one person right now?" 

They glanced back at the demonic ogre, wailing in its new pet cage, and I realized that most of these demons were prepping the bodies to be their hosts. Seeing the three heads, it made sense to me that it was really three demons fused into one body. That would explain the three classes. I glanced back at my servants. 

"And you used this ability?" I asked. 

The three of them suddenly struck a pose where they pointed with both hands and bent at the waist towards each other. "Like this," Myra said. 

I frowned at the ridiculous pose. I was certain the ability would work without the corresponding stance. The demon must have a strange sense of humor. "That doesn't matter. So, you are now fused," I said slowly this time.

"It would seem so, Master," Myra bowed. 

I rubbed my chin, wondering what effects that would have on other parts of their abilities. What would happen to the three bloodlines that I gave them? And of course, there were bound to be other changes as well. 

"Do you think..." I started, my curiosity outweighing everything else.

But Myra held a hand up to stop me. "We know absolutely nothing, Bran. As soon as we all learned the skill, it activated and we ended up here." 

I nodded. The others from the Mul Branova had similar experiences. The demons weren't very patient in their possession. Then again, from everything I'd heard from Boss, they were quickly running out of time.

Hopefully that meant that my own possession would be soon. That empty white room and being unable to do anything was driving me nuts.

"We'll figure that out when we get out of here. Thank you, three." I nodded at them. "But we have just a little more to do before we are done here. I'm going to teach you three the Soul Absorption Art." 

Their eyes lit up with recognition, and I realized this was likely something that Zeus and Hercules had particularly asked them to observe.

That fact made me hesitate. I wondered if it was a mistake to teach it to them. But playing it out, it seemed low risk. If they taught more of the Heros Clan the Soul Absorption Art, it wouldn't be the worst outcome. After all, it was a potent tool to use against the demons, and the First Demon War would include lots of possessions.

Kyra was the first to speak. “If Hercules asks, I’ll say you did it for me. Chewed up and baby-birded me rather than teach it to me.” She looked at the other two flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, “Right?”

What an odd way to put it.

“Right.” Zyra nodded, the short black bob dancing as she vigorously moved her head, as if the harder she nodded the more convincing she looked.

Myra was the last but only closed her eyes and spoke softly. “That was a given. After the bloodline and this opportunity, there is little sway from the small favors the Heros Clan leaders can provide.”

“Good, then we’ll get started.” I felt that they were speaking the truth and my blade turned into a kitchen knife. “Now, the essence of the ability is turning an invading soul into nourishment. That means you’re going to eat this guy.” I pointed to the demon in the cage. “As we do this, I also want to come up with a plan to get the demons to try and possess me next.”

“Yes, Master.” Myra said, kneeling down next to the cage. “Is there a way to turn him into something… more appetizing?”

“This is your world. Shape it as you will.” I said.

She turned and whispered to the other two as the demonic blood on the ground bloomed into piles of chocolate. “Mmm. This might not be so bad. We can turn him into chocolate and eat him for power.”

I shrugged and got to work helping them make chocolates from the demon. “Make sure to turn him into a large quantity of chocolate, you don’t want to concentrate this too much. Take your time to absorb as much as you can.”