Soul Knight - Chapter 6 (Patreon)

[Author Note: Another cute image generation of Eirwen here. Not fully accurate, but figured I'd share it.]

Nick’s meditation was interrupted by some hooves on the wood floor. He opened his eyes, to find Eirwen back, chewing on some bearcoon meat. He realized that nearly all the essence was absorbed, already.

He smiled up at her, feeling much better having absorbed the body essence. His wounds were now mostly healed, he could tell. Running his hands through his hair, he found it much shorter and serviceable.

“What do you think, Eirwen? Kaya cut my hair. Oh snap, she even cut my nails. Didn’t even notice that.”

She giggled. “You look great, I think that style looks good on you. You absorbed your essence finally, I can see. Sometimes you enter a trance, the feeling of absorbing it really calming you.”

“How ya feeling, Eirwen? I hope better, after all that. I got Kaya mad at me again, since you weren’t here.”

She giggled. “I’m sure she’ll come around. And I feel fantastic! Starved something fierce, though. I think we should wait to heal me some more, maybe even see if I can earn some essence first. I can pick a class now!”

“Really? Which ones?”

“Hehe, you don’t ask a girl her classes, just like you don’t ask about her age! I’ve got my eye on Ordeal Supporter, though.”

Nick just stared at her. “That’s the end of the conversation any time you bring up something new. ‘Less you want to me to ask what the hell that is, every time.”

She giggled. “R-Right, sorry Nick. Your situation is pretty unusual. An Ordeal Supporter is someone that aids a party that delves into the tower–the Ordeals. I get the ability to loot, which both creates resources from fallen enemies, and helps with the splitting of essence. Then, I can increase my carry weight–”

“What the–? You’d be like a pack mule? That’s not cool at all. You gotta be careful here, Eirwen. I know you got Kaya and I to watch your back, but–”

She smirked. “Oh? I have you to watch my back, do I? Why, how nice of you, Nicholas.”

Nick nodded. “Of course. How could I let that beautiful hair come to harm? That right there is a national treasure. Stick with me, and I won’t let a hair on the pretty little head of yours get hurt. Still, you should pick a class that will help you fight, or protect yourself a little better. Can’t you get something that can shoot powerful fireballs, devastating lightning, or a barrier, or something? You got that soul magic, after all.”

Eirwen chuckled and shook her head. “You’re such a silly man. But no, I’m afraid I have no talent for most magics, and I’m not much for fighting, as you can imagine.”

Nick could imagine that. He could feel, with his Advanced Soul Sense, that she’d probably never hurt anything but her and Kaya’s dinner in all her life. Then, she looked frail. He liked girls with a bit more meat on their bones, but Eirwen definitely stirred his protective instincts.

She continued, “Like you, I do have some talent with soul magic, but mine would be less defensive or offensive than the Ordeal Supporter. Dream Oracle does seem like a powerful class, however, it’s the opposite of a combat one. If anyone powerful found out about my class choosing that one, I’d probably end up locked in a room to give visions forever.”

“Damn, that one does sound crazy. Does Ordeal Supporter at least get a weapon or something?”

She nodded. “They do get the bow and crossbow skill–which, we do have one for me to bring. Then, they have few restrictions on what skills they can learn from crystals, even if their capability is far lower. The biggest thing that will improve our safety is that I’ll be able to detect safe areas, and establish a camp. If I expend enough essence, we can create our own safe area, with some exceptions–especially Trials.”

“Huh, that doesn’t sound so bad. With Jerome, we should have a pretty good party then.”

“J-Jerome? Who’s that?”

“My soul servant, a spell I got. I suppose I had to dispel him, but I’ll find another. Anyway, I think now’s a good time to share my quests with you. If you’re going to be coming with us into the Ordeal, it’s important. All I ask is you don’t share them with anyone else.”

Eirwen seemed a little shocked, but she nodded as she sat down in another chair near him in their sort-of living room. Sharing the quests with her, she gasped as she read them. “Wow, Nick, you’re a prince? Prince Torian? But how, you come from another world!”

Nick sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. “I really should have read those messages, I got no idea how it happened. Still, somehow I’m the last of my race. I’ve got this duty, but… I dunno. The idea of several wives sounds fun, but I have a hard enough time keeping just the one girl happy, usually. They normally do that here on Orion, or is this just a nobility thing?”

Eirwen blushed. “Um, kinda? The monsterfolk and beastfolk are very, um, enthusiastic about the idea. We–they like a powerful mate, so–”

Kaya arrived through the rope ladder in the floor, dragging up a few bags of supplies, and interrupting their conversation.

“I’ve gathered quite a few supplies, but really only enough to last us a few–Eirwen, how are you?”

Eirwen gave Kaya a beaming smile. “I’m great! I was able to pick my class when I woke up. I can be an Ordeal Supporter!”

Kaya’s eyes widened. “That’s amazing! Those are highly sought after! I guess…” Kaya looked over at Nick.

Eirwen smiled, and folded her arms in front of her. “That’s right, Nick’s soul healing really helped me! I don’t think I’m perfect yet, but he truly helped, I’m sure of it. I think you owe the prince here an apology.”

Kaya froze, likely realizing Nick shared his Quests with Eirwen. She definitely looked conflicted as she looked at Nick, but she gave him a small smile. “I… Thanks, Nick. I’m sorry for doubting you. Eirwen is the most important thing in the world to me, and you really helped her out. It means a lot.”

She sounded both apologetic and thankful, but he thought he saw pain in her eyes. Nick had to stop himself from suggesting the reward they talked about earlier, but he just barely managed.

“It’s all good, Kaya. We just met yesterday, it’d be a little much to trust a guy you just met covered in blood, right? Thanks for taking care of most of that, by the way. Was that you, or Eirwen?”

They both blushed. Eirwen said, “It was… a joint effort. You’re heavier than you look!”

“Alright, so what’s the plan? We gotta sneak back into that well–but really, we probably need like armor and stuff? You sure this Davon guy isn’t going to be looking for us? Maybe someone might have spotted us and snitched. Of course, his two guys died, that’s gotta be a big deal, right?”

Kaya sighed. “Of course, I’m worried about that. Still, if we sneak in at night, we should be able to get to the well. I wish we could shop, but… we should be able to begin delving with what we got. If I get to level five, I can get [Sneak]. Then I can get around town, and they won’t be able to stop me, really. They only have so many guards that can detect it, and they are stuck watching the entrances.”

“Huh. I wonder what that ominous feeling was. I had like four hundred rats after my ass, and that gate felt scarier.”

Kaya was confused. “Huh? The first floor Ordeal should hardly be a challenge for us–you beat that level five bearcoon, after all. Until the tenth floor, it should typically mean enemies’ levels match the corresponding floor. It might take us more than one run through a floor to level up, especially after the fifth floor, but by then we should be in good shape–Tests should give rewards that include currency, equipment, and skills.”

“What about the Trials?”

Kaya scoffed. “Trials are extremely rare in the first stratum. I don’t think Havendale has seen one in a hundred years, there’s no way we need to worry about that. We know that because when a Trial appears, anyone within the tower can enter when they arrive at that floor.”

Nick just stared at her. “You just raised a flag, there. I’m calling it: we’re getting a Trial, first time. I’m a prince, after all.”

Eirwen chuckled at Nick’s antics. “I hope not, but who knows, right? Your family owned the tower according to the Quest.”

Kaya interrupted, “Whatever. Let’s just get moving. It’s gonna take some work to lock everything up here, so we don’t find animals have moved in here when we return. I’m hoping we can get rid of Davon before we return, but things may not work out so well.”

Nick shrugged. “Alright. Just tell me what we gotta do and it’ll get done.”

***

The girls were now prepared for the Ordeal, wearing their equipment. Eirwen had a thick cloak that looked like it had a bit of leather lining it. Then, she was wearing a large backpack.

Her clothes looked good for traveling, but not overly protective. A thick sweater-like gambeson protected her upper body and thighs, which ended where her sheep-legs began, at around her knees.

Kaya was wearing her cloak still, and now she had a bandoleer of throwing knives. She had two short swords, and then proper leather armor. There were even studs all over the chest piece and shoulders, providing proper coverage for her.

Nick marveled at his own armor. It was of an interesting design, somehow fitting tightly where it mattered, but also being a one-size-fits-all. Among men like Nick, anyway. It would be huge on Kaya.

“Damn, Kaya, these bracers and armor are not bad. You said they were your mom’s? What was she, a bear or something? How does that work, anyway?”

Nick and Kaya were sneaking around the well, scouting it out. Eirwen was currently hiding outside town. Nick wasn’t worried, his Advanced Soul Sense able to detect anyone near.

Kaya shushed him, whispering. “Quiet! We are near. But what do you mean? She was a red panda too, of course.”

Nick looked at her like she was stupid, but replied in a low voice. “She musta been ripped, huh? What, am I supposed to ignore Eirwen is a sheep? How does a sheep come from a panda?”

Kaya groaned. “She’s not actually my sister by blood. Like a lot of families on the frontier, she’s found family. Her mother was friends of my mother’s, and she died—thanks to Davon.”

Nick was nearly filled with rage on Eirwen’s behalf. “That guy been running the show this long? Oh–we got contact.”

Kaya frowned, her ears and tail swishing left and right and a hand on her blade, ready to draw.

Nick crept along the building, and he could feel her scoff at his actions. But Nick was silent as the night, as he got closer to an alleyway. As he did, he could tell a man was creeping through it slowly. The soul approaching was as black and filled with sin, and he knew he was a bandit for sure.

He did the best he could to signal to Kaya, but he prepared to draw his blade over his shoulder. Nick’s body was tight up against the building, and he felt the soul come out the edge–but nothing was seen with his eyes. It froze, stopping its movement.

In one fluid motion, Nick drew his blade as he ignited it with his soul, and sliced through the space just above where he spotted the soul. A head tumbled to the ground, the body falling and appearing in front of them as Nick retracted his blade of light.

“Shit, that guy was sneaking? That don’t work on me.”

Kaya exclaimed, “Holy–You can sense someone using sneak that easily? That guy was at least level five!”

He tried to use Create Soul Servant, but the spell appeared to fizzle.

Essence rushed into him from his kill, and he did his best to begin absorbing it.

“Aw man, they need their head. That sucks, I didn’t wanna use [Judgment] because of the light show and noise–mostly from his screaming. Hopefully we can get this body to the well, the rats will just eat ‘em?”

She just stared at him wide-eyed for a moment, before they gathered his weapons and belongings. Kaya frowned, but helped him move the body, stashing it into an alleyway.

Kaya said, “It’s clear they had eyes on this area, but weren’t sure where to look. Let’s check a few more alleyways.”

Finding nothing, they knew they needed to hurry before someone spotted them, or someone noticed the bandit missing. They got Eirwen and circled back to bring the corpse to the well, dumping the body down it.

“Alright, where’s that rope, so we can lower Eirwen down.”

Kaya blushed. “We don’t have any.”

Nick nearly swore in anger, but switched just in time. “What the f–I asked for one thing, lady! You’re telling me, we don’t have the most important adventuring tool? If you asked me whether I wanted a sword or rope for an adventure, that would be a tough call. I think I’d choose the rope and just punch everything to death. That’s how important rope is, and we ain’t got it!”

“We don’t have what we don’t have!”

“Don’t you guys live in the forest? If I knew we ain’t got it, I’d have made it with some vines or something. You even had that rope ladder. Alright, Eirwen. Since we ain’t got rope, let me carry you down. Get on my back.”

Kaya scowled. “Why are you carrying her down? I will.”

Nick looked her up and down. “You’re going to do that? You’re but a slip of a thing, I thought I’d have to carry you down next.”

“Now who is the one who doesn’t listen? I’ll use my transformation! Look the other way.”

Nick shrugged. “Alright.” He could hear her undressing, and he could tell she was handing her equipment to Eirwen. A rumbling like Kaya’s prelude to a growl was heard, and he thought he could almost feel her soul itself shift.

Eirwen giggled. “‘Kay, you can look now, Nick.”

He turned around, and he was shocked. Kaya now looked exactly like a human-sized red panda, which, was like a large red raccoon. She was definitely bigger than she was, and…

“Wow, you’re cute as hell! You should just stay like that all the time, if you ask me.” Nick wanted to check what her fur felt like, but she growled at him as Eirwen climbed onto her back.

“Er, don’t do that. It does weird things to me. When you’re shaped like that…” He shivered.

He thought Kaya smirked with her raccoon-like muzzled face, before she began climbing down the well with Eirwen on her back, and Nick joined her.

Kaya moved dexterously, the weight of the girl and her load no problem at all for her as she gripped and climbed down the stones of the well.

Nick had trouble moving down with her, but eventually found a path, his body able to climb down the footholds and grasp on the walls easily once he picked out the right spots.

Arriving at the bottom, he was surprised to find that very little blood remained from his furious assault, that only stains sort of remained.

“Damn, they picked this area clean. I guess they lick up the blood or something.”

Kaya froze at the edge of the well, and Nick stared at her. “Why don’t you don’t wanna stay like that? It’s awesome. I’d be a red raccoon all the time if I could.” He smiled at Eirwen. “Well, maybe not all the time.”

Kaya gave a low growl, and Eirwen giggled. “Let her change. She goes a little too…bestial when she gets in a fight. She doesn’t want to hurt us.”

Nick shrugged, and Kaya shifted and got her clothes on in the adjacent pathway. They moved on, and came to the Ordeal gateway down just two hallways. There were no rats to be found, and Nick was a little worried that they would be still upset with him if they did.

Kaya noticed the portal, and the lack of rats. “This didn’t take long at all. I thought you said this place was filled to the brim with rats?”

“They’re hiding, or something. We should find that room I emerged out of.”

“Why? Didn’t you get everything?”

Nick hesitated. “Because I said so, that’s why. There might have been one thing that was difficult for me to grab.”

Kaya shrugged. “Whatever. Which way?”

Nick groaned. “I remember I was running from that way when I came in here with about three or four hundred rats chasing me. Beyond that…”

They began to work their way down the hallways, but once again, rats immediately began charging after Nick from the furthest reaches of the rooms. They quickly ended up backing off, Nick knowing this was more challenging than it was worth, protecting Eirwen.

“Wow, what’d you do to piss them off, Nick? They don’t feel like they should be aggressive.”

“Nothing! I didn’t do anything! Don’t kill one or get any blood on you, I’ll take care of ‘em. Let’s just go back to the portal, when I’m done with that I will kill that rat named Davon, then it’s rat genocide time.”

He fought through and killed the numerous rats away from the rest of the party, doing his level best to keep the blood from splattering on himself.

Kaya chuckled once he finished. “We might be able to lure them all away for you with some food or something, next time. That is, if there isn’t anything else in this crypt for us to worry about.”

Nick muttered, “Maybe I really should have read that…”

Kaya’s ear snapped over. “Read what?”

“Nothin’, damn those things heard that?” Nick commented on her raccoon-like ears.

Eirwen giggled. “That’s her [Enhanced Body] racial passive. Each point in Body does more for things, like her senses and muscle elasticity, than the base–humans and similar.”

“Y'all know about elasticity?”

Kaya chuckled and shook her head, and patted Eirwen’s shoulder. “Eirwen here does, anyway.”

Nick filed that away for later. He continued, “Huh, so my senses get better as my Body goes up? That’s neat. So girls, you ain’t feeling that? As I get closer to this portal, I feel danger. I got goosebumps over here, and I ain’t afraid of no dungeon.”

Kaya and Eirwen shook their heads.

“Alright, so here’s the deal. I can go in by myself, and you girls go in separately? I think my deal is gonna be dangerous here. That’s my gut tellin’ me.”

Eirwen looked shocked, and Kaya shrugged. “Maybe that’s for the best. Nice knowin–”

Eirwen scoffed. “We’re not going in there without Nick! Kaya, he got hurt for you, don’t you wanna help him? He even healed me, and showed us the gate to make this possible. Don’t you have any gratitude in your heart at all? If it’s dangerous, won’t he need our help?”

Kaya frowned. “It was him who offered! If it’s dangerous, I don’t want you in there! I’m only considering a normal run and staying safe, Eirwen.”

Eirwen held her head up high, and folded her arms. “Well, I’m tired of waiting behind and staying in safety! I wanna help from now on, and it’s in part thanks to you taking care of me. But it’s also thanks to Nick. Invite me to your party, Prince Torian!”

Nick wasn’t sure how to invite her to the party, but like most everything else with the system of Orion, he just willed it and she accepted. He did the same for Kaya, who had a rumbling growl in her throat.

“See, Kaya? Eirwen knows how to show gratitude and respect, you should learn from your lil’ sis’.”

Kaya’s growl increased, but Nick continued, “Alright. I don’t know what’s behind this door, but I know it’s gonna be trouble. Let’s go!”